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Written by: Bilal Bashir Bhat

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 24 January 2018

SRINAGAR: With every passing year the irregular weather phenomenon in Kashmir is steadily drawing its impact on the captivating beauty of Valley and the living standard as well, besides increasing heat waves, loss of agricultural land, droughts and wildfires. Amid the alarming bells of dry weather in Kashmir, the unnatural human activities are playing a significant role in the order of Valley’s climate. Acts such as deforestation, construction, and agriculture are negatively impacting the Kashmir climate. Trees and vegetation cover are essential for the water cycle as it helps to limit evaporation, stores water, and attracts rainfall. Last year, the Kashmir witnessed decade’s longest dry spell resulting in various ailments including flu, cough, fever and common cold. 

The overall climate, the rocks, and soils are also affected, negatively impacting various living and non-living factors. Surface waters such as lakes, rivers, ponds, creeks, streams and lagoons dry out during extended dry conditions which destroy natural habitats. Due to these inhuman activities a recent research has highlighted that Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar is facing one of the highest black carbon pollution, nearly as much as in Delhi, one of the most polluted cities in the world. 

Kashmir University's department of earth sciences has published a number of studies recently highlighting the severity of water stress and more recently poor air quality in the region. According to a study of KU department of earth sciences, loss of glaciers in Upper Indus Basin (Hindukush Himalayas, Karakoram and the Himalayan mountain ranges) could be highest among those in the Kashmir valley.

The data analysis showed the glaciers in Lidder valley have shrunk by 17%. The annual air temperature has shown increasing trends while a slight decrease in precipitation has also been noticed. Though some people do not accept that the average temperature in Kashmir has risen, it is on record that human actions have contributed a lot in destroying the Kashmir beautiful weather. As a result, there are warmer temperatures, long dry spells and forest fires.  Indeed the global warming is drawing its impact on Kashmir climate, but if we continue to damage our natural resources and the alarming bells of dry weather goes continue unheard the day is not far away when we have to reel under weather uncertainty.