There is an environmental emergency in Jammu and Kashmir which the newly elected UT government is apparently not noticing, despite repeated red flagging by experts, activists, columnists and NGOs. Inexplicably, we don’t hear the CM or any of his ministerial colleagues saying anything consequential on the subject.

What does environmental emergency mean to us in Jammu and Kashmir?

Glaciers, the main source of our water in rivers and streams are fast retreating and it is estimated that if these continue to melt at the current rate, they will lose about 75 % of their size by the end of this century. So, in seventy five years or earlier we in Jammu and Kashmir will be almost totally dependent on rainfall which for Kashmir does not come from the annual monsoon unlike rest of India, thereby making Kashmir a potential drought prone and water crisis ridden land. Imagine a scenario when there will be just one fourth of water in Lidder, Sindh, Jhelum in comparison to the present till rains augment the flow. Imagine the impact of extreme and chronic water shortages for a population of 15 to 20 million. Glacial retreat is no doubt partly due to global warming and reduced precipitation as snow during winter, but reasons for faster retreat are also to be found in the local factors like human interference, annual yatras moving close to glaciers, fossil fuel burning, vehicular emissions and all other activities causing rise in average temperatures across Jammu and Kashmir.

Hundreds of springs, large and small, have depleted and gone dry in Jammu and Kashmir over the last fifty to sixty years. Major causes include deficient precipitation, silting and lack of maintenance by the local communities. Many of these lost springs can be revived by restoration of their aquifers, removal of silt and better maintenance by the concerned panchayats and municipalities but nothing is being done because there is no direction to them regarding revival or to spend for the effort. Facilitating rain and snow to be absorbed around the springs to charge the aquifers is the way to go about. Experts may have other suggestions for revival based on local topography and soil structure.

Agriculture land is fast disappearing under residential houses and commercial buildings. Thousands of kanals of agriculture........

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