Unprecedentedly nonstop dry weather in mid winter period “Chilla-i-Kalaan” has for all right reasons led to unprecedented rise anxieties over farming activities among the people of all hues particularly millions of those whose livelihoods are totally dependent on agriculture and horticulture activities in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. With no forecast of any heavy snowfall during the remaining half of the mid winter period “Chilla-i-Kalan” known for it’s harshest cold waves and long spells of heavy snowing the people have taken the spiritual course to hold special prayers for break in the dry spell of “Chilla-i-Kalan” and a moderate to heavy snowfall in both plains and hills of Kashmir Valley. To reduce the rising anxieties of people over non stop dry spell in mid winter period of “Chilla-i-Kalan” administrative wisdom demands that departments of agriculture and horticulture not only take early decisions for changing the patterns of agriculture and horticulture activities but also issue technical advisories for the farmers in consultation with the experts of the agriculture universities of Kashmir and Jammu. In fact it is not for the first time that dry spell in mid “Chilla-i-Kalan” winter period has led to anxieties among the people over the future of agriculture and horticulture seasons in Jammu & Kashmir but it has also happened way back in 2003 when dry winter periods were followed by heavy rains frequently in early summer periods in March, April, and May months. Since climate change does not head to any dead end in Jammu & Kashmir like several other parts of the country, yet another harsh dry spell in forthcoming summer season as such can’t be ruled out and henceforth the change in weather patterns necessitates the change in the patterns of agriculture and horticulture activities in Jammu & Kashmir.
“Since Shaliendra Kumar a senior IAS officer of the erstwhile J&K cadre presently holding the position of Agriculture Production Department has overseen the agriculture and horticulture activities not only in two key districts of Kashmir Valley as Deputy Commissioner but also of entire Kashmir Valley as Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Changing the patterns of agriculture and horticulture activities won’t be a too big a challenge for him under the leadership of Chief Secretary Attal Dulloo who himself has headed the agriculture production department for more than a year. While it is an irrefutable fact that intense heat waves have triggered droughts in other parts of the country many a times in the past but a drought has not hit Jammu & Kashmir the way it hit other parts of the country even once during last three decades, So a drought could be a new experience for the Jammu & Kashmir Government and never forget that a new challenge is always a new experience for the Government in any part of the world”.
Much before unusual weather seasons push farming communities into any crisis which would unprecedentedly hit their economy it is the right time for the Jammu & Kashmir Government particularly the agriculture and horticulture department to start a ground work for changing the patterns of agriculture and horticulture activities right now in consultation with the agriculture and horticulture scientists of the agriculture universities of Kashmir and Jammu. Since Shaliendra Kumar a senior IAS officer of the erstwhile J&K cadre presently holding the position of Agriculture Production Department has overseen the agriculture and horticulture activities not only in two key districts of Kashmir Valley as Deputy Commissioner but also of entire Kashmir Valley as Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Changing the patterns of agriculture and horticulture activities won’t be a too big a challenge for him under the leadership of Chief Secretary Attal Dulloo who himself has headed the agriculture production department for more than a year. While it is an irrefutable fact that intense heat waves have triggered droughts in other parts of the country many a times in the past but a drought has not hit Jammu & Kashmir the way it hit other parts of the country even once during last three decades, So a drought could be a new experience for the Jammu & Kashmir Government and never forget that a new challenge is always a new experience for the Government in any part of the world.
