”Rising air pollution in Kashmir, driven by firewood use and vehicle emissions, has reached hazardous levels (AQI ~300). This “pollution bowl” effect threatens public health and risks crippling the region’s vital winter tourism industry.”
Though travelling in fog is not a new experience for the travelers in Kashmir but with air quality index rising to new heights the increasing air pollution is panicking people across the districts in Kashmir Valley days before the commencement of 40 day long harshest period of winter called “Chilla-i-Kalan”. While health experts believe that 300 plus air quality index is increasing the vulnerability of people to health risks in most of the valley districts excepting Srinagar the summer capital , the authorities of the health department have not issued any public health advisory even in a single district in Kashmir Valley. Notably most of the patients in valley hospitals die due to respiratory illnesses and heart attacks. The cause of such deaths during mid winter periods is stated to be intensifying cold. Notably vehicle emissions and firewood use are stated to be other major causes of air pollution during winter months in Kashmir Valley. So the increasing air quality index coming around 300 in most parts of Kashmir, intense use of firewood and vehicle emissions have virtually changed Kashmir into a pollution bowl which otherwise is a world class destination for winter tourism. Air pollution is thus set to consume human lives besides shutting doors on tourists desperate to throng hilly resorts of Kashmir for winter games during peak winter periods. With air pollution increasingly putting both the lives and as well as the economic activities related to tourism and winter sports under stress the advisories on healthcare and transport services are not only demanding but overdue now.
“Failure to implement policies targeting sub-150 AQI and reduced winter vehicle emissions poses a growing threat to public health, tourism, and sports in J&K. This rising pollution serves as an urgent wake-up call for immediate government intervention.”
Now it is for the health, tourism and sports departments to collaborate for enforcing an advisory for the safety of both the local populations and as well as the travelers and tourists visiting Kashmir in the mid winter periods. Though top functionaries of Kashmir’s divisional administration hold frequent meetings and take decisions on pollution control and health safety but always lapses lead to deaths in hospitals and killings in road accidents day in day out. A policy to combat the annual cycle of weather adversities demands and deserves immediate attention and intervention of the top Government functionaries overseeing public health emergencies, tourism operations and sports activities in Kashmir Valley. A policy that brings down the air quality index below 150 across valley districts and reduces the vehicle emissions during winter periods if not prioritized now will continue to be major threat to public health , tourism operations and sports activities during winters across the valley districts in coming years. The situation developing in the wake of rising air pollution threats is a wakeup call for the Jammu & Kashmir Government.
