Mir Iqbal Hussain Chattergami
For generations, Kashmiris built their homes with one primary concern in mind: how to stay warm during the harsh winter. Houses, roofs and heating arrangements were designed largely to protect families from cold, snowfall and freezing temperatures. But that is changing. Recently, in Chadoora town near the Sumo stand, I witnessed a small incident that revealed something much larger about Kashmir’s changing climate.
An elderly man requested a car driver to let him sit inside the vehicle for a while. When the driver asked where he wanted to go, he replied, “Nowhere.” He simply wanted to escape the heat until his son arrived in his vehicle to take him home. It was a simple scene, but it reflected an emerging reality: people are increasingly seeking shelter from heat in a Valley once known primarily for its cold. The change is also visible in our homes. People are purchasing air conditioners, insulating roofs and modifying house designs to cope with rising summer temperatures.
A neighbour who built his house only a few years ago recently decided to redesign its roof. He explained that the tin roof was too close to the concrete slab, causing heat to accumulate and warm the house. His solution was to raise the tin roof above the slab, creating an air gap to provide insulation against heat. Such changes may appear minor, but they indicate a significant shift in how Kashmiris are adapting to their environment. For generations, summer in Kashmir was largely associated with pleasant weather. Houses were designed mainly to retain warmth during winter. Today, however, declining snowfall, changing rainfall patterns, heatwaves, cloudbursts, floods, glacier and snowmelt and other extreme weather events are increasingly becoming part of the Valley’s climatic reality.
“Kashmir is facing a new climatic reality, making immediate adaptation essential. To build resilience, the region must strengthen early-warning systems for extreme weather while shifting focus away from energy-intensive solutions like air conditioning toward cooler homes, greener streets, and native planting. Individuals can contribute by conserving resources, improving insulation, and protecting vulnerable populations—such as outdoor workers, children, and the elderly—during heat waves.”
The growing use of air conditioners is perhaps the most visible sign of this transition. Yet individual adaptation cannot be the entire solution.
The government must recognise heat as a public-space challenge as well. Thousands of people spend hours outdoors waiting at Sumo stands, bus stops, markets and other busy places. Properly designed shaded shelters, drinking-water facilities and tree-lined public spaces can provide much-needed relief.
Protecting trees should be central to this effort. Roadside trees provide natural shade and help make towns cooler. Both authorities and citizens must discourage unnecessary tree cutting and increase plantation, particularly in urban areas.
What Kashmir Must Do? Kashmir needs a two-way response—government action and responsible citizens. The government should prepare heat-action plans, create shaded shelters at Sumo stands, bus stops and markets, protect roadside trees, expand plantation and promote climate-resilient buildings with better ventilation and roof insulation.
Early-warning systems for heatwaves, cloudbursts, floods and other extreme events must also be strengthened. People, meanwhile, should conserve water and energy, protect trees, plant more native species, improve home insulation and avoid unnecessary activities that add to pollution and warming. Special care should be given to elderly people, children and outdoor workers during heatwaves. Most importantly, adaptation should not mean simply installing more air conditioners. We need cooler homes, greener streets and climate-resilient communities. Kashmir may not be able to control the changing climate, but it can control how prepared it is to face it. The elderly man seeking refuge from the heat, the neighbour redesigning his roof and the growing demand for cooling systems are all reminders that Kashmir is entering a new climatic reality—and the time to adapt is now.
(The author is a teacher and Environmental Science researcher pursuing PhD in Environmental Science. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
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