The Jammu and Kashmir once known for mesmerising and ecologically rich landscapes has been confronted with many environmental challenges. Climate change, encroachment and contamination of water bodies and forestlands, deforestation, soil degradation, high fossil fuel emissions, water crisis, unabated soil, air and water pollution, solid waste production and mismanagement in disposal and rapid depletion of natural resources are the main challenges. Due to rapid industrialization, unplanned urbanisation, deforestation, unabated pollution, encroachments and population pressure, the natural resources of J&K like fresh water rivers, streams, springs, lakes, wetlands, glaciers, forests, pasturelands, karewas and flora and fauna are in decline state. Unprecedented environmental challenges not only pose a severe threat to the fragile environment but also livelihood of the people in Jammu and Kashmir. Climate change due to anthropogenic activities is the biggest environmental challenge facing J & K. For centuries, the Kashmir valley witnessed cold winters and mild summers however, recent prolonged dry spell, heat waves and erratic rainfall is itself witnessing consequences of global warming and climate change. In December 2023, the Kashmir valley also witnessed a significant drop in rainfall and minimal snowfall. Erratic weather patterns are not only affecting ecological balance in nature but food, energy, and water security in the eco-fragile region of Jammu and Kashmir. Due to soaring global warming and extreme pollution, the Jammu and Kashmir home to some of the largest glaciers in the Himalayas are melting at a high pace. The famous glaciers like Thajiwas, Hoksar, Nehnar, Shishram, and Kolahoi glaciers are retreating rapidly. For the last two decades, Jammu and Kashmir lost many important glaciers and many are on verge of extinction. Loss of more glaciers could have serious implications for regional water availability. Rapid melting of glaciers have increased the risk of glacial lake outbursts floods (GLOFs). Environmentalists blame that unprecedented increase in temperature, deforestation, industrialization, unplanned urbanization, human activities, constructions in eco-fragile zones and high levels of pollution are responsible for the retreating of glaciers in J&K. There has been an increase in drought and desertification in J & K amid global warming and climate change. Climate change is spreading its vicious tentacles on Jammu and Kashmir. Unabated pollution and decade’s long encroachments by careless people have shrunken our fresh water rivers, lakes, springs and wetlands. It is ironic that careless people using water bodies as dumping sites for solid wastes are crying for shortage of drinking water and subsequently protest on roads for unavailability of water. The Kashmir valley has already lost many fresh water bodies and many are on verge of extinction due to reckless pollution and encroachments. Pollutants and contaminants from various sources such as sewage waste from houseboats, animal waste, commercial establishments, and agricultural run-off are getting into our water bodies and such pollutants and contaminants have deeply impacted water quality, making it unfit for domestic and reuse purposes. It is pertinent to mention that ecologically important wetlands like Hokersar, Hygam, Narkara, Shalbugh face great threat of extinction due to unabated pollution, encroachments and siltation.
“Damage done to the environment is irreparable; let us join hands together to work sincerely for the sustainable environment of J & K instead of damaging it otherwise, we will have to face severe disasters in the near future.”
According to a report, about 20 wetlands have vanished due to encroachments during the last five decades. For the last few years, there has been a drastic reduction in the forest cover in Jammu and Kashmir. According to a report published by the Forest Survey of India in 2017, the forested area in J & K is just 10.46%. Due to increasing demand of timber for housing, infrastructure and other developmental projects, deforestation of trees increased in J & K and has caused soil erosion, flash floods, habitat loss, disruption of food chain and food webs and ecological imbalance in nature. Air pollution has also emerged as one of the challenges to the eco fragile environment of J & K in the last few years. Excessive air pollution due to industries, vehicles, dusty roads, emission from brick kilns and cement and macadam plants have deteriorated the air quality. The air quality index of Jammu and Kashmir has fallen low compared to past years. For the last many years, there has been a spurt in respiratory diseases in Kashmir due to air pollution. Atmosphere in J & K is loaded with harmful and poisonous pollutants that have deleterious impacts on all the flora and fauna of the state. As per last year’s shocking report released by the Director SKIMS Mr Parvaiz Koul, The Srinagar city has the highest incidence of lung cancer in the country and ten thousand people die every year in Jammu and Kashmir due to chronic lung diseases caused by only air pollution. Due to vandalization of resources, particularly forests, mountains, glaciers and water bodies by materialistic people, Kashmir valley has now become the most flood hazard prone region. One days light rain in Kashmir valley causes a flood like situation due to low carrying capacity of water bodies. Rapid encroachment, urbanisation and pollution has decreased the carrying capacity of all water bodies. The problem has increased by weak and aging embankments of important water bodies particularly the Jhelum. The people of Jammu and Kashmir forgot the horrible memories of devastating floods in 2014. The deteriorating condition of resources should serve an eye opener to us. For the better health and life of flora and fauna in a sustainable environment, joint and sincere efforts are needed at local level, community level and the government level to reduce the gravity of encroachment, pollution, deforestation and unplanned urbanisation in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. There is need to preserve Kashmir’s natural beauty, culture and uniqueness. We can prevent damage by sustainable and eco-friendly measures. Education and awareness among the people about the importance of a sustainable environment through seminars, campaigns, workshops, debates, discussions etc. is the need of the hour. There is an urgent need of massive plantation, minimise pollution and emission from brick kilns, cement plants, vehicles. Promotion and adoption of green technology, Emission control technology, energy efficiency and global environment friendly technologies will add to the sustainable and green environment of J & K. The blanket ban on settlements around the pristine water bodies and forests and declaration of sensitive areas around water bodies and forests will protect our resources. Strict enforcement of laws and stringent punishment to the violators of water bodies and forests is the need of the hour. Improvement of the drainage system in urban areas, restoration of natural drainage in water bodies, conservation and restoration of degraded wetlands, rivers, springss, and sewage treatment will prove very fruitful for the sustainable environment. Involvement of teachers, students, young youth, NGOs, civil society and religious scholars in preserving and protecting the resources help in restoring the original glory of our environment. Damage done to the environment is irreparable; let us join hands together to work sincerely for the sustainable environment of J & K instead of damaging it otherwise, we will have to face severe disasters in the near future.
(The author is a teacher at Govt Boys Higher Secondary School Beerwah Budgam. 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”)
Mushtaq Ahmad Wani
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