Addressing the Climate Crisis in India’s Mountain States: The Urgent Need for New Infrastructure Policies By: Javid Amin The mountain states of India find themselves at the forefront of a growing climate crisis. Recent catastrophic events in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand serve as stark reminders of the pressing need for immediate action to safeguard these vulnerable regions. The impact of the climate crisis is being felt through increasingly severe weather events, including floods, landslides, and droughts. These events result in extensive damage to critical infrastructure, displacement of communities, and a…
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Environment
Kashmir Grapples with Prolonged Dry Spell: 80% of Region Experiencing Moderate to Severe Dryness
By Faizan Arif Over the past four weeks, Jammu and Kashmir has been grappling with a significant shortfall in rainfall. According to India Meteorological Department data related to the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), approximately 80 percent of the area in Kashmir region (8 out of 10 districts), has been impacted by moderate to extreme dryness between August 3rd and August 30th. The SPI, relying on precipitation data, is a widely utilized index for characterizing meteorological drought on a range of timescales. This index is negative for drought and positive for…
Read MoreMeteorological Forecast: September expected to be the Driest Month of the Year for Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh
This year, May and June saw early and unprecedented heat conditions across J&K. May, June, and July months were the warmest. September would be one of the driest months of the year for Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh as there is no prediction of any major precipitation for the first two weeks of the month. “Climatologically also, September is the driest month of the year for J&K and Ladakh. No significant weather expected for next 2 weeks,” MeT Director Sonam Lotus wrote on X (Formerly twitter) on Thursday.…
Read MoreKashmir’s Vulnerability to Earthquakes: Is the Region Prepared for the Next Big One?
Experts warn that the earthquake-prone valley must step up its seismic-resilience game. By: Sajid Raina & Attaul Munim Zahid The earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria last year had a profound impact on Kashmir, heightening concerns about the potential devastation caused by earthquakes. This anxiety, although transient in the immediate aftermath of such events, frequently affects the people of Kashmir. From January to June of this year, Jammu and Kashmir experienced 32 seismic events, with magnitudes ranging from 3.2 to 5.4 on the Richter scale. These tremors serve as a stark reminder…
Read MorePlastic pollution poses threat to tourism in Kashmir’s border areas
Tourist Boom in Kashmir’s Border Areas Brings Plastic Pollution Concerns to the Forefront By: Javid Amin Over the past two years, regions such as Keran, Bangus, Tangdhar, Gurez, and Uri along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir have witnessed a remarkable surge in tourist activity. This uptick in tourism can be attributed to the February 2021 ceasefire agreement between the Indian and Pakistani armies, which opened up these areas for visitors. However, with this influx of tourists comes a concerning rise in plastic pollution. Local officials and environmentalists…
Read MoreImpact of Heavy Rains in Himachal: Urgent Need for New Infrastructure Policies in Mountain States to Combat Climate Crises
In a distressing turn of events, the recent heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh have unveiled a pressing need for new and robust infrastructure policies in mountainous regions, as eight buildings in Kullu district collapsed due to the onslaught of rain-triggered damages. The incident occurred in the Anni area, casting large clouds of dust and debris, but thankfully, there were no casualties reported. The buildings that crumbled had already exhibited cracks and were marked as unsafe following the recent bout of rains. These structures, which housed commercial establishments including shops and…
Read MoreSupreme Court suggests Expert Panel to study Carrying Capacity of Himalayan Region
The Supreme Court on Monday mooted constituting an expert committee for conducting a “complete and comprehensive” study on the carrying capacity of the Himalayan region in the country, where unplanned development has caused devastation in recent times, terming it a “very important issue”. The carrying capacity is the maximum population size that an ecosystem can sustain without getting degraded. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud was hearing a plea seeking an assessment of the carrying capacity and master plans for the Indian Himalayan Region spanning 13 states…
Read MoreKashmir Valley Grapples with Severe Air Pollution Crisis
Govt must seek an explanation from J&K Pollution Control Committee for allowing construction of fresh brick kilns Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat Last year in December the Director of Sher e Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences-SKIMS Dr Parvez Koul said that 10,000 deaths were attributed to air pollution in J&K every year. He said that Srinagar City has the highest incidence of lung cancer in India and a large number of people were suffering from chronic lung diseases in J&K. Dr Koul called for an urgent need to act and control…
Read MoreOmar Abdullah faces criticism for Neglecting Environment after sharing photo of Soil Erosion
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah was criticised for neglecting environment during his tenure as after he shared a picture of soil erosion somewhere in the country during the recent heavy rainfall. The National Conference vice-president pointed at government apathy and wilful ignorance as the reasons for allowing huge structures on unstable land on hillsides. “Years of govt apathy and wilful ignorance while multi-storey concrete structures were built on unstable hillsides has lethal consequences. Who thought these buildings were a good idea? All hill states need to be…
Read MoreSenior J&K Official transferred after he flagged hotel construction irregularities
Before he was shunted out, the official had also written to the Anantnag deputy commissioner about changes the latter made to the hotel’s construction plan that were executed in contravention of procedure. By: Jehangir Ali Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha’s administration shunted out a senior officer for allegedly flagging violations by an under-construction hotel in a Pahalgam health resort in south Kashmir, The Wire has learnt. The hotel, which comprises three huts and includes a staff quarter, is coming up in Athnadan village, located on the outskirts of the eco-fragile Pahalgam…
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