Category: Environment

Environment

Surrounded by glaciers, Kashmir faces drought-like conditions as precipitation levels dwindle

Editor

In 2002, the Jammu and Kashmir government set up a water-treatment plant at Pokhribal in Srinagar to supply drinking water from the Dal Lake to the households of the area. But local people objected saying the lake water was unfit for consumption, so the government changed the water source to a nearby freshwater stream. But, in the last decade, despite getting even more polluted, the Dal Lake has again become a source of drinking water for a significant portion of the city. The state’s Public Health Engineering (PHE) department, which…

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Wular has lost its primary function of flood absorption basin for Jhelum

Editor

Not so long ago Wular in Bandipore was considered to be one of the largest freshwater lakes in Aisa, acting as a natural flood reservoir for Jhelum River to prevent floods in the Valley. Today, the lake is however gasping for survival as years of encroachment and siltation are posing a mortal threat to its existence. Notwithstanding these challenges, the government continues to sit over implementation of an ambitious multi-crore project to dredge the heavily silted Wular, a key component of lake’s massive conservation project, and restore its lost glory.…

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Heavy rains likely across Kashmir Valley in next few days

Editor

Kashmir is likely to receive downpour over the next few days with the state weather department predicting heavy rainfall at isolated places in the region. A spell of rain is expected to begin tonight or tomorrow and will intensify across many parts of the Valley from Thursday, the Srinagar Meteorological Centre said in its forecast bulletin on Tuesday. The Centre’s forecast said fairly widespread rainfall was likely across the Kashmir valley between Thursday and Saturday, while rainfall at scattered locations was expected tomorrow. It also warned that heavy rainfall was…

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Heavy militarization of Kashmir Valley risking Environment, Ecology

Editor

Policy Group, civil society ask Govt to adopt concrete measures to save environment Several members of Environment Policy Group (EPG) and civil society Monday asked the government to adopt concrete measures to save the environment from degradation. Holding placards and banners, Environmental Policy Group (EPG) in coordination with various tour operators, civil society members, FCIK members, Earth day network and eco-peace resource members held a demonstration at Pratap Park to put the focus on environmental concerns. The members said the government has shown no seriousness to save the environment and…

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What happens to the plastic you throw away every day?

Editor

In the absence of proper segregation of waste inside homes, the danger from hazardous plastics falls on the trash collectors, most of whom are poorly paid. And, landfills are still non-scientific dump sites that pose grave threats to land and water resources M Khokhan Hamid, 39, hasn’t told his children what he does for a living. Shame keeps Hamid from telling them that every day he goes door-to-door collecting garbage. “People think we are unclean,” he said, weaving through the neat lanes of Pandara road on a customised rickshaw. As…

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Dal Lake gets dull as waste dumping goes on

Editor

“Perhaps in the whole world, there is no corner as pleasant as the Dal Lake,” said Sir Walter Lawrence in his book ‘Valley of Kashmir’. But today, the Dal Lake, which used to be the top attraction for tourists in Kashmir, has turned into a dumping ground for tonnes of waste and sewage. The rising pollution and high-nutrient load continues to flow and gather on the surface of the water, which locals used for drinking decades ago. Boatmen and houseboat owners say the lake is no more soothing to the…

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J&K to witness heavy rainfall from June-September: IMD

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Jammu and Kashmir will get the highest overall rainfall during the June-September period and July will be the wettest month, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted, according to a media report. According to the IMD, the north-west India — Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and western Uttar pradesh — will get the highest overall rainfall during the June-September period and July will be the wettest month, reported The Times of India. “The north-east India is expected to get least rainfall (below normal) during the period,”…

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Take up procurement of machinery for deweeding in Cabinet: HC to Govt

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The High Court has directed the government to re-submit the proposal for procurement of machinery for de-weeding Dal lake here to the state cabinet. “Memorandum of submission approved by the competent authority and already placed before the cabinet shall be re-submitted by the competent authority so that appropriate decision in-keeping with the requirements is taken,” a bench of Justice Muhammad Yaqoob Mir and Ali Muhammad Magrey said. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation on conservation of Dal lake, the court held that keeping in view the timeline for procurement and utilization…

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Tourism properties, resorts ‘No-polythene zones’: Director Tourism Mehmood Shah

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Use of polythene and disposable plastic at tourist destinations and properties in Jammu and Kashmir can now lead to cancellation of a violating operator’s license. A ban ordered by the government (No PLN/171/DTK/2660-69) directs tourism operators and stakeholders to stop use of non-biodegradable plastic in their properties failing which certificates of registration issued to them by the tourism department would be cancelled. “It shall be the duty of hotel keeper, houseboat owners, travel agents, shikara walas and tourist unit holders to ensure that polythene and disposable plastic is not allowed…

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Rains lash Valley, Fresh snow in Gulmarg, higher reaches

Editor

Gulmarg and other areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snow on Friday, while the plains in the valley, including the summer capital Srinagar, were lashed by rain. Fresh snow has been recorded in Gulmarg–the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, an official of the Meteorological Department here said. He said there are reports of snow in other areas in the higher reaches of the valley, including in Zojila Pass, near Amarnath Cave and Drass. The plain areas in the valley were lashed by rain which has…

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