Category: Environment

Environment

Finally, Snowfall may end dry spell across J&K

Editor

After the 40-day harshest period of winter, ‘Chilai Kalan’, passed off without any snow, the weather department has finally forecast precipitation in the Valley. “Heavy rain or snow is likely over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on February 11,” the national forecast of the Meteorological Department said, adding that heavy rain or snow was likely on subsequent days also — from February 12 to February 14. “Fairly widespread to widespread rain/snow is likely over Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on February 12 and decrease subsequently,” it said. The…

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Hope for snowy winter fades as dry spell to continue

Editor

PHE Dept asked to prepare drought action plan This year, bright sunny days remained the defining feature in the Kashmir valley during the past month as the temperatures remained quite high and caused a premature departure of the region’s harshest winter period. The day temperature throughout January and for the last few days has been described as “marked high” in the series of weekly reports by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). During the winter’s core period, the mercury touched five to six degrees above the season’s average i.e. 6.3°C in…

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Due to lack of snowfall in Kashmir, water crisis threaten to leave Agriculture, Tourism sectors high and dry

Editor

It is around 4.30 in the evening and many people including a few elders from a village in South Kashmir can be seen sitting at the front of a shop. One among the elders is gazing at a barren mountain that used to remain covered in snow during winter and spring. “It has become Punjab here. There will be huge water crisis this year and there is a low possibility of crop yield,” he rued. Almost everyone in Kashmir opines that this year will be difficult for agriculture and horticulture.…

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Keep check on growth of water lilies in Dal Lake: High Court

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The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) to remain alert about the re-emergence of lily pads in the Dal Lake and take immediate steps in February and March to curtail their reappearance. Earlier in December 27, while expressing its satisfaction with the removal of lily pads from the Dal Lake, the court had asked LAWDA to continue the process, so as to not allow any re-growth in the next season. As the matter came up for hearing before a division bench headed…

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90% Dip in precipitation, January 2018 decade’s driest period

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Kashmir witnessed the driest January in a decade with nearly 90 per cent deficiency in precipitation. It has also risked the survival of the region’s water bodies. The Indian Meteorological Department listed the state as having “largely deficient” rain and snowfall this month, which otherwise, receives an average of 95.7-mm rainfall. During the month, the state received 3.2-mm rain and snowfall against the normal average of 65.3 mm for that period – resulting in 95 per cent deficiency, the IMD said in its report. Moreover, the state’s nine districts received…

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As the Chillai Kalan ends in Kashmir; temperature appreciates in some areas

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The Chillai-Kalan, a 40-day period of harsh winter, on Wednesday ended without a major snow in Kashmir as the night temperature rose across the Valley. During Chillai-Kalan, the possibility of snow is maximum. While there was downpour when the period began and ended this season, it was one of the driest in four decades. Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital, recorded a minimum temperature of 3.5 degrees Celsius, an official of the Met department said here. He said all-weather stations in the Valley–except Pahalgam and Gulmarg–recorded minimum temperatures above the…

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Sunny days with Chilly nights a grave concern ahead

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The unusual weather pattern continued in Kashmir with sunny and warmer days while nights are extremely chilly. Cold wave continued with mercury at degrees below the freezing point. Meteorological department continues to predict light rains and snowfall in next 24 hours. Director MeT department, Sonam Lotus said a fresh Western Disturbance is likely to end the dry spell during the next 24 hours in Kashmir. “Light rain or snow would occur at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir from Monday evening as a fresh WD, originating in Arabian sea has…

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No relief from freezing cold in Kashmir, Prolonged dry spell triggers worries

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There was no relief from cold wave conditions in Kashmir as mercury stayed several degrees below freezing point in most parts of the valley. Kargil town in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir saw the mercury rise by three degrees last night but settled at a bone chilling minus 17.8 degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological Department here said. He said Kargil continued to be the coldest recorded place in the state. The nearby Leh town was the second coldest as the mercury there settled at a low of…

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NGT refuses to review order on maintaining silence inside Amarnath Cave

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The National Green Tribunal has refused to review its order directing devotees to maintain silence while standing in front of the Amarnath ‘shivling’ in the cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas. The green panel said there was no patent error in its last year order and the direction was passed in the interest of the environment as well as the Amarnath cave shrine, which is a place of faith for many devotees. A bench headed by acting Chairperson Justice U D Salvi said the tribunal has heard all the parties…

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Glacial lakes make J&K vulnerable to flash floods

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With rapid melting of glaciers creating glacial lakes in various mountain ranges of Jammu and Kashmir, state government has failed to devise a mechanism to avert disasters even as environmentalists have warned of flash floods due to outburst of these lakes. Studies have shown that most of the glaciers in J&K are receding due to climate change at an average rate of 20 metres per annum. Melting glaciers erode land and fill up the space creating glacial lakes. Experts said there are more than 100 glacial lakes spread across different…

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