Category: Environment

Environment

Snow, Rain end Valley’s long dry spell

Editor

A four-month-long dry spell came to an end today as snowfall and rain lashed the Kashmir valley. Though all major highways were blocked, the precipitation revived hopes of the tourism industry of increase in footfall. The region’s tourism industry, which faced a rough year so far, had been waiting eagerly for the snow to attract holidaymakers and adventure tourists seeking thrill on the skiing slopes of Gulmarg. The rain and snow began overnight across the Valley and continued with a few pauses for almost 20 hours. The forecast issued by…

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Have mantris taken kickbacks in the name of Muftis for allowing this illegal construction?

Editor

In brazen violation of High Court directives and Master Plan for Srinagar, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party led Govt has allowed construction of a mega commercial building on the virgin banks of river Jhelum near busy Abdullah Bridge in Srinagar. The construction started at the “disputed site” only after the ruling PDP came to power. Earlier, in 2006, the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had outrightly disallowed proposed construction and notified the site for construction of a public park. But the Dracula has returned from the grave. While the man…

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Saving Wular Lake is must for survival of Kashmir: Forest Minister Lal Singh

Editor

Forest Minister Lal Singh is alarmed by the environmental degradation and shrinking of the Wular lake in north Kashmir and believes that saving Asia’s largest fresh water lake is must for the survival of Kashmir. Lal Singh has visited the lake several times and assessed the causes that have led to the shrinking of the lake from astonishing 130 sq km to 24 sq km and the flaws that continue to contribute to its deterioration. This, he underscores, is a serious situation for the Valley. He has embarked on an…

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Dwindling Wular Lake hits livelihood of fishermen

Editor

Kolhama, a peninsular hamlet with a population of over 2,400 people and 350 households of fishermen, is dependent on the Wular lake for its produce of fish, water chestnut and nadroo (lotus stem). Abdul Rashid, sarpanch of the village, says the receding water level of the lake is affecting their livelihood. “Dredging by the Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA) has been completed in some stretches of the lake,” says Rashid, lamenting that the main body of the Wular has gone dry. He says dredging work needs to be extended…

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Wullar !!!! Water Level drops, lake’s future in jeopardy

Editor

Wular, Asia’s largest fresh water lake, has been witnessing degradation due to decline in water level, fish, water chestnuts and ‘nadroo’ (lotus stem). It is endangering its life and adversely affecting the economy of over 3.52 lakh people. The 130-sq km lake, designated as a Wetland of International Importance in 1986 and as a Ramsar Site in 1990, falls in Bandipora and Baramulla districts. The growth of over 21.84 lakh trees in its vast expanse in the foothills of Harmukh has transformed its shape. Earlier, the state government had envisaged…

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Authorities construct road, allow camping site in restricted area at Pahalgam

Editor

The Authorities have allowed the construction in the restricted area at Pahalgam for which the trees have been cut and a road is being built at Aru Valley. A camping site is now being raised next to the river Lidder and the construction activity is going on close to Sarshaar park. Excavators and other heavy machinery has been pressed into service which have left the area ravaged and raised the environmental concerns. Governmnet has built an approach road and dug a large area which passes adjacent to river Lidder thereby…

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Srinagar, Jammu witness season’s coldest night

Editor

Continuing its free fall on Thursday, the minimum temperature dropped to minus 2.3 degrees in Srinagar and 7.9 in Jammu, the lowest recorded at both places this season. While Leh was the coldest town in Jammu and Kashmir at minus 11.6, Kargil recorded minus 9 as the night’s lowest temperature, the Met department said. Night temperatures fell below the freezing point through the valley. Pahalgam recorded minus 5.7 while Gulmarg recorded minus 5.4 as the minimum temperature. Katra recorded 9.5, Batote 6.5, Bannihal 6 and Bhaderwah was at 2 degrees…

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Winter chill knocking doors in Kashmir Valley

Editor

Winter chill in Jammu and Kashmir has started knocking the doors as night temperatures dipped at many places in the state. Leh in frontier region of Ladakh registered a low of minus 5.9 degrees Celsius this morning, making it the coldest place in the state. The situation was not different in the neighboring Kargil , as it also recorded minus 5.2 degrees Celsius, met office said. The sky resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.5 while hill resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded a…

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Long dry spells across Kashmir an ‘Emerging Trend’ as well serious concern

Editor

Director meteorological department Srinagar Sonam Lotus on Friday said that an analysis of the weather data of the past decade shows a trend of prolonged dry spells emerging in Kashmir. This year, there has been no rainfall since September 10. “We have a dry spell for the past 61 days. As per our records, it was not the case in Kashmir. We have made analysis that a trend of prolonged dry spell is emerging in Kashmir during the past few years. Last time it rained, it was only 4mm of…

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Fog to thicken in coming days across state

Editor

Smog has been slowly engulfing the state and in all likelihood, the condition will get worse in the coming days due to dry weather. The current haze is due to suspended particles in air which can only get cleared with Western Disturbances (WB) which bring rain, snow and winds from Indo-Gangetic plains. As per the meteorology department, J&K is likely to witness rain or snow on November 14-15 and till then, the air quality is likely to deteriorate. Every year during autumn, the burning of agriculture waste and fossil fuel…

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