Environment Archives | Page 5 of 41

Mounting Waste Crisis Poses Grave Threat to Kashmir’s Ecosystem

July 11, 2023 Editor

By: Sameer Mushtaq, Suhail Bhat Kashmir’s breathtaking landscape is threatened by massive amounts of trash being produced and recklessly dumped, endangering its delicate environment and highlighting the urgent need for action. For years, a silent yet significant threat has been looming over Indian-administered Kashmir. The valley produces an astonishing 3,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste annually, with over 17,00 metric tonnes being recklessly dumped into agricultural fields, green forests and water bodies. The dumping of waste poses a severe threat to the fragile ecosystem, prompting urgent calls from experts to…

High Court permits temporary structures during the Amarnath Yatra period at Sonamarg

June 18, 2023 Editor

The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has permitted for setting up temporary structures for the facilitation of the Amarnath Yatris at Sonamarg. However, the court ordered that the temporary structures should be demolished once the yatra was over. A bench of Chief Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi modified its order dated March 27, 2023, to allow the authorities to raise “temporary structures” at Sonamarg for the convenient transit of the yatris. “Considering the fact that Amarnath Yatra is going to commence from July 1, 2023,…

Climate change on track to make 2023 hottest year ever recorded

June 16, 2023 Editor

Global temperatures have accelerated to record-setting levels this month, an ominous sign in the climate crisis ahead of a gathering El Nino that could potentially propel 2023 to become the hottest year ever recorded. Preliminary global average temperatures taken so far in June are nearly 1 degree Celsius above levels previously recorded for the same month, going back to 1979, the Guardian reported. While the month is not yet complete and may not set a new June record, climate scientists say it follows a pattern of strengthening global heating that…

Shrinking of Dal and Wular Lakes: A Growing Concern for Kashmir Valley

June 15, 2023 Editor

The picturesque Kashmir Valley, renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty, is facing a significant environmental challenge as two of its iconic lakes, Dal and Wular, are shrinking at an alarming rate. The shrinking of these lakes not only poses a threat to the region’s ecological balance but also has serious implications for the livelihoods and well-being of the local communities. This article sheds light on the causes, consequences, and potential remedies for the shrinking of Dal and Wular Lakes in the Kashmir Valley. Dal Lake, located in Srinagar, and Wular…

Kashmir’s Iconic Dal Lake: A Tragic decline threatening its existence

June 13, 2023June 13, 2023 Editor

By: Majid Maqbool Amid much fanfare last month, visiting G20 delegates arrived in Kashmir’s capital city Srinagar to attend a tourism working group meeting in a convention center overlooking the iconic Dal Lake, which has drawn tourists from across the world for decades for its stunning beauty. It is called variously the “Lake of Flowers,” the “Jewel in the crown of Kashmir” or “Srinagar’s Jewel.” Walter R. Lawrence, the British Resettlement Commissioner of Kashmir wrote in 1887 that “Perhaps in the whole world there is no corner as pleasant as…

Kashmir is a popular tourist destination, but the unregulated tourist influx has led to an increase in pollution and waste disposal problems

June 9, 2023June 9, 2023 Editor

Kashmir is a popular tourist destination, and the number of tourists visiting the region has increased in recent years

Tourism is a small but important part of Kashmir’s economy. However, in the name of tourism, the government should not put the fragile and already-strained natural resources and public infrastructure in the region under even more pressure, lest it lead to a complete destruction of the beautiful valley, which is home to 7 million people. By: Raja Muzaffar Bhat Four years after India made Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) its youngest Union territory, the region is expected to receive around 2 crore (20 million) tourists this year. This was revealed by the lieutenant governor…

Alarming increase in Fish Deaths in Dal Lake raises concerns, Authorities Label it as ‘Annual’ Occurrence

May 26, 2023May 26, 2023 Editor

Dead Fishes Float In Dal Lake After G20 Beautification, Locals Blame Authorities Thousands of fish in the Dal Lake here have died over the past few days with authorities blaming a sudden fluctuation in temperature in the region. Dal Lake dwellers expressed alarm over such large-scale fish deaths even as authorities said the occurrence was an annual affair. “I received reports about the deaths of fish in Dal Lake yesterday. We sent a team to scout the lake for samples. We found that a lot of dead fish had collected around…

Climate change may be cause apple crisis in Himachal and Kashmir

May 21, 2023May 21, 2023 Editor

Climate change is causing bees, among nature’s primary pollinators, to die in Himachal Pradesh and the Kashmir Valley. This has led to major losses for apple growers in the two areas and could impact their respective economies, horticulturists have told. While apple production is estimated to decrease by about 30 per cent this time in Himachal Pradesh, 20 per cent loss is estimated in Kashmir. “This year, when it rained in mid-April, bees in our garden died in their boxes,” Marshall Thakur, an apple grower from Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, told.…

Climate Change increases likelihood of Heatwaves in Asia by 30 Times

May 18, 2023 Editor

Scientists warn of escalating heatwave risks due to global warming The record breaking humid heat wave that hit east and north India; Bangladesh; Laos and Thailand in April were made at least 30 times more likely by climate change, a rapid attribution analysis said on Wednesday. The analysis by an international team of scientists with the World Weather Attribution group said a highly vulnerable population was subjected to a deadly combination of high heat and humidity which amplified the impacts in early summer this year. Large populations across South Asia…

Alarm bells ring as exotic Alligator Gar Fish found in Dal Lake

May 15, 2023 Editor

Capturing of a fish resembling the Alligator gar fish in the Dal lake here has sent alarm bells ringing among the scientists who fear that the presence of non-native fish species could spell doom on the eco-fragile flora and fauna of the water body. The Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) captured the alligator-shaped fish during the deweeding of Dal Lake near Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on May 12. The video of the unique fish went viral taking people as well as scientists by surprise. Talking to KIF, Executive Engineer…