Black Carbon is enhancing Glacial Meltdown in Kashmir

In June 2023 when I, along with some friends, visited Pir Panjal mountains in the upper reaches of Doodh-Pathri, I was astonished to see the snow in upper reaches having been polluted to a great extent. The snow on the mountains of Pir Panjaal especially around glaciers of Doodh Ganga and Shali Ganga looked so shabby when we came into its close contact. Initially we thought it was muddy water that had made it blackish but when we examined it carefully , it was the Black Carbon layers having settled on these peaks.

What is Black Carbon ?

Black Carbon-BC, also called soot, is a component of fine particulate air pollution (PM_2.5). It is formed by incomplete combustion, for example of wood, waste and fossil fuels, a process which also creates carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds. The black carbon absorbs solar light very effectively and thus exacerbates warming of the air and surfaces in regions where it is concentrated, altering weather patterns and ecosystem cycles. The black carbon lasts only days to weeks in the atmosphere but has significant direct and indirect impacts on the climate, agriculture, snow, glaciers and human health.

As we are celebrating World Water Day today with the theme of Glacier Preservation, it is important to know how we can preserve these water treasures which have great importance in Himalayan region and more specifically for our Kashmir. As the earth gets hotter, our frozen world is shrinking, making the water cycle more unpredictable. For a huge population in the world the water that we get from glaciers is causing floods as well as droughts. In some places it causes flash floods, landslides and in coastal areas it causes rising sea levels. In Himalayan region the glaciers are melting not only due to temperature increase but the accumulation of black carbon is also enhancing the glacial meltdown? In such circumstances the importance of mitigating climate change and glacier preservation is a top priority for everyone of us and more specifically for the Government.

Black Carbon three times more in Kashmir

A research study done by the Department of Earth Sciences - Kashmir University in 2014-15 revealed that Kashmir has three times more black carbon in the atmosphere than neighbouring states. In the last 10 years this has become more severe. The presence of high concentrations of black carbon is considered to be the major reason for the melting and shrinking of glaciers in the region. As per this 10 year old report, more than 20% glaciers have vanished in Jammu & Kashmir during 60-65 years. According to a report published in 2015 in several local newspapers of Srinagar quoting Prof Shakeel Romshoo, the then head of the Earth Sciences Department Kashmir University, the glaciers in Kashmir were melting at a faster pace than the glaciers in the rest of the Indian Himalayas? This is a very serious issue and our authorities have to wake up now.

The black carbon is made up of ultra-fine particles produced by the inefficient combustion of all kinds of fossil fuels. Even the wood, kerosene, diesel and emissions from brick kilns produce black carbon. The black carbon produces a dark soot, which efficiently absorbs light and converts it into heat. This property of black carbon to absorb heat makes it the second biggest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide.

The hard facts ?

Because of continuous carbon emissions & release of black carbon in the atmosphere the glaciers across Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are melting at a fast pace. The black carbon is also polluting our rivers and streams at its source now & it further gets contaminated when these rivers and streams enter the villages and towns? We go to Pahalgam but can’t drink water from Lidder there? Do we ever think about it? Buying packed water is now a routine thing for us and this change happened in last 10 -12 years only.

Now imagine where would we stand in next 30 years? Do we ever think how our children, in the age group of 1 to 10 years now, would live their life in 2050 or 2060? We have already lost around 30% of glaciers during 60-70 years and another 70% of them will vanish in coming decades if we don’t take preventive measures. Our drinking water sources are already depleting, municipal solid waste getting landfilled unscientifically, streams and rivers have been turned into drains, and roads are getting choked with traffic. All these are clear indicators that Kashmir valley would witness a mass migration after 40 to 50 years. I foresee that Srinagar city especially will be turned into a slum in the coming 10 to 15 years as authorities at helm are very much non serious about waterbodies and managing solid & liquid waste.

Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat is an Acumen Fellow. He is Chairman & Founder of J&K RTI Movement