Building climate-resilient J&K

What catches the eye of environmentalists in the maiden budget by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is the provision for disaster mitigation strategies.

Owing to its unique topography, Jammu and Kashmir is a multi-hazard region prone to natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, landslides, avalanches, high velocity winds, and snowstorms. Besides most parts of the Himalayan region fall under the high seismic zones making it highly vulnerable to earthquakes.
Omar, who is an avid nature lover, ensured to make provision for strategies in the Budget to deal

with threats of floods. Who else than Omar can know about large-scale devastation which can be caused by floods. During his previous stint as Chief Minister in 2014, he saw Kashmir  submerged, and he led rescue and relief operations during those devastating floods.
In his marathon budget speech, Omar minced no words to say that 2014 floods highlighted the need for proactive disaster mitigation. To enhance resilience, Omar said the government is establishing a Rs 39 crore Disaster Mitigation Fund. This is the first-of-its-kind dedicated fund for prevention, early warning systems, and preparedness for floods. “By investing in tools, manpower, and 40 infrastructure, we aim to reduce risks and safeguard lives and property across Jammu & Kashmir,” Omar said in his Budget speech as Finance Minister in the Assembly.

Being prone to floods, this kind of strategy was missing on the ground. Kashmir valley is one of the most flood hazard-prone regions in the Himalayas. The valley witnessed floods on regular intervals with major ones in 1903, 1905, 1909, 1928, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2006 and the devastating one in 2014. Experts maintain that floods are mostly caused by the filling up of Jhelum’s flood plains and backwater effects due to low outflows from Wullar Lake which has lost its carrying capacity due to  heavy accumulation of silt.

Jhelum’s flat topography makes Srinagar the most vulnerable area to flooding in J&K. Wetlands on the left and right of Jhelum which acted as reservoirs of the floodwaters have been filled up and encroached upon.  Ecologically important wetlands in the Jhelum floodplains like Hokersar, Bemina wetland, Narakara wetland, Batamaloo numbal, Rakh-e-arth, Anchar lake and Gilsar have been degraded due to rapid encroachment and urbanisation.

Authorities claim that the carrying capacity of Jhelum has been increased from 30800 cusecs to 41000 cusecs since 2014. After completion of flood mitigation works, the capacity will increase upto 60000 cusecs. However, as per estimates, flood water measuring over one lakh cusecs surpassed the carrying capacity of Jhelum in 2014 floods.  It is evident that unless the carrying capacity of Jhelum is not increased to over lakh cusecs, Kashmir will continue to witness floods.
In his budget speech, Omar highlighted the rising threats of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods and landslides.

Omar said recognising the rising threats of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods and landslides, his Government is taking proactive measures to protect vulnerable communities and infrastructure. He proposed Rs 15 crore allocation for GLOF risk monitoring, early warning systems, and mitigation strategies. Additionally, under the National Landslide Risk Mitigation Program (NLRMP), Rs 15 crore has been earmarked for risk assessment, monitoring, and engineering solutions to stabilise landslide prone areas.

“These initiatives will enhance disaster preparedness and build a climate-resilient Jammu & Kashmir,” Omar said. The Geological Survey of India has identified over 540 glacial lakes spread in an area of 2550.79 hectares in J&K while Ladakh has around 3200 glacial lakes spanning 9965.34 hectares.

GLOF is a type of flood occurring when water dammed by a glacier or a moraine is released suddenly. When glaciers melt, water in these glacial lakes accumulates behind loose naturally formed glacial or moraine dams made of boulders, gravels, pebbles, sand, clay and ice residue. Unlike earthen dams, the weak structure of the moraine dam leads to the abrupt failure of the moraine dam bounding the glacial lake.

GLOFs are triggered due to high or extreme surface runoff from the upstream catchment resulting from heavy precipitation or cloud burst; cascading flood from upstream lakes, failure or break open of temporary moraine dam due to water pressure or long-term degradation besides landslide, earthquake or geological activity.

The J & K government has constituted the Focused Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Monitoring Committee (FGMC), led by Principal Secretary Home department to review the current status of glacier and glacial lakes in the Union Territory.

Glaciologists state that the reduced snowfall in Himalayas increases glacial lakes posing risk of lake outburst floods. J&K has the highest combined exposure to potential glacial lake outburst flood with 556 lakes that include very high and high danger lakes. GLOF can be disastrous for downstream populations due to sudden outburst of a glacial lake dammed by loose moraine material.

The glacial lake outbursts can be catastrophic with risk of destroying downstream infrastructure, resulting in fatalities and affecting livelihoods of mountain communities.

As J&K is witnessing ill-effects of climate change with a dry and warmer winter and sudden spells of heavy rain; mitigation measures are the need of the hour. Political parties need to rise above their political ideologies and join Omar’s efforts to enhance disaster preparedness and build climate-resilient J&K.

Author is Executive Editor, Greater Kashmir