From Frying Pan to Fire: Kashmir lost 6 lakh trees along Jhelum in 5 years
Srinagar, Jul 8: As Kashmir sizzles this summer, a startling revelation uncovered through an RTI query may have some answers for the reasons of the unprecedented heat: Kashmir has lost nearly 5.84 lakh trees along Jhelum and its tributaries over the past five years. The tree loss is a scientifically proven reason for increased temperatures, the greenery providing the cooling effect through evapotranspiration.
The massive number of trees that have been felled were identified as ‘encroachments’ on Jhelum river by the Irrigation and Flood Control (IFC) Department. Nearly half of these were removed from Panzinara to Banyari stretch, the serpentine stretch of Jhelum through Sumbal.
About 4.8 lakh trees have been identified as encroachment on this stretch, of which, a staggering 3.35 lakh have been cleared. In Srinagar, from Senpora to Panzi Nallah, 57,182 trees have been identified as encroachment, of which 52,102 have been removed already. From Sangam to Sempora, 1.9 lakh trees have been removed, while over 90,000 trees have been identified as encroachment in the fresh assessment, the IFC department has stated in the reply to the RTI filed by RTI Activist, MM Shuja.
The department has revealed that 4.4 lakh trees have been marked as ‘encroachement’ over major nallahs and flood spill channels. In addition, nearly 3.6 lakh trees have also been zeroed-in on the canals and khuls of Jhelum. The mass felling of trees is part of the flood mitigation measures undertaken by the IFC Department under Prime Minister Development Fund (PMDP). Comprehensive Flood Management of River Jhelum was allocated Rs 399 crore. The trees, along with houses, walls and Kacha and pucca structures, as per the department, were obstructing the natural flow of the water. While riverbank encroachment removal is justifiable, the sheer number of trees that Kashmir has lost over the banks of river Jhelum is astonishing and an alarming environmental event.
Over the past few weeks, Kashmir has been recording unprecedented temperatures. Trees cool the environment through shade and evapotranspiration, where water vapor release absorbs heat. Many studies have established beyond doubt that trees cool the environs by at least 2-3 degrees. A 2024 study published in Scientific Reports found that temperatures varied by 2.57 degrees centigrade with locations depending on the tree cover extent. Moreover, trees act as carbon sinks - absorb CO₂, and countering the effects of climate change. Losing nearly 6 lakh trees could be linked to intensified warming, worsening the urban heat island (UHI) effect in cities like Srinagar, where tree cover is sparse.
Jhelum has drastically shrunk by unauthorized constructions, resulting in a major jolt to its channels and wetlands. Authorities have carried out the anti-encroachment drives with the plan to restore flow of the river and reduce flood risks. However, tree roots reduce soil erosion is a primary class lesson that everyone must have studied. A 2016 study in The Science showed that ‘deforestation increases runoff and flood intensity by disrupting water cycles. Could the felling of trees over river banks be undoing the measures to mitigate floods?
