Go for development, but don’t destroy nature!

Changing weather patterns must serve as an eye-opener for us to realise how important it is to care for our eco-fragile environment.

Prolonged dry spell in peak winter period in Jammu and Kashmir gave us a glimpse of the harsh realities of erratic weather patterns, global warming coupled with rising pollution levels. Though there has been an end to dry spell in some areas, drought-like situations are imminent in peak summer months due to low precipitation in winter. Prolonged dry spell has increased the recession rate of glaciers amid high temperatures in J&K.

We need to take the recent dry spell seriously and contribute our bit to save the environment. It is alarming that there were forest fires in various areas during the peak winter period. In this erratic climatic scenario, government and stakeholders must ensure sustainable development of J&K.

We have to understand that J&K is vulnerable to natural disasters, especially earthquakes, floods, and soil erosion. The tentacles of climate change have engulfed this Himalayan region. This is the same J&K which till a few decades away possesed unpolluted environment. Due to its serene environs, J&K was one of the preferred destinations for tourists. But we fiddled with nature and slowly vandalised its vitals!

Environmentalists have been warming that J&K has one of the most fragile ecosystems in Himalayas and needs adequate safeguards against the onslaught by humans to protect fragility. But no lessons have been learnt!

In absence of any regulation, both authorities and people are leaving no stone unturned to vandalise the eco-system in J&K. Unabated constructions are being undertaken in eco-fragile zones be it mountains, lakes, agricultural fields, forests and wetlands! If authorities vandalise the environment, people act as silent spectators and vice-versa. The point is nobody is safeguarding the environment! Protectors have turned into destroyers.

We must realise how nature has been taking revenge for its vandalisation. We have forgotten how we polluted our lifeline river Jhelum and in return, how it destroyed our houses during devastating floods in September 2014. Still no lessons learnt! We continue to pollute our water bodies.

We forgot horrific memories of the powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake that rattled J&K on October 8, 2005, causing massive destruction in the region. Now we go for huge concrete constructions despite being in a high seismic zone!

Most of our tourist spots in J&K are overburdened and have surpassed carrying capacity. But no effort is being made to protect new tourist spots which are witnessing haphazard development and concrete constructions.

As per experts, development of buildings and settlements on unconsolidated materials, moraines, and narrow valleys in the tectonically active zones should be prevented in J&K. The settlements located near the palaeo-landslides, along steep slopes and watercourses are vulnerable to landslides and subsidence. It is imperative to carry out disaster vulnerability and risk assessment of such settlements before undertaking any constructions.

There must be a safety audit of huge dams on Chenab including Dul Hasti in Kishtwar, Baglihar in Ramban as these are prone to natural disasters.

World has been witnessing erratic weather events as the earth is getting warmer. In 2023, natural calamities and erratic climate patterns severely affected people across the globe.  The most destructive event of the year was on February 6 with twin earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.5 in Turkey. 50,783 in Turkey and 8,476 in Syria perished in the quakes. On September 8, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck western Morocco, killing at least 2,900 people.

Typhoon Doksuri caused significant rainfall and flooding throughout at least 16 cities and provinces in northeastern China on July 29.  Mediterranean Storm Daniel passed across eastern Libya, causing massive devastation. Storms also caused flooding in Mexico, Hong Kong and Western Europe. Flash floods killed dozens of people and caused large-scale displacement in Kenya, as well as Somalia and Ethiopia. Droughts caused river levels to fall and water bodies to dry up across various parts of the world, including the Amazon rainforest. We need to learn lessons from these events.

Amid changing climatic scenarios, global policy makers are set to engage in brainstorming sessions in the 23rd World Sustainable Development Summit in New Delhi next month. They will discuss measures to address global challenges such as conflict, planetary crisis, and setbacks in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. The agenda provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are aimed to end poverty, improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests.

A report ‘Global Sustainable Development Report 2023’ points towards slow pace of work including measures to environmental preservation by members towards meeting the 2030 deadline. It warns that if by the current progress, Sustainable Development Goals may be completed by 2050.

We need to ensure sustainable development to secure our future needs. Sustainable development ensures a balanced approach to growth that spearheads development with social inclusion, environmental sustainability and economic prosperity .We have to understand that even developed countries are serious about ensuring sustainable development. We need to join the global efforts to safeguard our planet, our nation and above all our families!

Author is Executive Editor, Greater Kashmir.