Politics is OK, but preserve J&K’s fragile environment!

After a decade- long hiatus, the Assembly Elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir amid enthusiasm and fanfare. The elections have generated hope among people that issues confronting them will be resolved by their elected representative. All eyes are cast on October 8 now when the must awaited election results with be declared.

After the abrogation of Article 370 and downgrading of J&K from state to union territory, the focus of the Government of India and LG-led administration revolved mostly around law and order and developmental issues.

It was expected that political parties especially regional ones—National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and Apni Party will promise in their respective election manifestos measures for safeguarding J&K’s fragile environment. But they mostly focused on restoration of statehood, development and economical revival. National political parties like Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress too preferred to skip mentioning measures for protecting the environment in their special manifestos for J&K.

The question arises who will safeguard the environment of J&K? It seems that political parties are hardly concerned to at least prevent further vandalisation of water bodies, forests and wetlands in J&K. There are stark examples when some regional political parties allowed vandalisation of water bodies, wetlands, and even tourist resorts to retain their vote bank! For a few votes, constructions were allowed in eco-fragile areas.

Politicians must keep into consideration that our survival depends on a healthy environment and not vote banks. They must realise J&K is vulnerable to natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and landslides. From the last several years, indicators of climate change are clearly visible especially in the valley which has been witnessing dry and warm winters and drought-like situations in summers.

One of the glaring examples of neglect of successive political regimes is ensuring flood mitigation measures. Both elected and appointed rulers failed to substantially increase the carrying capacity of Jhelum. On September 7, 2014, a spree of cloudbursts and incessant rains propelled a heavy flow of water overflowing river Jhelum and causing devastating floods. Jhelum crossed a record 23 feet at Ram Munshi Bagh gauge, while the level went over 36 feet at Sangam submerging localities on both sides of the river from south Kashmir to Srinagar.

As per estimates, flood water measuring over one lakh cusecs surpassed the carrying capacity of Jhelum— causing massive devastation of property. Kashmir valley is one of the most flood hazard-prone regions in the Himalayas. 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 by heavy accumulation of silt.

However, not much work has been done on the ground to meet flood threats in future. Instead in absence of regulation by rulers, river Jhelum lost its flood plains to land filling and illegal constructions. Even authorities closed their eyes to vandalisation of wetlands adjacent to the river which acted as reservoirs of flood waters.

Another example of apathy of successive regimes is restoration of Brari Nambal lagoon of Dal Lake. Brari Nambal is considered to be ecologically important as it helps to regulate hydrology of Dal Lake by releasing its surplus waters into river Jhelum via a conduit at Fateh Kadal area. Before the 1970s, Brari Nambal had two outlets, one on the west side and the other on the north from Nallah Mar. During the 1970s, Nallah Mar was earth-filled and converted into a road—severely affecting the water body’s hydrology through loss of flushing capacity.

In absence of conservation measures, the lagoon is on the verge of extinction with unabated pollution and extensive encroachments. It was after a sustained campaign by Greater Kashmir highlighting the deplorable condition of the water body, the Government in 2015 had formulated a comprehensive project in 2015 to undertake the water body’s restoration. The Government had termed the lagoon’s restoration as a litmus test. However, the government failed in the litmus test.

Even one of the primary concerns of developed countries is to formulate climate change mitigation measures. As per one of the biggest standalone public opinion global surveys on climate change, the Peoples’ Climate Vote 2024, 80 percent people globally want their governments to take stronger action to tackle the climate crisis. The study states that 86 percent want to see their countries set aside geopolitical differences and work together on climate change.

The study involved over 73,000 people speaking 87 different languages across 77 countries. They were asked 15 questions on climate change for the survey conducted for the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the University of Oxford, UK and GeoPoll. The survey helped to understand how people are experiencing impacts of climate change and how they want world leaders to respond. The survey revealed support for stronger climate action in 20 of the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters.

Politicians in J&K must know that erratic weather patterns can spell doom on eco-fragile glaciers and severely affect ecological balance besides food, energy, and water security in the eco-fragile region. J&K ranks third among the Himalayan areas which are vulnerable to climate change. Glaciologists mince no words to state that during the last few years, glacier melting in J&K has been highest as compared to the rest of the Himalaya and the Alps.

Let’s hope that new political dispensation as well as opposition parties will rise above their respective political ideologies and at least have consensus upon and join hands to preserve the environment in J&K . Let all political parties make environmental conservation their Common Minimum Programme. Let them work together to make J&K cleaner and greener.

Author is Executive Editor, Greater Kashmir