Water Level in Kashmir Rivers on Decrease Due to Global Warming

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Sept 24: According to a report related by international environmental NGO ActionAid International, the water level in Kashmir streams and rivers has decreased by two-thirds during the past 40 years due to global warming.

In a 28-page report on climate change and its impact in Kashmir, ActionAid International states that there is a clear unpredictability of the western disturbances passing over Kashmir with unusual distribution of rainfall in space and time, shifting patterns of precipitation and sustained deficit of snowfall.

The Indian Meteorological Department's monitoring, according to the NGO report, reveals that temperatures are increasing in Kashmir and Jammu region of Indian Kashmir. There has been an increase in maximum temperature of 0.05 degree Celsius per year, the report says.

The report further said that the temperature on average in Kashmir has shown a rise of 1.45 degree Celsius while in Jammu; the rise is 2.32 degrees Celsius.

"The rise in temperatures is leading to scanty snowfall in the plains in Kashmir and very little snowfall in the mountains. Accordingly, the water level in rivers and streams in Kashmir is decreasing", the report said.

The report reveals that the water level in almost all the streams and rivers in Kashmir has decreased by approximately two-thirds during the last 40 years. "Hundreds of springs have either dried up or are on the verge of drying up with groundwater level also adversely affected. Besides water bodies, the impact of climate change is leading to the fast melting and receding of glaciers", the ActionAid International report says.

It reveals that there is an overall 21 per cent reduction in the glacier surface area in the Chenab basin, which means it has declined from one sq km to 0.32 sq km during 1962-2004. "Further, many of the areas have seen a complete disappearance of small glaciers such as parts of eastern Srinagar and Pirpanjal mountain range in South Kashmir".

The Actionaid International report further says that there is a possibility that heat trapping gases, which have reduced snowfall in south Kashmir could spill over other areas of Kashmir resulting in less or no snow in the plains in the coming two decades.

The main area of glacial extent has declined from 1 square km to 0.32 sq km during 1962 to 2004, the report says.

The report said that in the coming times owing to global warming, floods and droughts would become common. "Diseases would become more rampant and the yield of crops will decrease with each passing year", it said.

The ActionAid International report has made certain recommendations which include formulating a policy on ground water extraction to help in overcoming water scarcity during lean periods of the year. It has also suggested desilting of all major rivers in Kashmir to prevent floods.

The report also advocated stringent laws for checking emissions.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.

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