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Temperature Fluctuation in Kashmir Worrying Environmentalists

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Oct 30: The temperature fluctuations in Kashmir and rapid climatic changes are giving sleepless nights to the environmentalists, who are studying this changing trend.

According to a survey prepared by Pune-based Indian meteorological department, the temperature in Kashmir is rising with each year. "On an average Kashmir temperature has shown a rise of 1.45 degree Celsius from its normal", the report said.

The survey report revealed that temperatures are significantly soaring in Kashmir with maximum rise of 0.05 degree Celsius per year. The global average surface temperature has increased by 0.6 degrees C since the dawn of 20th century, the report pointed out.

The geologists and geographers are blaming global warming as the root cause of all the climatic variations and temperature fluctuations.

"Global warming is causing the temperature fluctuations and climatic variations all over the globe and the same is being witnessed in Kashmir as well", said noted geographer and professor of Kashmir, Prof Rayees Akhter. He said that climatic conditions in Kashmir are changing and it could not have the normal temperature anymore.

Another expert, Prof Gurbaksh Singh said that there is no such evidence of alarm as of yet. "Global warming signs are not yet evident in Kashmir. But the pace of glacier receding has speeded up," he said.

It is believed that most of the endangered species, some 25 per cent of mammals and 12 per cent of bird species, could become extinct in the coming decades, said, environmental experts, adding that it may even lead to increase in the spectrum of infectious and vector borne diseases. "There are probable impacts of the on-going climatic change on the migration pattern of the migratory birds in Kashmir," experts said.

Environmental concerns also express an apprehension that with changing climate, there is a real possibility that tourism in Kashmir may get affected. "Kashmir is at verge of losing its traditional temperature identity, which was the main pulling in factor for almost all the outside visitors in the past," an expert said.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.