Climate change knocks at Kashmir's doors

Blame it on climate change. The serene Kashmir valley is fast losing its cherished status of a temperate destination with spring literally turning into summer, sending alarm bells ringing among the experts about a possible environmental hazard.

The day temperatures in Srinagar hover around 22 to 26 degrees Celsius which is 11 degrees above normal in March. What has baffled the farmers and experts is the huge rainfall deficit in March that could affect the agriculture crops in Kashmir.

"The temperatures are currently running between five to 10 degrees above normal. This is because the weather systems are not effective", said TK Jotshi, assistant director Metrological Center Kashmir. 

Met office records show there is a huge rain deficit in March which otherwise used to be the rainy month of the year. "Normal rainfall should have been 107.3 mm in this month but it so far we have recorded 43.9 mm", Jotshi said.

Experts say if the weather continued to be dry it will affect the rabbi crops particularly wheat and mustard. "If the rains do not fall we may face problems with certain crops", said Main Abdul Majeed, Director Agriculture Kashmir.

Last year too there was scanty rain which affected 3000 hectares of paddy land. "Our sowing season has started. But due to the depleted moist soil content, there might be problems. Wherever there are irrigation facilities available, we may not face problems.
But the rain-fed area is the real worry", said Majeed.

Official figures available reveal that last year Kashmir produced
670,000 metric tones of food grains of which 500,000 was paddy.
Alarmed by the trend, environmentalists say the foot prints of climate change are now evident in the valley. "There was no snowfall in Srinagar during Chilai-e-Klan (40 days period of extreme winter starting December 21). Plus, the rainfall was below normal", said Dr Shakill Ramshoo, convener of the working group, Climate Change Research, Kashmir University.

What is more alarming is that the rising temperatures could melt the snow on mountains prematurely which will create a water scarcity in the summers. Already the water discharge in Lidder river in south Kashmir is huge owing to melting of snow.
 If the temperatures continue to soar it may also affect the tourist season because most of the domestic vistors arrive here to beat the summer heat. "We pray for normal temperatures", said one of the tour operators.