EDITORIAL
The Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo has asked all the concerned stakeholders to review and strengthen the measures regarding prevention of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) and carry out meaningful studies by expert glaciologists for initiating possible measures to evade such natural calamities in Jammu and Kashmir. He has directed the Department of Disaster Management to constitute a team of experts including the glaciologists and others to take up expeditions to such lakes and insisted that such expeditions should be pursued with a sense of seriousness by the professionals so that the recommendations being made would be based on ground reality.
The humankind’s burgeoning understanding about the biological sciences along with their co-relation with other spheres of physics and allied sciences have altered the landscape of human perceptions so drastically that one is forced to think in terms of issues and challenges which were no concern for us, may be only a few decades back. Today however, global warming, increasing continental drift, rising sea-level, ozone depletion, desertification of arable lands and forests, increasing salination of portable water et al. are a few instances about which there is developing an increasing popular consensus across cultures to have some kind of joint obligations so that mankind is not forced to a point of self-annihilation.
Kashmir, which has traditionally been known for its lush forests and salubrious environs, is fast loosing these attractions. The glaciers that have been the storehouses of Kashmir’s only abundant resource, the water, too are shrinking fast. The impact of global warming is certainly visible in Kashmir too in its climate and all aspects of human geography in a real big way. But unfortunately, thus far, not only the common people but even the government agencies have done precious little to salvage at least some if not all the damage.
The horrible memories of 2014 floods are still alive but little or nothing has been done to avoid such disasters in the future. In this backdrop, it is welcome that the government has been seriously reviewing the measures regarding prevention of GLOF. However, it needs to focus on the environment and ecology of this place in a holistic manner. Lakes, rivers, glaciers and forests should be the focus. Modern technologies should be adopted for preservation of environment and ecology besides the disaster management department should also be equipped with modern technology to be fully ready to tackle any natural disasters.
