Jammu and Kashmir is staring at a water crisis this year due to a massive deficit in rainfall. Kashmir has witnessed a dry winter this year with an 80 percent deficit of rainfall overall this year, raising the possibility of drought in the valley this summer. Jammu and Kashmir received only 29.8 mm of rainfall between January 1 and February 12, compared to the normal 140 mm. Among the districts, Kathua district is worst affected with a 97 percent shortage of rains. Jammu recorded a 94 percent deficit, followed by Udhampur and Samba at 92 percent. Srinagar witnessed an 82 percent rainfall deficit. Shopian, Reasi, Ramban, Kulgam, Doda, Budgam and Anantnag reported a shortfall between 80 per cent and 89 per cent. Pulwama, Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla experienced rainfall deficits between 70 percent and 79 percent, while Poonch, Rajouri, Kishtwar and Ganderbal recorded a 60 percent to 69 percent deficiency.
The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has admitted the fact that J&K is staring at a water crisis this year saying, it’s not a recent phenomenon, actually it’s been building up for a few years now. He has said that while the government will have to adopt a more proactive approach for water management & conservation, it can’t just be a government centric approach. All of us residents of J&K will have to change the way we take water for granted.
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As rightly pointed out by the experts, Kashmir’s lakes, rivers, and springs have been mercilessly exploited over the years. People have built houses, shops, and hotels along the fragile shores, narrowing the natural flow of water. In some cases, landfills have been established on lake beds, shrinking their expanse. Deforestation too is a major contributor to Kashmir’s water crisis as forests act as natural water reservoirs, helping to sustain groundwater levels. However, large-scale deforestation for timber, construction, and illegal land grabbing has led to soil erosion and disrupted the natural water cycle.
It is not only the people, even the governments, that be, have left no stone unturned in vandalising water resources. Several government agencies have constructed massive concrete monsters in wetland. When the agencies that are duty bound to protect water bodies do indulge in vandalising, how can one blame if peoples’ greed too forces them to follow the suit.
Given the very low precipitation levels, the government here should have already established a special team of experts to monitor the situation, identify areas of concern, and allocate resources accordingly. Unfortunately, the concerned government agencies are busy suspending water supply to different areas, citing unexplainable reasons but have done nothing to implement a rationing system to ensure equitable distribution of available water. The government need to prioritise repairs of damaged water supply lines, canals, and storage tanks to minimize losses and ensure efficient use of available water. Fact of the matter is that while Kashmir Valley is in the grip of severe water crisis, in rural areas one could witness hundreds of water supply pipes leaking and the water just going waste.
The disturbing weather conditions need proactive measures both by the government and the public. While people should learn the importance of water conservation and promote practices like fixing leaks and using water-efficient appliances, the government should explore alternative sources of water, such as desalination plants or wastewater treatment and reuse, to reduce dependence on rainfall and snowmelt.
