Global warming has affected every part of the world. Our country India is also not untouched by its consequences and so our lives. Kashmir, which is called 'heaven on earth', has also come under its jute.
While the governments are busy fighting on land rights, it is more dangerously attacked by the hazardous outcome of global warming. Due to this climatic change, the alpine forests present in the Kashmir valley are on the verge of extinction, and in turn, the troposphere of the area is also gradually declining. These all adverse conditions are affecting the small and big rivers and lakes of the valley. There were 60 small water streams in Srinagar, but global warming is taking a toll on them. Wular lake is the largest lake of sweet water in India. But its condition has also worsened. Pakistan has occupied 80% of the lake. The most popular Dal Lake is also in a depleted condition. It is another victim of the devastating climate change. If we have to save our existence, then these water bodies will have to be saved. In 2014, the flood in the valley has ruined a lot. It is these water bodies that have saved the lives of thousands of people living in the Kashmir valley during the flood disaster. If there was no Wular lake during the flood then there would not be anything there today. It is the quality of the Wular lake to broaden or shrunken its area according to the need. To your knowledge, this lake can adjust its area from 30 square kilometers to 260 square kilometers. And that particular quality has saved human life in the region during the disaster. That's why we must save our water bodies to save our existence.
Due to the degradation of the ecosystem, climatic changes are taking place in the region. The devastating floods were the result of global warming. The floods ruined life in the valley in 2014, followed by too much rain in 2015 and then there was no rain in 2016. This is how the Kashmir valley is facing severe climatic changes. For the past few years, changes in the time of snowfall are also getting noticed. 25 years ago, snow fell from October to March and its density used to be two to four feet, and it was almost impossible to go out, but now this scene is nowhere to be seen. In the year 2017, the snow fell in April and this has been going on for some time now due to which there has been a deep impact on the crop cultivation in the valley. The famous yield of saffron and cherry crop is suffering a lot. The world's best variety of saffron is grown in the Pamphore area of the valley, it is believed that there is 70 percent lenilol is found in saffron cultivated in this region while as far as other countries' saffron are concerned, it is believed to be 50 percent only. This is the reason why Kashmir's saffron is considered to be the best. But due to climate change, the yield of saffron has also declined to almost half. At one time, a farmer of saffron used to cultivate three to four kgs of saffron in a season and became the owner of two to three lakh rupees by selling just one kilo, but now he has to be satisfied only at half the price since the yield has also declined. The same condition is with cherry, peach, and apple. From the last five to seven years, snow starts falling during the flowering season of these plants and spoils the crop. It is a sad story that at one time the farmers who used earn lakhs from the cultivation of these varieties are now considering to switch to sow other varieties of vegetables and fruits for their survival. Even some farmers are forced to earn their living through NREGA scheme due to less or no cultivation. Now, understand why such adverse conditions are faced by saffron farmers. Saffron is a plant that can not grow through artificial irrigation. It can only be cultivated through natural irrigation. From the last eight-nine years, the untimely rain is badly affecting its crop, due to which its yield is continuously declining. We will have to understand that with the end of crop cultivation, the economy of the valley will also come to an end because around 95 percent of the population is dependent on the water-based and its allied sources. With the end of water streams, the rapid melting of glaciers is also a concern. The floods ruined life in the valley in 2014, followed by too much rain in 2015 and then there was almost no rain in 2016. This is how the Kashmir valley is facing severe climatic changes. Conditions are alarming and there is a need to take action in the valley. Otherwise, we would read 'Paradise on this earth' only in the books in the time to come.
Hindi version of the article follows next.
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