Flashfloods have wreaked havoc in the Chenab Valley. The under-construction 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Power Project was severely damaged when mounds of debris entered the site. A massive flow of water and mud swept through the area, burying several vehicles under debris. The National Highway 244 was closed after debris blocked the road at Premnagar. Heavy rainfall triggered flashfloods in the upper reaches of Thathri town in Doda district, damaging several houses, shops and vehicles. A massive operation has been launched to clear the debris and open the road. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, assured all possible assistance. This is the second year in a row when flashfloods have wreaked havoc in Jammu and Kashmir. Last year, Jammu division suffered the most. Over 150 people were killed, and 178 others were injured in the Jammu division alone. Around 33 people are still missing, with Kishtwar recording the highest casualties. More than 4,200 homes were fully damaged, and over 8,600 were partially damaged. Udhampur and Jammu were the worst hit. Livestock losses stood at 1,455, and crops over 1,300 hectares were damaged. Earlier in July 2021, cloudbursts left the Dachhan area battered. Scores of people were killed, roads washed away, and homes damaged. For the last several years, Jammu and Kashmir has been experiencing a climate emergency. Winters are becoming milder, and summers are getting hotter. Kashmir’s precipitation patterns are also being affected. The UT is warming at a higher rate than the world average. The average temperature of Jammu and Kashmir has increased by 1.2 degree centigrade in the last 100 years. During the same period, the average temperature of the Earth increased by 0.8 to 0.9 degrees centigrade. Falling in the Himalayan region, Jammu and Kashmir has a geographic area of 101387 square kilometers. It excludes the 120849 square kilometer area, which is under the occupation of Pakistan and China. Around 20230 square kilometers, which comprises 19.95 percent of the total geographical area of Jammu and Kashmir, is under forest cover. Climate change has affected every aspect of life. We have been ignoring nature’s warning signs for long. Now, we are harvesting what we have sowed. It is time that we come to grips with the situation and mend our ways. We need to go back to the drawing board and try to reverse some of our follies. To start with, we need to impose a blanket ban on tree felling. A strict law is needed to act against the encroachments in jungles and green areas. We need to put an end to concrete jungles in environmentally fragile areas. Development is ok, but not at the cost of our environment. Let us pledge to save the environment for our future generations.
Flashfloods
