SRINAGAR, AUGUST 15: The Environmental Policy Group (EPG) has expressed deep sorrow over the devastating cloudburst at Chashoti village in Paddar Sub Division, Kishtwar district, which has claimed dozens of lives, including pilgrims.
“Our prayers are with all those injured and missing, and we stand in solidarity with the survivors during this time of profound grief,” said Faiz Ahmed Bakshi, Convenor of EPG.
Calling the tragedy part of a “disturbing pattern of extreme weather events” in the Himalayan region, Bakshi pointed to recent incidents in Kishtwar, Paddar, Kokernag, Kupwara, Leh–Srinagar highway, Harwan, Sonamarg, and Betaab Valley in Pahalgam. “The swollen streams and debris-choked valleys seen yesterday in Pahalgam are a grim reminder of how fragile and exposed our Himalayan landscapes have become,” he said.
EPG attributed the growing scale of destruction to environmental degradation, particularly unregulated riverbed mining. “The indiscriminate extraction of boulders, gravel, and sand destabilises riverbeds, weakens embankments, and alters natural flows. This reduces the river’s capacity to absorb heavy rainfall and sudden glacial melt, making downstream communities dangerously vulnerable,” Bakshi warned.
The group stressed that deforestation, destabilisation of mountain slopes, and unplanned tourism infrastructure are eroding the region’s ecological resilience. “The Himalayas are not just a scenic backdrop; they are a delicate life-support system for millions. Disturbing their balance has irreversible consequences,” Bakshi said.
EPG has filed a Public Interest Litigation before the Hon’ble High Court Division Bench seeking judicial intervention to stop destructive activities in forests, rivers, and mountains. “The recent spate of calamities—from Leh to Pahalgam to Kishtwar—underscores the urgent need for development guided by scientific environmental assessments and disaster-risk considerations,” Bakshi emphasised. Urging the government and planners to move beyond reactive relief measures, EPG called for preventive policies prioritising ecological security and community safety. “The loss of lives and livelihoods is a heavy price to pay for neglecting environmental safeguards. May this moment of collective mourning also be a moment of collective awakening,” Bakshi concluded.