Srinagar, December 29
The receding of glaciers and drying up of springs are the major concerns shared by one and all here.
“Most of the glaciers here have shrunk by about one-third,” Sheikh Shabeer, Chief Education Officer (CEO), Ganderbal, said, adding that he along with his friends witnessed melting and disappearing of the Thajbaj glacier, near Sonmarg, within 20 days in April this year.
“The phenomenon was unusual and the glacier never melted so early,” shared Shabeer during one of the workshops organised by the Centre for Environment and Education (CEE) Himalaya and Welthungerhilfe (WHH-formerly German Agro Action) here.
His views were echoed by Mohammad Jamal, headmaster, Middle School Hayan. “Gangbal glacier used to receive 30-40 feet snowfall every year and used to be under thick cover of snow all-round the year. But since 2000 there is less snowfall.”
Jamal said this glacier was the origin and source of water for rivers Indus and Lidder. “Both rivers have just about one fifth of flow of water because of less snow at the source.”
More climate changes witnessed from the valley have been put forth by Abdul Rahim Lone, Zonal Education Officer, Hariganwan. “In between 1965-90 about two-third of springs have dried up. The remaining ones have less flow of water and are no longer perennial. Quality of water has also declined.”
Hailing from Gurez, Lone said about 100 springs used to flow in Gurez valley throughout the year. “Streams like Satruna, Kow Charwan and Thune, having their origin from Gangbal (glacier), used to have water flowing throughout the year. Areas downstream used to be irrigated and paddy was cultivated in the area giving good crop yield. Now, streams have dried up. Paddy cultivation is no longer possible in the area and cultivation of other crops also suffers,” he said.
Mohammad Maqbool Wani, a teacher in Middle School Razen said Gurez valley had many swamps, wetlands, lakes and ponds filled with water all-round the year. “Now most of these have dried up,” Wani of Cheerwan in Gurez said.
Wani said pollution level in rivers had gone up by several times and waters of none of these rivers could be used for drinking, washing and bathing.
Miles away, Syed Rafiq Hussain, sarpanch Noorkah, Uri, said, “Flow of the Jehlum has reduced to one-third when compared with its flow in 1965.” He said crop yield had declined drastically, soil was no longer fertile and crop diseases had increased.