logo
Indus Water Treaty Suspension Sparks Hope for Resolving Kashmir's Water Crisis

Indus Water Treaty Suspension Sparks Hope for Resolving Kashmir's Water Crisis

India.com2 days ago
New Delhi: The suspension of the Indus water treaty has raised hopes in Kashmir for addressing water shortages for agriculture and power, driven by climate change impacts like glacial retreat and erratic river flows. Kashmir for the suspension, with farmers and residents hoping for a 'fair share' of water to combat the crisis.
Kashmir is facing a deepening water crisis due to climate change, with hotter summers, early snowmelt, and reduced rainfall shrinking water availability. About 70% of Kashmir's population depends on farming, relying on snowmelt for irrigation. Erratic weather patterns, early snowmelt, and shrinking glaciers have reduced water availability, with rivers like the Jhelum seeing up to 30% lower flows in dry seasons compared to historical averages. Rapid melting of Himalayan glaciers, supplying 60-70% of the Indus River's summer flow, is melting 65% faster than in previous decades, causing short-term increases in water flow but threatening long-term scarcity. This exacerbates Kashmir's water crisis, as less snowfall and its early melting disrupts irrigation. But IMD also believes suspension of the Indus water treaty will help the whole of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mukhtar Ahmad IMD Director Kashmir said, ' In Jammu and Kashmir, sufficient snowfall is not happening, and average temperatures have increased from .5 to 7.8 had increased and its impact is seen in Kashmir there is heatwave and temperatures also touched 37.4, which is the highest in the last 70 years in Kashmir. Glacier melting is happening at a rapid pace because temperatures are rising in the Himalayan region, and glaciers are not getting recharged; they are receding. More glaciers are under heavy stress, and temperatures in early summers are high. Earlier, when temperatures went above 30, there was an auto-cut system, and rain used to happen that auto-cut no longer exists now.'
The Agriculture and Horticulture Department in Jammu and Kashmir has acknowledged that water deficits, worsened by climate change, have significantly impacted crop production as per data, paddy cultivation has declined from 162,000 hectares in 110,000 hectares 2012 to in 2023, and there are 50% losses in apple orchards in Kashmir, prompting farmers to shift to less water-intensive crops. Departments are also encouraging farmers to transition from water-heavy crops like paddy to drought-resistant and less water-dependent crops.
Sartaj Ahmad, Director of Agriculture, said, "It's global warming and we are part of it, and its effect is seen here also. Temperatures are expected to be very hot, and we are preparing for it for the climate slot, agriculture, and those crops that need less water. This is a possibility that we can come out of this situation. The water which will be available by this suspension of this water treaty will be significantly utilized for the development of agriculture for the whole of Jammu and Kashmir.'
In those crises, the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by India following a terror attack in Pahalgam has sparked optimism among Kashmiris, mostly farmers, for improved access to water for agriculture and hydropower, amid growing water shortages exacerbated by global warming. Locals, including farmers and residents, now feel that Kashmiris will have access to their rivers. The suspension has raised hopes that India could redirect water from those rivers for local use in Jammu and Kashmir, potentially alleviating shortages for agriculture and boosting hydropower projects. About 70% of Kashmir's population depends on farming, relying on the Jhelum, Chenab, and the Indus River for irrigation. Kashmiri farmers hope India will redirect more water from the Jhelum and Chenab for irrigation. Currently, only 15-20% of the Jhelum's flow is used in Kashmir due to treaty restrictions, with most water flowing to Pakistan. Farmers now see potential for new canals or reservoirs to boost irrigation, potentially increasing cultivable land by 10-15%.
Rashid Rahil Member of farmers association Kashmir expert said, "The farmers of Kashmir from last many years had gone through heavy losses because of dryness if the water is used for them a good crop will be seen and we can hope that new power projects and power production will increase and which only will not help Jammu Kashmir but we supply electricity to many parts of country. Overall, we can say that suspension of the Indus Water Treaty will help the people of Kashmir.'
Suspension could allow India to expand power projects, addressing power shortages worsened by climate-induced low river flows during dry seasons, and can produce more power, which will end power crises in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in northern India. Besides, the Agricultural and Horticulture sector of Jammu and Kashmir will bloom more.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Heavy rain lashes Delhi-NCR again, more likely
Heavy rain lashes Delhi-NCR again, more likely

Indian Express

timean hour ago

  • Indian Express

Heavy rain lashes Delhi-NCR again, more likely

Heavy rain lashed Delhi and many parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) on Wednesday morning, leading to severe waterlogging and traffic snarls during peak-hour traffic. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the highest rainfall was logged at Lodhi Road (11.2 mm), followed by Safdarjung, Delhi's base station (9.3 mm), and Pragati Maidan (6.5 mm). Other stations like Palam, Ridge, Ayanagar and Pusa recorded 1 mm or less rain. The rainfall also resulted in a dip in the day temperature, as the maximum settled at 30.8 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal. The night temperature was also two notches below normal, at 25.6 degrees Celsius. On Thursday, maximum temperature is expected to hover between 30 and 32 degrees Celsius. Further rainfall is likely in the coming days, although no new alerts have been issued yet beyond Wednesday morning's nowcast. Waterlogging and traffic disruptions were reported from several parts of Delhi, including South Delhi, Southeast Delhi, North Delhi, ITO, South Extension, NH-8, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Nehru Place, East of Kailash, and Colony Road, among others. Meanwhile, according to the Public Works Department officials, there was no major waterlogging reported from identified hotspot areas like the Minto Bridge underpass. The IMD issued a red alert for Northeast and Southeast Delhi-NCR at 8.40 am, warning of moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 40 kmph, with the alert valid for two hours. Other regions, such as Northwest and Southwest Delhi, along with nearby areas of Haryana and Rajasthan, remained under an orange alert, with a forecast of light to moderate rain and gusty winds. The sudden escalation came just over an hour after IMD issued an orange alert for the entire Delhi-NCR in its nowcast bulletin at 7.30 am. As the rainfall intensified in the following hour, the IMD upgraded the alert level for several eastern and southern parts of the city. At 8 am, IMD predicted moderate to heavy rainfall over the central and southern parts of Delhi. The same was also predicted in NCR areas, such as Noida, Greater Noida, Indirapuram, Dadri, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Ballabgarh. Despite the heavy rainfall, IMD's seven-day forecast issued on Tuesday night had not flagged any significant warnings for July 23. It had predicted generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms or lightning. This was later revised, and a yellow alert was sounded for the day as part of its weekly forecast.

Heavy rain disrupts traffic and causes flooding in Bhubaneswar
Heavy rain disrupts traffic and causes flooding in Bhubaneswar

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

Heavy rain disrupts traffic and causes flooding in Bhubaneswar

1 2 Bhubaneswar: A sudden spell of heavy rain disrupted traffic across Bhubaneswar on Wednesday afternoon, flooding roads, snarling traffic, and forcing commuters to take cover wherever they could. The city, which saw a humid and sunny start in the morning, was caught off guard when intense rainfall lashed several parts between 3 and 5pm. "The rain started just as schools were closing, making it difficult for children to go out. The downpour was so heavy that within half an hour, roads started flooding. Besides, with strong lightning at frequent intervals, it was very risky for children to travel home," said Pranati Das, a parent and resident of Madhusudan Nagar. Waterlogging was reported across multiple areas, including Cuttack-Puri Road, Bomikhal, Laxmisagar, Rath Road, Forest Park, Pokhariput, and Jaydev Vihar Square. Two-wheeler riders were seen taking shelter under overbridges, and some of them wore raincoats. "I was carrying a raincoat, but the sudden rain was so harsh that I couldn't wear it and got totally drenched. The traffic was messy and moved at a slow pace," said Kartik Behera, a marketing executive. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo Harish Pradhan, a commuter, said he was stuck at Rasulgarh Square as traffic did not move in knee-deep water. "I had to push my bike. The situation in the city is far from improving, with just one heavy spell of rain, it goes under water," he added. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bhubaneswar recorded 70 mm of rainfall between 8:30am and 5:30pm on Wednesday. "Under the influence of a cyclonic circulation (remnants of tropical cyclone Wipha), a low-pressure area is likely to emerge over the north Bay of Bengal in the next 24 hours, causing widespread rainfall in the state," the IMD forecast said. The intensity of rainfall is expected to increase after Thursday and continue until July 27. Bhubaneswar will have a partly cloudy sky with the possibility of moderate rainfall or thunderstorm activity on Thursday, the bulletin said.

Two Killed, One Hurt, House Swept Away in Heavy Rains
Two Killed, One Hurt, House Swept Away in Heavy Rains

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

Two Killed, One Hurt, House Swept Away in Heavy Rains

Washim/Chandrapur/Akola: Heavy rain wreaked havoc across Vidarbha on Wednesday, claiming two lives and leaving one person critically injured in Chandrapur and Washim districts. Several districts reported severe waterlogging, property damage, and traffic disruptions. A house was swept away in Akola, though fortunately, no casualties were reported in that incident. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for East Vidarbha, including Nagpur, for Friday and Saturday, with heavy rains also expected on Thursday. In Chandrapur district, one woman, Maya Dethe, was killed and her son critically injured after being struck by lightning while working on a farm in Chak Nimbala village. Her son was shifted to Chandrapur GMCH for treatment. Widespread waterlogging in low-lying areas of Chandrapur city caused major disruption, affecting shops, banks, pharmacies, and residential areas. Students returning from school were seen struggling through flooded roads, and two-wheeler riders were forced to push their vehicles through deep water. In Washim district, continuous rainfall since Tuesday caused severe flooding in the Utavali and Kanch rivers near Pimpree-Sarhad, leading to a complete halt in traffic on the Nagpur–Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar highway. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Long queues of stranded vehicles were reported on both sides of the road. a truck loaded with LPG cylinders was swept away while crossing a swollen river. The driver, Sheikh Husein Sheikh Gulab, 39, a resident of Heena Nagar, Chikalthana (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), died in the incident. In Akot taluka of Akola district, Shivpur and Bordi villages bore the brunt of intense rainfall. A sudden downpour in nearby hilly catchment areas triggered a sharp rise in the water level of a local stream, resulting in a flood-like situation. A house and public toilet—built by the village panchayat—were swept away by the strong currents. Residents alleged that the toilet, built just months ago, collapsed too easily, raising concerns over negligence and poor construction standards.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store