Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s suggestion that Gulmarg may need artificial snow to sustain its winter tourism economy should unsettle us far more than it reassures. For it shows that climate change is here to stay and the government is beginning to take steps to adapt to it. Ski slopes sustained by machines, rather than by nature, is yet another wake up call, and something that should make us deeply worried.
The prolonged dry spell so far this winter has followed the trend of last year. A recent estimate puts the rainfall deficit in J&K at 86 percent, and if the dry spell lingers it will create a difficult situation not just for tourism but also for agriculture. Already, saffron growers in Pampore have reported their poorest harvest in years. In recent years, winters in the Valley have become erratic and warm. This is the third successive winter that looks set to pass largely without snow, more so in the plains. And this, in turn, has stripped the Valley’s winter of the charm that draws tourists from far and wide. In a sense, snow is Kashmir’s unique selling proposition as most of the mainland India doesn’t experience snowfall in winter. So the trend towards snowlessness is worrying, and not just for the reason of tourism. A largely snowless winter bodes ill for agriculture, electricity or for that matter the availability of drinking water, with grievous consequences for J&K’s economy.
But as for the climate change, there is very little that can be done about this. Climate change is a worldwide phenomenon as its factors are global in nature. And places like Kashmir, otherwise called a paradise on earth, are bearing the brunt. Against this backdrop, the onset of Chillai Kalan carries more than seasonal significance. The predicted Western Disturbance around December 21–22 has revived cautious hope. Snowfall this time will turn things around and ensure that tourists return. More than that, it will replenish our glaciers, the source of water in our water bodies, which, in turn, ensures the sustainability of our agriculture. So, here’s to snowfall and more of it in the weeks to come.