CM Omar Abdullah Urges Conservation As Kashmir Faces Water Crisis Risk

Kashmir's snowless winter has led to an 80% precipitation deficit, drying springs and streams, causing an impending water crisis, and threatening the region’s agricultural future.

Srinagar: Amid the drying up of water resources in Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday called on locals to brace for the possibility of water scarcity in summer while advocating judicious water use.

Attending the PM Kisan Samman Samaroh and Gongul Kissan Mela at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in Shalimar, Srinagar, he expressed concern over agricultural sustainability in the region.

"I understand the concern of farmers; there is a less than 80 per cent deficit of snow and rain in winter months,” he told reporters. “There are areas in Jammu & Kashmir where agriculture depends on rain-fed water by almost 70-80 per cent. It is obvious that when snow or rain is low, there will be a deficiency of water in summer.”

Kashmir is experiencing a snowless winter this year, with no significant snowfall or rainfall recorded, pushing the crucial January and February months into a precipitation deficit of nearly 80 percent. This has dried up springs and streams, triggering an impending water crisis, with the region’s agriculture facing an uncertain future.

“That’s why I talked about this on social media, that for the upcoming summer, we need to prepare ourselves. There is a possibility of a lack of water not only for agriculture but also for household use. And somewhere, we need to bring changes to our water usage,” Abdullah added.

In case of a water crisis, according to him, the government will take up initiatives like rainwater harvesting, snow preservation, and other crucial measures in consultation with the Jal Shakti and Irrigation Department.

The Chief Minister also highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pitch to curb obesity in the country after he was nominated among the 10 people by the PM to create awareness. “Obesity is spreading. This is considered a lifestyle illness, and normally, we can control obesity by taking precautions, exercising, and maintaining a healthy diet,” Abdullah added.

“The more we take care of our health, the more we can perform our work, our children will study well, our hospitals will have less burden, and our life expectancy will go up,” he said.