#dnaEdit: Habitat protection

The people of Jammu and Kashmir, the state government and the armed forces are battling the unprecedented flood situation of the last five days. The toll has now risen to 200 and those affected by the inundation runs into tens of thousands. The residents and the authorities consider it the worst disaster in decades. The whole of Srinagar, the state capital, has gone under water. The state, known more for its political troubles than natural calamities,  seems unprepared to grapple with the crisis situation. On the face of it, the state and central governments seem to be gaining control of the situation though it is in no way going to mitigate the personal miseries of the affected people in towns and villages. There will be much to complain about the adequacy of relief operations. It will be necessary to assess this once the situation gets back to normal, not to blame authorities but to improve the response mechanism. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been praised for attending to relief operations, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the release of relief material and funds. They deserve the pat as do hundreds of security personnel who have been engaged in the rescue operations.   

Even at this stage, there are some issues which stand out. According to the views of some environmentalists, the encroachment and the consequent shrinking of water bodies like the Dal and Wular, which served as natural drainage systems, has broken down in the face of incessant rains and the rivers and mountain streams in spate. The environmentalists do state the case in strong and absolute, and sometimes in exaggerated, terms, but there is no escaping from the fact that water bodies, forested mountain sides serve as natural weirs to rainfall and flood. This would also mean that given the mountainous terrain of the state, indiscriminate industrialisation and unplanned growth of urban conglomerations have to be regulated and even controlled. There is no doubt that the benefits of modernisation will have to be brought to the people in the state, but it has to be adapted to the constraints nature imposes in this state.

Governments in the state as well as at the Centre have not apparently paid any attention to the environmental and developmental challenges in the state. Unfortunately, it is the political questions, including insurgency, that has engaged the political leadership in the country. The floods make it clear that Jammu and Kashmir needs greater attention to its natural habitat. Despite political troubles, and perhaps because of them, not much attention is paid to the growing needs of the people. It is resulting in developmental activities that damages ecosystems. This cannot be allowed to go on keeping in mind the long term needs of the residents. It is also clear that the data with regard to rainfall, river flows, forest cover and seismic activity in the state is woefully scarce. There is need for teams of scientists and experts to study these aspects, and for the officials to factor in these facts when implementing developmental programmes. It should not be, and it need not be, ruled out that there will be plenty of debates and wrangling among experts, officials and politicians as to the plan of action to be adopted at every turn. The differences have to be aired openly and the people at large have to be made aware of the issues at stake. Jammu and Kashmir, the gem of nature, cannot be neglected any more.