Kashmir has seen brutal vandalization of its green gold. Forests have been mercilessly cut and as a result abnormal climate patterns have become norm. “Global warming” appears to have taken a toll on the climate patterns in Kashmir valley which has been experiencing a decline in snowfall and rise in temperature, a reality which even weather scientists have also found.
Pertinently, while analyzing the snow accumulation and ablation patterns in Pir Panjal and Shamshawari regions of the valley during the winters of 2004-05 to 2006-07, scientists have shown that the seasonal snow cover has reduced while the maximum temperature was increasing steadily. The climatic patterns are abnormal as dry spells are prolonged and rains are very harsh. As it is an established fact that forests play an important role in maintain the normal climatic patterns of any concerned area; the decline in forest cover has made the climatic spells highly abnormal in Kashmir and the paradise on earth-Kashmir is losing its great attractiveness on account of brutal cutting of forests.
As a matter of fact , over the last 2-3 decades have seen tremendous destruction of forests in almost every country, apart from for a few exceptions, mainly in the continent of Europe. Now, there are two kinds of countries: one, that have reversed the trend of deforestation, and, second, that be in this world with the sorry reality of declining forest cover. Sadly, we belong to the second category. The adverse impact of deforestation is visible in urban areas too. Besides the fast increasing number of hotels and residential places around some of the lakes, silt washed from the mountains during the rains is described as the main reason for shrinking of the lakes and also disturbing forest cover .
We should as a nation take steps to stop deforestation.