Kashmir’s snowless winter rings alarm bells as temperatures rise Sparks fear of water scarcity, power crisis;
Kashmir’s snowless winter rings alarm bells as temperatures rise Sparks fear of water scarcity, power crisis; environmentalists warn of glacial meltdown. With Kashmir yet to receive major snowfall amid the 40-day harshest winter period, Chillai Kalan , environmentalists warn that a prolonged dry spell will be disastrous for glaciers and water bodies - triggering acute water shortage in the summer this year. Environmentalists say that the dry spell in the peak winter period is an indicator of climate change coupled with El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) over Kashmir. Precipitation is vital to the Kashmir region as it provides water needed to grow crops. At higher elevations, it provides snowfall, which, when it melts later in the year, is very important for the region’s water security,” Climate change, snowfall depletion and streamflow changes are expected to significantly impact the timely availability of water for various uses includi...