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8thewaterdigest.com
THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR: A
TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
9
thewaterdigest.com
THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
Watershed Based Development Planning and Local Crisis Preparedness –
Integration Needed with Smart Cities and Aadarsh Gram Yojana
WORST EVER JAMMU-
KASHMIR FLOOD DISASTER
(2014) - IGNORING THE
DYNAMICS OF LANDSCAPE
AND CLIMATE CHANGE
COSTS HEAVILY
Recent catastrophic floods in
Jammu & Kashmir have layers of
theories and practical versions
explaining occurrence of the
calamity. While the disaster
engulfed almost the entire
habitation in the state and affected
people’s life and resources to a
large extend, major impact has
been in the towns and in the
city of Srinagar. According to
sources, more than 2.5 people
have been affected. Many have
died including tourists. Impact of
climate change on both – natural
processes influencing wind, rainfall,
ecosystem functions as well as on
people’s resources and livelihoods,
in a much related manner, are
understood to have aggravated
the disaster risk scenario in Hindu
Kush Himalaya region including
in J&K. Figure 1 reveals surface
scenarios pre and post-flood.
However, anthropogenic factors are
known to have contributed largely
to making of this disaster, while lack
of local preparedness posed further
complexity to the challenge for
emergency response.
The size and effect of the disaster
is reminiscent of Uttarakhand
flood 2013 and, as in the past,
India’s armed forces have once
again found themselves on the
forefront of the rescue and relief
operations that have proved
beyond the capacity of the
civilian administration. While
the immediate task is to step up
rescuing those trapped in flooded
areas and provide immediate relief
to the affected people, the tragedy
once again underlines the need
for a holistic strategy to prevent,
control and manage flood disaster
risks in India.
Figure 1:
The crisis map shows the overview of the flood affected areas. The image
on the left is the present state of the area. On the right is the satellite image of the
same area before the floods (Source: Google).
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
A National Flood Control programme
was launched in 1953, which was
mainly focussed on embankments
and other structural controls
and results were meagre and/or
inappropriate. As a result, flood
damage is increasing every year.
National Disaster Management
Authority developed guidelines
on Flood Disaster and Urban
Flood disaster management but,
however, despite of Ministry of Water
Resources having developed a well
strategized making of national flood
mitigation plan the paradigm shift
to risk reduction with non-structural
interventions, ‘living with floods’ and
ecosystem based disaster reduction
and climate change adaptation
approaches, the translation into
district and local planning has been
a distant reality. The evolution of
‘landscape-ecology based planning’
over the ‘local land-use planning’
offers prudent solutions of planning
developmental activities and human
habitations with greater sense of
safety and sustainability, as it takes
into account the integration of
watershed technology benefits also
enabling knowledge to support local
level preparedness for residual risk
of emergencies. Holistic approach to
flood management has to be follwed,
integrating land and water resources
management within the broad
framework of eco-system resilience.
MAKING OF THE TRAGEDY
Though memories of floods imprint
in the history of J&K, the recent 2014
floods are much more devastating
and widespread, surpassing the
1992 memories and reviving the 1959
flood memories. The state received
massive 250 mm of rainfall in just
three days between September 3-4,
out of its seasonal monsoon rainfall
of 568 mm till September 6, 2014.
Rainfall on September 6 was
106 mm, which is unbelievable
3116% of the normal rainfall for
that date for J&K. It can be seen
from the season rainfall map of
India Meteorology Department as
on September 6, 2014 that J&K had
received 558 mm rainfall till that
date, progressing to Excess Rainfall
category (blue colour code) from
Deficit season rainfall of 308 mm as
on September 3, 2014 (Figure 2), in
just three days.
Figure 2:
India Meteorology Department Map of Sept 3, 2014, showing J&K in
deficit rainfall category (brown colour) with seasonal rainfall of 308 mm, and the
Map showing that J&K received 558 mm rainfall till Sept 6, progressing to excess
rainfall category in three days from deficit category on September 3.
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
roads, dozens of bridges, buildings
and crops. As many as 40 people
reportedly went missing after a
landslide in Thanamandi area of
Rajouri district in Jammu region.
Heavy rain in the catchment
areas of Jhelum river has so far
submerged more than 100 villages
in the south Kashmir districts
of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian,
Pulwama, where the river was still
rising, as well as the north Kashmir
districts of Ganderbal, Srinagar and
Badgam.
LAND-USE CHANGES AND
FLOOD RISK IN J&K
The way people handle and use land
resource is decisive for their social
and economic well-being as well
as for the sustained quality of land
resources. A significant decline
has been observed in the total
reported area, which necessitates
a proper land-use survey through
remote sensing. A declining trend
has also been observed in the area
under forests. The unfavourable
increasing trends in the area put to
non-agricultural uses and barren and
unculturable land are likely to have
serious implications on ecological
balance. Inter-sectoral land budgeting
analysis has revealed that shifts in
Figure 3:
CWC flood forecasting network stations
Figure 4:
Areas affected by floods in J&K 2014 (Source: NDTV website)
(Source: Facebook post of Vinay Saraf)
The 2014 September flood has
affected almost all 10 districts in the
Jammu region, the worst affected
was the South Kashmir region
including Pulwama, Anantnag and
Kulgam districts. Jammu Srinagar
Highway has remained blocked
for over three days. Several rivers
have been flowing above the danger
mark. Jhelum was flowing at 30.7 ft
in South Kashmir, 7 ft above the
danger mark. Chenab river was
also flowing above the danger
mark at several places. Landslides
triggered by heavy rainfall damaged
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
Land use class Area (‘000ha) Compound growth rate (%) Change %
1966-67 2004-05
Total reported area 2418 2416 -0.002* (0.0007) -0.083
Area under forests 671 658 -0.035* (0.009) -1.937
Area not available for cultivation
Land put to non- agricultural uses 276 293 -0.079 (0.095) 6.159
Barren and uncultivatable land 271 289 0.540* (0.096) 6.642
Total 547 582 0.205* (0.030) 6.398
Other uncultivatable land excluding fallows
Permanent pastures & other grazing lands 125 125 -0.059* (0.023) 0.000
Land under miscellaneous tree crops not 121 72 -1.553* (0.114) -40.496
Included in area sown
Culturable wasteland 146 141 -0.232* (0.040) -3.425
Total 392 338 -0.498* (0.030) -13.775
Fallow land
Fallow land other than current fallow 15 13 -2.279* (0.530) -13.330
Current fallows 118 73 0.0154 (0.147) -38.1356
Total 133 86 -0.314* (0.102) -35.338
Net area sown 675 752 0.191* (0.014) 11.407
Note: Figures within the parentheses indicate standard errors
*Denotes significance at 5% better level
Land use class Annual rate of change (‘000ha)
1966-67 to 1984-85 1985-86 to 2004-05 1966-67 to 2004-05
Ecological sector (Ε = ∆Ε1 + ∆Ε2) -71.67 29.00 -42.67
Desirable ecological sector (∆Ε1)-59.33 -1.00 -60.33
Undesirable ecological sector (∆Ε2)-12.33 30.00 17.67
Agricultural sector (∆A) 34.00 -10.00 24.00
Non-agricultural sector(∆N) 32.00 -19.00 13.00
Net sectoral changes* -5.66 0.00 -5.66
Total reported area (∆R) -3.33 1.00 -2.33
Note: Note: The net sectoral change is equal to algebraic sum of ∆N+ ∆E1 + ∆E2 + ∆A
Table 1: Trends in different land-use classes in Jammu & Kashmir (Source: Wani et al., 2009).
Table 2: Budgeting of inter-sectoral land-use shifts
area are occurring from desirable
ecological sector to undesirable
ecological sector (Wani et al., 2009).
Land-use is a highly dynamic process.
It implies that policy discussions
and development planning has to be
based on a sound understanding of
these dynamics.
The unfavourable trend of desirable
ecological sector and the vicious
land-use dynamics lead to the
degeneration of this important
natural resource, which needs
priority management. Over
exploitation of natural resources by
growing population has resulted
in various problems. Destruction
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
of vegetation has resulted in land
degradation, denudation and
soil erosion. The soil erosion has
converted most of the fertile soils of
Jammu and Kashmir into barren,
fallow and degraded lands. Recently
about 31% (7,02,0000 ha) of the
total geographical area of Jammu
and Kashmir is found to be highly
degraded (Gupta et al., 2009).
About eighty percent of the rains
occur in first two and half months
of monsoon season with high
intensity rainstorms. During the
rainy season the soil erosion is
heavy resulting in loss of nutrients
and removal of top fertile soil layer.
out of which 5460 (000ha) area
comes under water erosion, 1360
(000ha) under wind erosion and
200 (000ha) comes under physical
deterioration (Sharma 2004). In
Jammu region Kandi belt suffers
badly from sheet and rill erosion.
There has been large scale land
and environmental degradation due
to poor management and natural
resources.
Filling and conversion of lake
beds and drainage channels
to plain land may be initially to
playground then parks or gardens
and finally to building structures,
have brought the consequence
in form of disastrous floods. As
Jammu and Kashmir battles one
of the worst floods in decades,
environmentalists have blamed
encroachment of the wetlands in
the valley as the main reason for
this devastation.
The Kashmir valley is originally rich
with wetlands which played a very
important role in absorbing floods
in the region. Apart from natural
ponds and lakes, the valley also
houses other types of wetlands, like
rivers, streams, riverine wetlands,
man-made ponds and tanks. As
per a report of Department of
Environment and Remote Sensing,
there are 1,230 lakes and water
bodies in the state with 150 in
Jammu, 415 in Kashmir and 665
in Ladakh. Dal Lake, Anchar Lake,
Manasbal and Wular Lake are some
of the larger wetlands in the area
which are facing a major threat
due to urbanisation. Dal lake, one
of the world's largest natural lakes,
How do humans contribute to flooding risk?
Floods are a naturally occurring hazard that becomes disasters when they
affect human settlements. The magnitude and frequency of floods is often
increased as a result of the following human actions.
Settlement on floodplains contributes to flooding disasters by
endangering humans and their assets. However, the economic benefits
of living on a floodplain outweigh the dangers for some communities.
Pressures from population growth and shortages of land also promote
settlement on floodplains. Floodplain development can also alter water
channels, which if not well planned can contribute to floods.
Urbanisation contributes to urban flooding in four major ways. Roads
and buildings cover the land, preventing infiltration so that runoff forms
artificial streams. The network of drains in urban areas may deliver water
and fill natural channels more rapidly than naturally occurring drainage,
or may be insufficient and overflow. Natural or artificial channels may
become constricted due to debris, or obstructed by river facilities,
impeding drainage and overflowing the catchment areas.
Deforestation and removal of root systems increases runoff. Subsequent
erosion causes sedimentation in river channels, which decreases their
capacity.
Failure to maintain or manage drainage systems, dams, and levee bank
protection in vulnerable areas also contributes to flooding.
(Source: ICIMOD, Resource Manual on Flash Flood Risk Management –
Module 2).
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
covered an area of 75 sq km in 1200
AD. The lake area almost reduced
to one-third in the eighties and has
further reduced to one-sixth of its
original size in the recent past. The
lake has also lost almost 12 m
of depth, as result of massive
encroachments and erection of
structures and hotels.
Similar to the Dal, encroachments
on the banks of one of the most
prominent rivers in the state, the
Jhelum that passes through Srinagar,
the summer capital of the state took
place to a large extent. In 2005-06, the
department of Irrigation and Flood
Control launched a drive to remove
encroachers along the Jhelum
channel, which was aimed primarily
not to manage the natural drainage
of Srinagar but to beautify the river
front. The waterbodies in Jammu
are under threat. The city was once
famous for its traditional ponds and
tanks which have been erased to
house commercial complexes and
parks in the city. This practice is
repeated across India. Every year
floods are reported from Ahmedabad,
Bhopal, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai,
Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat, Rohtak,
Gorakhpur, Guwahati due factors
like inadequate drainage systems,
housing on flood plains, natural
drains and river beds, and loss of
natural water storage areas. These
factors demonstrate how rapid
urbanisation in and around the city
limits make flood events inevitable in
the urban areas. In the last decade
alone, a number of incidents of urban
floods were reported – Mumbai (nine
times), Ahmedabad (seven times),
Chennai (six times), Hyderabad
(five times), Kolkata (five times),
Bengaluru (four times) and
Surat (thrice).
Despite several studies and reports
by native scientists, lapses in
enabling better preparedness to
meet the challenge have been
evident. J&K Remote Sensing
Centre scientists had warned about
increasing flood disaster threats "the
loss in the spatial extent of these
lakes and wetlands has affected
the microclimate of the city besides
exposing it to flood threat”. Flood-hit
Srinagar is perhaps paying the price
of ignorance that local authorities
and people have shown towards
preserving lakes and wetlands.
The Srinagar city is facing an
acute problem of drainage since
these wetlands and lakes acted as
sponges during the floods.
A century earlier Srinagar city had
a unique ecological set-up, with
extensive areas under wetlands,
lakes and water channels. Increased
deforestation in catchment areas
upstreams, siltation brought about in
lakes and wetlands especially during
floods was natural, yet subsequent
encroachment, earth filling, planting
and constructions by individuals
and converting water channels into
roads, presents a living example
of how these valuable assets of
natural landscape of Srinagar were
destroyed,"
The comparative analysis of mean
monthly temperature during the
period of 1901-1950 as against
1976-1996 revealed an astonishing
fact where the mean maximum
temperatures increased from 30.8
degrees Celsius to 32.4 degrees
Celsius in the month of July. This is
perceived to be mainly due to loss
of water bodies as microclimate
of the city stands altered due
to undesired land use change.
Another important impact of the
loss of water bodies comes in the
form of problems relating to the
drainage. The Srinagar city is facing
an acute problem of drainage since
these wetlands and lakes acted
as sponges during the floods. A
holistic approach of flood risk
management includes a range
of structural and non-structural
components (Table 3)
WATERSHED TECHNOLOGY
FOR FLOOD DISASTER
REDUCTION
Watershed management has both
structural and non-structural
components. Non-structural
components can be important
measures in reducing flood risk.
Watershed management is a cross-
cutting exercise closely related to
Figure 5:
Encroached lake systems in Kashmir
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
Figure 6:
Source-Pathway-Receptor-Consequence conceptual model
(Source: ICIMOD, Resource Manual on Flash Flood Risk Management – Module 2)
Structure measures Catchment-wide interventions (agriculture and forestry
actions and water control works)
River training interventions
Other flood control interventions (passive control,
water retention basins and river corridor enhancement,
rehabilitation and restorations
Non- Structural
measures
Risk
acceptance
Tolerance
strategies
Tolerance
Emergency response systems
Insurance
Risk reduction Prevention
strategies
Watershed management
Delimitation of flood areas and securing flood plains
Implementation of flood area regulations
Application of financial measures
Mitigation
strategies
Reductions of discharge through natural retention
Forecasting and early warning
Emergency action based on monitoring, warning, and
response systems (MWRS)
Public information and education
Source: Colombo et al.(2002)
Table 3: Structural and non-structural measures for flood risk management (Source: ICIMOD).
socio-economy and development.
Watershed management should
consider a number of basic
principles related to runoff and
erosion including soil, topography,
land cover and use, and farming
practices.
For utilizing watershed based
approach for integrated flood risk
management, sound understanding
on making of a flood disaster is
necessary. Figure 6 explains the
occurrence of flood precursors
and progression to flood disaster
in terms of effects on life, property
and environment. Key features of
watershed technologies which are
directly relevant and basic for flood
risk management, are following:
Agricultural measures:
Agricultural activities should
minimise the generation of
runoff and sediment. Contouring
and terracing of upland farms
is a good measure to ensure
this. Agricultural practices that
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
increase organic matter in the
soil should be favoured.
Remodelling of agriculture:
Agriculture in flood-prone areas
should be conducted in ways
that minimise the flood damage
to crops. Assam, where floods
occur regularly, provides a good
example of what can be done.
Various strategies are used
related to remodelling of land
use to minimise the adverse
effects of recurrent floods.
Multiple cropping: Cropping of
medium tall ahu rice with deep-
water rice in low-lying areas as
insurance so that if the ahu rice
is damaged, there will be some
production from the deep-water
rice.
Restructuring of the cropping
pattern: The safest way to assure
crop production in flood-prone
areas is to use the flood-free
period for growing crops.
Forestry: Reforestation can be
a good measure to decrease
runoff. Tree species that do not
prohibit undergrowth should
be selected. Logging should
be carried out during non-rainy
seasons. Favour mixed, uneven
aged, and autochthonous
woods by selective thinning and
coppicing.
Rangeland management:
Pasture renewal through fire
should be avoided as this
reduces soil organic matter.
Grazing should be regulated
through the correct assessment
of optimum livestock numbers.
A more homogeneous
distribution of livestock and use
of rotation grazing methods
should be encouraged.
Floodplain management:
Floodplain management
includes flood hazard mapping,
which shows the areas that
will be impacted by a flood of
a particular return period and
enables delimitation of flood
areas. Flood hazard mapping
can be conducted to different
degrees of detail. A very simple
flood hazard map shows the
area of inundation. In addition,
the depth of inundation, the
velocity of flood water at a given
location, elements at risk, and
others can be provided.
• One important activity is the
delimitation of flood areas
and securing of flood plains.
Based on the study on flood
hazard mapping, streams
should have adequate buffer
areas to safely cater for flood
waves. The floodplain can be
divided into: 1) critical zone
(waterway); 2) restrictive
zone; 3) regulatory zone; and
4) warning zone (Figure 7).
Zone 1 is the waterway/river
channel that gets flooded
every year and where
any human interference
should be prohibited.
Where a river has right of
way, humans should stay
out of its way. Zone 2 gets
flooded every three to five
years, and construction
should be restricted and
only agriculture permitted.
Every 3-5 years one crop
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
will be lost due to flood
and there will be harvests
in flood-free years. In
Zone 3, construction
should have adequate
protection measures such
as embankments, flood
proofing, and so on. Zone 4
experiences flooding more
rarely, averaging once every
25 years. Construction in the
area should have tolerance
against floods. Flood
warning plays an important
role here (Figure 7).
• Natural ponds in the
watershed retain the
runoff and dampen the
peak discharges in the
stream. The ponds should
be maintained properly
and filling the depressions
for development purposes
should be avoided.
• Incentive policies should be
created and promulgated
to achieve better control of
building in flash flood-prone
areas. Examples of such an
incentive policy would be
granting building permits
that are linked to runoff
conditions, and relocation
grants to move houses from
the floodplain.
Watershed committees:
Legislation should incorporate
flood related issues within
the framework of watershed
committees. This is important
because of the interdisciplinary
implications of flood
management.
Land use control: Land use
control has much in common
with floodplain management;
it should also be implemented
in conjunction with a technical
study on flash flood hazard
mapping. Land use regulation
is designed to reduce danger to
life, property, and development
when flash floods occur.
Reduction of densities: In flood
prone areas, the number of
casualties is directly related
to the population density of
the neighbourhood at risk. If
an area is still in the planning
stage, regulation of densities
may be built into the plan. For
already settled areas, especially
squatter settlements, regulation
of density can be a sensitive
issue and has to address the
socioeconomic implications
of resettlement. Unfortunately,
many situations exist where
dense unplanned settlements
are located on floodplains.
Planners must incorporate
measures to improve sites and
reduce vulnerability.
Prohibiting development in
areas of high risk: No major
development should be
permitted in areas subject to
flooding once every 10 years
on average. Areas of high risk
can be used for functions with
a lower risk potential such as
nature reserves, sports facilities,
and parks. Functions with high
damage potential such as
hospitals should be permitted in
safe areas only.
Relocation of elements that
block the flood passage: In
addition to the obvious danger
of being damaged or washed
away, buildings and other
structures blocking the floodway
may cause damage by trapping
floodwaters which then overflow
into formerly flood-free zones.
HYDROLOGICAL
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE AND LOCAL
PREPAREDNESS
South Asia Network on Dams,
Rivers and People (http://sandrp.
wordpress.com) reported In this
context, media has reported that
Dulhasti Hydropower project on
Chenab river decided to open
its flood gates during the worst
flood period, which lead to further
increase in flood levels in the
downstream areas. Release of
water resulting in surged level
can lead to submergence of the
highway. Such additional floods
could have been avoided if the gates
were kept opened in anticipation
of floods. Such opening of gates
Figure 7:
An example of floodplain zoning
(Source: Modified from DMTP 1997).
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
during the floods can lead to
catastrophic consequences for the
downstream areas as happened
in case of Srinagar Hydropower
project in Uttarakhand in June
2013.
Though in case of an emergency of
the size and scale like the recent
one in 2014 September flood in J&K
or in earlier case in Uttarakhand
flood disaster 2013 for example,
National Defence Forces, Air
Force and battalions of National
Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
are deployed and operated under
the supervision and guidance of
Central agencies coordinated with
State Governments, the lack of local
preparedness and local capacity
of impact minimization and relief
were considered as a key lessons
drawn by several studies on such
disasters.
Modus operandi and decision
support system (DSS) equipped
with modelling and projection along
a wiser system of understanding
exact location of risk on temporal
or spatial context (with spate
technology and GIS application) can
help in prompt and accurate water
management system response
operations like release of water
or opening of gates from dams
or barrages. However, existence
of national capacity in terms of
central agencies like defence
forces and NDRF should in no
case phase out the necessity of
local level emergency planning
and well equipped preparedness.
The local preparedness should be
based on sound understanding
of landscape issues – upstream
downstream relations, ecological
fragility and geo-morphological
features, infrastructure potentials
and limitations, and land-use in
habitations and urban-rural context.
Forests and Floods
The role of forests in sustaining water supplies, in protecting the soils
of important watersheds and in minimising the effects of catastrophic
floods and landslides has long been discussed and debated. The
International Year of Mountains (2002) and the International Year of
Freshwater (2003) re-emphasised that mountainous watersheds, land
use and water are inextricably linked. For decades this perceived link has
served as an important justification for promoting and implementing
watershed management.
Every year large-scale floods in the Asian lowlands affect the personal
and economic fortunes of millions of people. To many people involved
in developing disaster-reduction strategies and flood-mitigation
management, it appears that the intensity of floods has increased in the
region in recent decades. A common — and perhaps understandable
reaction — is to blame the mismanagement of Asia’s uplands and the
clearing of forests in important mountainous watersheds for the misery
brought to the lowlands. To a large extent, conventional wisdom — which
is sometimes more fiction than fact — about the benefits of forests has
clouded the perspectives of decision makers, leading to an over-emphasis
on reforestation and forest protection at the expense of more holistic
watershed and river-basin management.
The conventional wisdom is that forests act as giant ‘sponges’, soaking
up water during heavy rainfall and releasing freshwater slowly when
it is most needed, during the dry months of the year. The reality is far
more complex. Although forested watersheds are exceptionally stable
hydrological systems, the complexity of environmental factors should
cause us to refrain from overselling the virtues of forests and from
relying on simple solutions (e.g., removing people currently living in
mountainous watersheds, imposing logging bans, or implementing
massive reforestation programmes). Rather, the complexity of these
processes should prompt us to reassess our current knowledge of the
relationship between forests and water, and reconsider conventional
responses to one of the most serious disaster threats in the Asia-Pacific
region — i.e., large-scale floods.
He Changchui,
Assistant Director-General and Regional
Representative for Asia and the Pacific, FAO
(In Foreword of the Book – Forests and Floods. 2005 by FAO & CIFOR. Center for
International Forestry Research, and Food & Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations)
TOURISM
INFRASTRUCTURE
There has been a constant increase
in tourists flow to different spots
in Jammu & Kashmir and such
heavy tourist influx has forced the
Government as well as the local
people to develop large scale
infrastructural base in terms of
roads, huts, guest houses and other
installations of tourists use. The
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
infrastructural development has
no doubt boosted the tourist flow,
but simultaneously threatened the
environment of these areas which
are highly fragile and ecologically
less accommodating in nature.
The infrastructural development
in this region has involved the
mass consumption of timber from
the local forests and also stones
being extracted from surrounding
landscape. Soft rocks have been
excavated manually while harder
portions are blasted which weakens
the rocks and debris produced has
been dumped on the slope to further
aggravate the situation. Construction
of the motor able roads far & wide has
pierced the forest cover by massive
felling of trees which has adversely
affected the ecosystem. Occurrence
of landslides at some points is one of
the major problems in the Himalayas
in general and the Jammu & Kashmir
(for example, in Mughal road in
particular) due to slope failures.
These slopes are very sensitive
and lithologically consists of very
weak unstable and rocks. Moreover
growth in transportation network and
building constructions has enhanced
slope instability. The Mughal road
passing through Pir Panjal range
presents a scene of massive
degradation of the forests as a result
of construction and maintenance
of the road. Human beings and the
mountains are at a constant war with
each other in finding a safe road for
carriage of traffic and goods.
CONCLUSION
According to the latest analysis by
the Working Group II of the IPCC
(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change) assessment report 2013
(AR5), floods and droughts are likely
to increase in India, which is in fact
the reinforcement of the predictions
revealed by IPCC 4th Assessment
Report 2007. The IPCC's 2011 Special
Report on the Risks of Extreme
Events and Disasters presents
projections for the period 2071-2100
with special reference to Asian
countries. It points to increasing
incidents of more frequent and
intense heavy precipitation over
most regions. An interpretation
for India’s concerns and disaster
risk management has been carried
out by the NIDM in 2012 (entitled
“Environmental Extremes –Disaster
Risk Management: Addressing
Climate Change).
Flood risk management in a
changing climatic regime, for
addressing newer challenges posed
by uncertainties and extreme events,
NIDM carried out a research cum
pilot initiative in flood affected
Gorakhpur district in Eastern Uttar
Pradesh, jointly with Climate &
Development Knowledge Network,
Institute of Social & Environment
Transition, and Gorakhpur
Environmental Action Group. The
approach and lessons can be
easily replicated in other districts
of the country including in J&K for
improving disaster management
planning and mainstreaming with
climate change adaptation into
developmental planning at different
levels.
An efficient flood management is a
special case of water management
and requires a most holistic
approach including management of
thousands of micro-watersheds in
both the catchment and flood-prone
areas. The river linking scheme
with ecologically and socially
responsible suitable versions may
also be integrated within the broad
strategy of flood mitigation. Policy
environment for promotion of
watershed technology based flood
risk management in J&K exists.
For example, Jammu & Kashmir
State Forest Policy 2010 observes
“Exploitation of forests beyond their
sustainable capability has resulted
in degradation, and thereby severe
impairment of their ability to provide
environmental benefits. The effects
of degradation of forests are already
visible in drying up of perennial
water sources at many places,
accelerated soil erosion, flash
floods, silting up of reservoirs, loss
of biodiversity and reduced forest
productivity” (2.3 Present status of
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THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
forests). Among others, objectives of
the policy include following:
Checking denudation and
soil erosion in catchments
through integrated watershed
management techniques and
practices.
Maintenance of the health of
forest soils for augmenting
water supplies through recharge
of underground aquifers and
regulation of surface water
flows, sediment levels and water
quality.
Poverty alleviation by meeting
livelihood needs of forest
dependent communities
Recognition of inextricable
relationships between and among
climate and water resource system
with forests and soils and thereby
resulting scenarios of floods risks
and at the same time on people’s
socio-economic capacities is clearly
visible in these policy documents.
Besides this, interpretations
from National Policy on Disaster
Management, National and relevant
state policy on water, agriculture,
environment and land-use policy
and related legal framework and
guidelines, need to be worked
out for effective planning and
implementation of flood risk
management and emergency
response strategies at ground levels.
Besides the state level, district and
local interventions for integrating
safety and sustainability into
developmental planning, actions and
habitat management, aimed at flood
risk mitigation, national disaster
management system also need to
integrate lessons from recent major
disasters, namely Uttarakhand
2013, Cyclone Phailin 2013 and
J&K Floods 2014 September. This
is particularly important when
the country is driving ambitious
missions of ‘100 Smart Cities
Programme’ and ‘Aadarsh Gram
Yojana (Model Village’ Programme,
as safety and resilience need to be
an implicit ‘smartness’ parameter
in designing and evaluating such
models. Following are few specific
recommendations:
National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA) need to be
mandates and made functional
as round-the-clock operational,
fully equipped National Disaster
Preparedness and Response
Headquarters and should
integrate the National Disaster
Response Force within it. NDMA
should not indulge or engage
into training, mass awareness,
education or other academic
or research functions as
these must be left fully to the
National Institute of Disaster
Management, with clear
distinction of functions avoiding
any duplicacy.
NDMA need to be equipped with
permanent human resources
base in terms of full time
professional staff, independent
evaluators, observers and
auditors on rosters, with fully
operational National Emergency
Operation Centre located
within it.
National Institute of Disaster
Management (NIDM) be given
the status at par with Indian
Institute of Technology/Indian
Institute of Management, but
its mandates be maintained
for policy planning assistance,
capacity building, human
resource planning and research
promotion, with its zonal
campuses representing its
presence in different parts of the
country, viz. eastern, western,
central, south, north, etc.
The State level and district level
capacity building framework
for disaster risk management
need to be formulated along
with state Human Resource
Plan for Disaster Risk
Management, envisaging
definite roles and resources for
State level training institutes,
Environment & Science &
Technology Council, Central &
State Universities located in the
state, NGOs, etc.
Special Emphasis Mission
Mode Programme at National,
State, District and Local/village
level may be launched on
“Home Safety and Local Level
Preparedness for Disasters and
Emergencies” on the lines of
National Action Plan for Climate
Change (may be a component
integrated to it). It may aim at
developing ‘culture of safety -
prevention and preparedness’
at all levels and within all
sectors and all range of
activities including households,
commercial, industry, academic
and institutions, religious
activities, etc.
Experiences and lessons
from Uttarakhand Disaster
2013 and J&K flood 2014 with
other past disasters need to
be woven into a systematic
approach to promotion and
management of tourism in
mountain and associated
areas, with special care for
eco-tourism sustainability, and
for infusing safety and disaster
preparedness into all aspects of
tourism development – planning
and execution – by Government,
commercial agencies and
service providers and tourists or
customers.
An audit mechanism need to
be developed and introduced
THE LOSS OF LIFE IN KASHMIR:
A TALE OF MAN MADE DISASTER
25
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on ‘Risk Management
Auditing’ with automated
modules for monthly, quarterly
and half-yearly self-audit
system for evaluation of
mitigation and preparedness
against specific levels of risk
with quantitative estimation
options. A prudent indicator
system need to be evolved for
this purpose.
Shift from ‘externality’ to ‘local
self reliance’ in emergency
preparedness and response
need to be inculcated
practically on ground, along
with local level disaster
resilience plan integrating
risk mitigation, environmental
action plan, volunteerism,
civil defence, police and
paramilitary of state/local
administration and local/
regional experts and resources.
REFERENCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• Wani, M.H., Baba, S.H. and Yousuf, S. (2009). Land-use Dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir. Agricultural Economics Research Review. 22:145-154.
• Gupta, V., Rai P.K. and Nanda, R. (2009). Soil Conservation Competencies of the Farmers in the Watershed Area of Vijaypur Block of Jammu.
Indian Res. J Ext. Edu. 9 (2 ):125-128.
• Dhar, S. and Slathia, D. (2014). A Freshwater Ramsar Site under Pressure- Assessing Threats and Identifying Conservation Needs for Lower
Himalayan Lake, Mansar (India). International Journal of Innovative Research in Science Engineering and Technolog. 3(6):13747-13754.
• Publications of NIDM (www.nidm.gov.in)
• Resources of Down To Earth, SANDARP, Council of Environment and Remote Sensing, Govt of J&K, Ministr y of Environment & Forests, etc.
• Author has referred to a range of data and information sources, literature and viewpoints from internet based web resources, discussion forums,
news media sources, published and unpublished documents, and has placed into a useful interpretation, acknowledges their original sources and
contributors – known and anonymous. Views expressed are of the author and not necessariy of the organization or the Government.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Anil K. Gupta, Senior Member of Faculty at National Institute of Disaster Management, New Delhi, Head of its
Policy Planning Division and Training Management Cell, and Coordinator of Technical Advisory Council.
To know more about the author, kindly write to us at anupama@thewaterdigest.com
