The back-to-back cloudbursts in Kishtwar and Kathua have jolted Jammu and Kashmir, sparking urgent calls from political and religious leaders for stronger environmental safeguards and an about-turn on reckless human interference with nature.
With climate change intensifying extreme weather across the Himalayas, experts and leaders alike are warning that without decisive policy shifts, disasters like the Kishtwar and Kathua cloudbursts may become the new normal for Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, during a visit to Chashoti village in Kishtwar, among the worst-hit in Thursday’s disaster, expressed deep concern over the Himalayan region’s growing vulnerability to extreme weather events.
“It is not just J&K. Look at the scary videos from Uttarakhand and what is happening in Himachal. We are all prone to glacial lake bursts and cloudbursts. To deal with this freak weather, we will have to collectively and individually consult experts to see how we can mitigate the risks,” Omar told reporters.
On Sunday, similar devastation was witnessed in Kathua, underlining the widening scope of climate-linked disasters in the region.
CPI(M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, chairman of the Committee on Environment, said the tragedies highlight the existential threat posed by climate change to the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. “These disasters are not merely ‘natural’ but worsened by reckless exploitation of resources, deforestation, rampant use of stone crushers, and commodification of land. The working class and marginalised cannot continue to be sacrificial lambs at the altar of profit-driven environmental degradation,” he said.
Tarigami demanded a participatory role for local communities in shaping climate policy, stressing coordination between government departments, NGOs, and activists. He called for climate reparations, compensation for affected communities, and a mass movement against deforestation and unsustainable construction. “Advanced Doppler radars, real-time weather alerts through SMS, push notifications, local broadcasters, and loudspeakers must be deployed in vulnerable areas,” he urged.
Religious leaders, too, joined the chorus. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief cleric, said the disasters are a warning against disrupting nature’s balance. “In J&K’s fragile Himalayas, cutting trees, road-building, unregulated construction, and tourism disturb nature’s balance, turning rain into ruin. It’s a wake-up call. Policymakers must act with foresight — we must protect nature to protect life,” he said.