Impending Drought Looms Large on Kashmir After Prolonged Dry Spell

As an unprecedented dry spell has hit Kashmir this winter, people are frightened by the dangers of drought looming over their heads. There has been just one major snowfall in the Valley this winter.

The question bothering people is — Is Kashmir heading towards a drought in 2025?

When a heavy snowfall occurred on December 28, 2024, hopes had been kindled of a bountiful summer. Those hopes were dashed to the ground with a completely dry January and a hitherto dry February. Elders are saying they don’t have memories of this disaster in the making.

“In my lifetime, I have never seen the spring in our village with such low water level. Small outlets of water from this spring have dried up and there is only one outlet that works at the moment,” said Fatima Bibi, 97, who lives in Haripora village of Ganderbal district.

The bad news is that a large number of springs in this district are on the verge of going dry. The famous Achabal spring in Anantnag district which was decorated with a large garden by Empress Noor Jahan in 1620, has dried up and so have the drinking water supplies of over 15 villages built on the waters of this spring.