Climate change to blame for rising temperature in Srinagar: Experts

Dinesh Manhotra
Tribune News Service
Jammu, August 11

Environmentalists are worried about the increasing temperature of Srinagar as the last 15 days in the summer capital of J&K were warmer than many towns of Jammu province. Even the temperature of Udhampur has been less than Srinagar.

“It is a matter of worry as the temperature is increasing in the areas which usually witness pleasant weather in the months of July and August,” said Dr Vivak M. Arya, a scientist working in the field of climate change and natural resource management at Agriculture University, Jammu.

He said that the heatwave in 2020 was largely due to human-induced activities.

As per official data of the J&K meteorological department, the maximum temperature of Srinagar was above the temperature of hilly towns like Batote, Kishtwar, Bani, Kud and Bhaderwah of Jammu province.

A study, published in the journal Climatic Change on July 29, predicted the impact of climate change on Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh and the Himalayan region, by the end of the twenty-first century using an ensemble of 11 models under three greenhouse gas emission scenarios.

“Events of the heatwave are going to increase in the coming years,” Dr Arya said, adding, “Climate change has a part to play in making this heatwave hotter and more likely the spell in coming years will increase.”

“As far as Srinagar is concerned the brick kiln industry is the main culprit along with the brisk unplanned urbanization in the fragile and eco-sensitive areas,” he observed, adding “2014 devastating floods were also a result of unplanned urbanization”.