StatesJammu and Kashmir
Omar Abdullah warns of erratic snowfall and water shortages in Jammu and Kashmir
Opening a mountain development summit, the Chief Minister blamed careless hill cutting for landslides and argued against abrupt limits on tourists at Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg.
Key points
- Omar Abdullah said reduced and delayed snowfall has left Jammu and Kashmir short of water in spring.
- He blamed unscientific hill cutting during road building for landslides in remote areas.
- He proposed new tourist destinations built with sewage and waste systems from the start.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Monday that climate change, erratic snowfall and water shortages pose serious challenges to the region, and urged residents, businesses and visitors to share the job of protecting its mountains.
He was opening the 13th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit, organised by SKUAST-Kashmir and the Integrated Mountain Initiative with the J&K Science, Technology and Innovation Council as part of the J&K Agriculture Science Congress-2026. The summit is focused on Himalayan landscapes and on drafting a sustainable mountain development policy for the region.
“We do not take care of our mountains, our environment as much as we should,” he said.
Less snow, more extremes
Abdullah said reduced and delayed snowfall had contributed to water shortages in spring, and that dry spells were often followed by cloudbursts and floods. He blamed unscientific hill cutting during road construction for landslides and for roads in remote areas being damaged again and again.
“We cannot stop global warming on our own, nor can we reverse it,” he said, while urging people to stop littering.
Tourism without the damage
The Chief Minister argued against abruptly restricting visitors to Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg. Instead, he proposed developing new destinations with sewage, wastewater and solid waste systems in place from the start.