Ever since climatic changes became a burning topic with scientists and environmentalists world over, significance of the Himalayan Mountain ranges with their wide impact on the entire Sub-continent has been brought under close study at various academic institutions in the country. The Himalayas have had great significance for ancient Indians in a number of spheres. Our premier rivers find their source of origination in the Himalayas; its glaciers are a perennial source of water for these rivers; the Himalayas are the repository of precious flora and fauna; a large variety of medicinal herbs are grown in the up and down lands of the Himalayas and lastly the Himalayas are one of the most picturesque destinations for the world tourists. For Indians the Himalayas have special sanctity.
It is satisfying that the University of Jammu has taken the cue from the concerns of modern society about environment and ecology and consequently has incepted the Institute of Mountain Environment (IME) in its Bhaderwah Campus where the said institute has set up an international conference on “Change In Cryosphere and Impact on Ecosystem Services and Rural Livelihood: Understanding Local Adaptation in the Himalayan Region”. This is somewhat a new area of study that has been exposed to research and investigation by scholars. Bhaderwah appears to be a right place where such an institute has been set up. The environment lends it the air of credibility.
Climate change and its impact are of utmost concern to all countries of the world. But to us in India, it has far greater implication. The reason is that India, the vast sub-continent is in making which means that it is growing in terms of physical and economic expansion. Villages are becoming towns and towns are turning into cities. Enormous population shift from rural to urban localities is taking place at a rapid speed. This brings great pressure on resources available to us. Land is shrinking and water resources are under strain. Rivers and streams that have been the life line of the vast Indian population are getting polluted; some are drying up as pressure mounts. Forests are getting depleted owing to reckless deforestation and water bodies are drying up. Underground water level is shrinking fast owing to great demand of the people. The glaciers are reported to be melting owing to weather conditions. Then there is large scale industrialization in the length and breadth of the country and that has its impact on environment. Industrial waste is piling up and vitiating the environment. As a result of air pollution human beings are loosing health and catching various fatal diseases. This is all interlinked affair and has to be addressed in comprehensive manner.
The two day seminar organized by the IME is the timely beginning of a long term study of the changes in the Himalayan region that are likely to impact our country in a number of ways. For example in last six months we have witnessed a few important physical changes taking place in the State. One is the earthquake and landslides in Doda-Ramban region or precisely the Chenab valley and the other is the flash floods of Kashmir valley that happened last month. Two and a half years ago, we had similar flash floods in Ladakh and all these natural calamities cause enormous loss of life and property. It is important to study the causes of these natural phenomena and to see if any remedy or preventive action can be taken to save humanity from such disasters. Obviously lot of research has to be done by scholars and many aspects have to be brought to light. Deforestation and water bodies pollution must be stopped forthwith as the urgent requirement of maintaining purity of environment. We hope that the two-day seminar will bring out the areas on which focus has to be mounted in next one decade. The IME is one of such institutions as will be able to deliver on the subject. But collaboration with other like institutions in and outside the country will be immensely helpful in formulating studies and researches in environmental science.
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