J&K: CPI(M) Calls for Urgent Climate Action After Cloudburst Tragedy
THE CPI(M) Jammu and Kashmir Committee has expressed grave concern over the recent cloudburst in Chisoti Padder on August 14, which has claimed several precious lives, left many missing, and caused widespread devastation. The deadly cloudburst has once again brought into sharp focus the vulnerability of Jammu and Kashmir’s Himalayan region to extreme weather events such as flash floods, landslides, and avalanches. This tragic incident underscores the existential threat posed by climate change to the fragile Himalayan environment and its ecological balance.
CPI(M) MLA and Chairman of the Committee on Environment, M Y Tarigami, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the tragic incident. He noted that much of the affected area is home to revered shrines that attract thousands of devotees and yatris annually, making it imperative to adopt urgent measures to safeguard human lives. He questioned whether any comprehensive survey or assessment of the region had been undertaken with the involvement of the Department of Environment and other relevant organisations, and whether recommendations had been made for preventing such cloudbursts and ensuring public safety.
Tarigami lauded the heroic efforts of volunteers, youth, and local communities who displayed exemplary solidarity and communal cohesion during rescue and relief operations. At the same time, he demanded an urgent, time-bound probe into the tragedy, asking why precautionary measures were not taken despite early warnings from the Meteorological Department about severe rainfall, cloudbursts, and flash floods in the higher altitudes of the Jammu region. “Why were these alerts ignored and preventive measures not implemented? It amounts to criminal negligence,” he asserted.
He further stated that bureaucratic inertia and lack of concern must be held accountable. Such disasters, he stressed, are not merely “natural” but are exacerbated by reckless exploitation of resources, deforestation, unabated and unauthorised use of stone crushers, and the commodification of land under the neoliberal paradigm. “The working class and marginalised people of Jammu and Kashmir cannot continue to be sacrificial lambs at the altar of profit-driven environmental degradation,” he said.
He highlighted the alarming frequency of cloudbursts and extreme weather events across the region, including Pahalgam, Bandipora, Shangus, and Ladakh, where infrastructure and livelihoods have been severely impacted.
“The hills mourn, the birds wait in despair, the winds howl warnings, and the rivers weep –nature is screaming for justice. Yet, the ruling elites remain deaf to these cries,” he lamented.
Given Jammu and Kashmir’s unique topography, rapidly depleting glacial ice, and rampant deforestation, he put forth the following demands:
- Participatory Role for Common People in Climate Policy: Various government departments and agencies, together with activists and NGOs working on environmental protection, must coordinate their efforts to ensure that local communities have a decisive role in shaping climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
- Climate Compensation and Justice: The Union and UT administrations must institutionalise mechanisms for climate reparations, guaranteeing that affected communities are rehabilitated and adequately compensated.
- Ecological Restoration: A mass movement must be launched to combat deforestation, regulate unsustainable construction, and protect fragile ecosystems from corporate exploitation.
- Early Warning Systems: Advanced Doppler radars and weather satellites must be deployed for real-time detection of intense rainfall. Timely warnings should be issued through mobile alerts (SMS, push notifications), local broadcasters, and loudspeakers in vulnerable areas to reach all residents swiftly.
