Time To Preserve Our Frozen Lifelines

The mercury touching 21°C in Srinagar this February is a catastrophic signal from a climate system in distress. Nearly 10 degrees above normal, this unprecedented warmth has robbed Kashmir’s glaciers of their only season of recovery. Instead of accumulating fresh snow to sustain summer rivers, these frozen reservoirs are melting prematurely, sounding an alarm that demands immediate, collective action. This is a pattern of an accelerating crisis. The Kolahoi Glacier, Kashmir’s largest and the region’s “water tower”, has already lost 20-25% of its area since the mid-20th century. Its snout has retreated nearly three kilometres. Each warm winter pushes smaller glaciers beyond recovery thresholds, transforming perennial ice bodies into seasonal snowfields that cannot sustain the rivers of summer. The consequences cascade downstream. When glaciers melt early, rivers swell briefly in spring but dwindle in summer—precisely when agriculture, hydropower, and drinking water demand peak. Repeated winters like this create a negative glacier mass balance. A negative balance means permanent loss, and permanent loss means a future where Kashmir’s legendary rivers run dry when most needed. This demands an urgent, multi-pronged response. First, scientific monitoring must be intensified. Real-time glacier surveillance using satellite imagery and field observations is essential to track retreat rates and predict water availability. The establishment of a dedicated Himalayan Glaciology Centre, as repeatedly recommended by experts, is no longer optional. Second, water management must become climate-resilient. We must invest in artificial glacier nourishment techniques, revive traditional water harvesting structures, and promote drought-resistant crop varieties. Every drop saved is a drop that can sustain communities through lean seasons. Third, carbon emissions are the root cause. While local action alone cannot reverse global warming, Kashmir must lead by example by aggressively transitioning to renewable energy, protecting forests, and advocating for stronger climate policies at national and international forums. Fourth, public awareness is crucial. Every citizen must understand that these frozen reservoirs are not permanent; they are delicate, finite, and dying. Water conservation must become a daily practice, not an occasional sermon. It is high time to act, collectively and urgently, to preserve the frozen lifelines that have sustained Kashmir for millennia.