Kashmir’s Heatwave Sparks Agricultural, Health Emergencies
As unrelenting heatwave tightens its grip on Indian-administered Kashmir, thousands of farmers and residents are grappling with a crisis that’s rapidly turning into a humanitarian emergency.
In Pulwama’s Chersoo village, Zaina Begum stands beside her parched paddy field land that once fed her family, now cracked and lifeless.
After weeks of waiting for rain, the skies finally opened, but too late to reverse the damage.
“Our crops are gone,” Begum lamented. “It’s like the land gave up before the rain could save it.”
Kashmir, often admired for its crisp mountain air and lush valleys, is reeling under record-breaking heat. Temperatures in the region soared to 37.4°C this month the highest in seven decades as erratic rainfall patterns and prolonged dry spells shatter climate expectations.
The extreme conditions have had devastating consequences. Schools were forced to shut down during June’s searing temperatures the hottest the valley has seen in 50 years. And although scattered rainfall brought momentary relief this week, meteorologists warn of more blistering heat ahead.
According to Mukhtar Ahmad of the Indian Meteorological Department in Srinagar, Kashmir has already experienced three distinct heatwaves this season. Streams have shrunk, rivers are receding, and irrigation canals are running dry.
The damage is visible across farmlands. In Bandipore, Ali Mohammad surveys his wilting apple orchard, once a symbol of agricultural adaptation. He switched from water-intensive rice to apples two decades ago, but now even that crop struggles.
“Our trees need watering three times a month,” he said. “We’ve gone two months without a single proper rainfall. What can survive that?”
Health officials are also alarmed by a spike in heat-related illnesses. Sixty-three-year-old Parveez Ahmad collapsed from breathlessness during a particularly hot day and was rushed to the hospital.
Doctors attributed his condition to extreme heat and humidity a combination increasingly common in a region unaccustomed to such weather.
Environmental experts warn that the crisis goes beyond seasonal hardship. Dr. Mohammad Farooq Azam, a glaciologist, said the region’s warming trend points to a “systemic shift” with long-term implications for water security, food supply, and biodiversity.
The shrinking glaciers, delayed snowfall, and rapid snowmelt are creating feedback loops that trap more heat and alter weather dynamics all signs of a worsening climate imbalance.
Yet, Kashmir’s contribution to global emissions remains minimal. With limited industrial activity, its economy largely hinges on agriculture and tourism. Despite this, the region is bearing the brunt of a crisis it did little to create.
“Climate change is unfair,” said Prof. Jasia Bashir of the Islamic University of Science and Technology. “Kashmir is suffering deeply while having contributed almost nothing to the problem.”
Adding to the pressure is rampant urbanisation. Expanding concrete infrastructure has overtaken forests and farmlands, limiting the region’s natural resilience. Reports show that over 600,000 trees were felled in the past five years many labeled as encroachments.
The resulting deforestation, coupled with rising demand for energy-intensive appliances like air conditioners, is accelerating local greenhouse gas emissions.
Although the regional government claims it is taking climate risks seriously, residents and environmentalists say action has been slow and inadequate.
“Time is slipping away,” Begum said, her voice heavy with despair. “If this is our new reality, then we need help now.”
