On Friday, Aug 28, senior religious leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq addressed a congregation at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar's Nowhatta area, drawing attention to the recent devastation in Nepal and its implications for the Himalayan belt that includes Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to the assembled faithful, the Mirwaiz described the Nepal disaster as a clear warning about the vulnerability of mountain ecosystems, noting that collapsing glaciers are a symptom of deeper ecological stress. He offered prayers for the victims, the families of the missing, and for swift recovery across the affected regions.
He reminded listeners that the same fragile environment extends across the Kashmir valley, where residents are already experiencing intensified rainfall, cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides. While acknowledging climate change as a major driver, he questioned whether unchecked development patterns are amplifying the danger.
Tourism, he observed, provides livelihoods for many, yet the construction of roads, hotels and other structures in ecologically sensitive zones is proceeding without adequate scientific safeguards. He cited the cutting and blasting of mountains, indiscriminate tree felling, and disruption of natural drainage channels as practices that set the stage for larger catastrophes.
Wetlands, lakes and flood channels also face encroachment. The Mirwaiz warned that these areas act as natural buffers that absorb excess water, and their loss removes a crucial line of defence for human settlements. Using Dal Lake as a local example, he highlighted how prolonged encroachment and neglect have caused the lake to shrink day by day.
Quoting the Holy Qur’an, he urged the community not to cause corruption on earth after it has been set in order, framing environmental protection as a collective responsibility. He called on authorities, planners, businesses and citizens to balance infrastructure and tourism growth with ecological preservation.
The tragedy in Nepal, he concluded, should be seen as a close‑to‑home alarm. Continued disturbance of mountains, forests, wetlands and waterways could lead to irreversible damage, threatening lives, homes and the future of children in the region.
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📰 Source: Daijiworld