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J-K getting warmer as mercury rising by 0.5°C each decade
Sumit Hakhoo

Feeling the heat A study was carried out by Scientists of Jammu’s Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture, Science and Technology to find decadal temperature trends across different zones of the state The focus was to study the rise in temperature over a 10-year period for 30 years The average high in summer and winter temperature could be 1.2°C to 1.5°C, which is not a good sign for the Himalayan region, says the study

Jammu, April 15
Jammu and Kashmir is getting warmer. A paper published by scientists of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture, Science and Technology (SKUAST-Jammu) reveals that there has been an average 0.5°C increase in temperature per decade since 1980 and it could adversely affect cultivation, water supply and ecological balance in the next few decades.

Data says that the rate of increase per decade was found maximum in Zone III (0.45°C, followed by Zone I (0.35°C) and Zone II (0.30°C). The paper says the average increase in summer and winter temperature could be around 1.2°C to 1.5°C, which is not a good sign for the Himalayan region.

Study which has been submitted to the state government was carried out to find various decadal temperature trends across the different zones of the state to develop strategies and future crop planning, especially in rain-fed areas.

Although there is a raging debate among scientist of the world about the truth behind global warming, but the temperature rise in J&K during the past three decades affirms the effect of deforestation, human intervention and rapid urbanisation. The paper has been published by a senior agro-meteorologist at SKUAST, Dr MK Khushu, Dr Mahender Singh and other scientists as part of the All India Coordinated Research project on Agrometeorology.

“For the study, daily temperature data of different locations was analysed over 30 years. The area of study was divided into three zones, Low Altitude Sub Tropical Zone (Zone I), Sub-Tropical Temperate Zone (Zone II) and Mid to High Altitude Temperate Zone (Zone III). Our focus was to study the rise in temperature over a 10-year period for 30 years,” said Dr Khushu.

“Temperature of five select locations across the state was found increasing, clearly indicating warming trend in the region. The increase in temperature at this rate would adversely affect almost all crops of the region,” the paper says.

Keeping in view the incessant destruction of forests and air pollution, a 2% increase in temperature by 2050 will lead to disappearance of a whopping 35% of glaciers.