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Kashmir, known for its stunning winter landscapes, grapples with a significant climate shift. The dry spell in Kashmir continues in the Chilla-e-Kalaan, the 40-day harsh winter period, causing both foreign and domestic snow-loving tourists to decide to stay away from the Valley. In Srinagar, the 30 per cent occupancy rate in houseboats signifies that the dry spell has begun to impact Kashmir's tourism sector.
Either the majority of the foreign and domestic tourists have put their Kashmir visit on hold or they have cancelled it. According to the tour operators and stakeholders associated with tourism, tourists from Southeast Asia and other foreign countries usually choose to stay in Kashmir at this time, but dry weather has ruined their plans.
In the previous year, Jammu and Kashmir welcomed 55,000 tourists out of a total of 2.12 crore tourist arrivals. This year, the administration is aiming to attract 3 crore tourists. However, the lack of snowfall during winter is a significant concern as it could potentially impact tourist arrivals.
When questioned about the effect of the dry spell on the water levels in Dal and Nigeen lakes, Pakhtoon stated that there hasn’t been a significant impact so far. However, he did express concerns that if the winter season passes without any snowfall, it could lead to issues in Dal Lake.
It’s worth noting that houseboat owners are already grappling with numerous challenges. There is a complete prohibition on the construction of new houseboats, and repairs come with their own set of technical difficulties, which many houseboat owners prefer to avoid. Consequently, the number of houseboats has decreased from 1,200 in 2013 to just 750 at present.
Cloud hangs over khelo India winter games
As the 2024 Khelo India Winter Games draw near, the usual snowy landscape of Gulmarg, Kashmir, the host town, is alarmingly barren this year. The absence of snow has raised concerns among athletes, coaches, and others involved in the event. The question on everyone’s mind is: What will happen to the event if there’s no snowfall?
The Khelo India Winter Games of 2021 and 2022 were co-hosted by Gulmarg and Leh in Ladakh. However, both Leh and Auli are also experiencing a similar lack of snowfall. Despite freezing sub-zero temperatures, there has been no precipitation in these regions, except for the upper reaches, including the Zojila Pass.
This unusual weather pattern has left Indian winter athletes, especially those who couldn’t afford to train on European slopes and chose to stay back in India, in a state of worry, as reported by the New Indian Express. If there’s no significant snowfall in the near future, there’s a possibility that the Khelo India Winter Games might be postponed.
The President of the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir, Tramboo, said that further delay in snowfall might postpone or even cancel the competitions.
"In our recent meetings with the Sports Authority of India, the sports ministry, the federation, and our associations, we have addressed these problems. We did this after receiving inputs from the meteorological departments across J&K and the Centre," The Economic Times quoted him as saying.
Tramboo told the New Indian Express, "We foresee that we might have to reschedule the Games. However, our expectations for a good snowfall between February 10-15 remain highest. So, if everything goes according to our predictions, we should be able to hold the Games in the middle of February."
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