Prof. S.A. Qazi (Shaz)
An ecosystem is a region with a specific and recognizable landscape form. Such as a forest, grassland, desert, wetland, or coastal area. The nature of ecosystem is based on its geographical features such as hills, mountains, plains, rivers, lakes, coastal areas and islands etc. The ecosystem is controlled by climatic conditions i.e. temperature of rainfall. The geographical, climatic and soil characteristics support a particular community of plant and animals.
Each area has several structurally or functionally identifiable ecosystems. For example, different types of forests, grasslands, river catchments, islands etc. That forms a habitat for specific plants and animals. Thus, ecosystems are the basis of life itself. In other words, we can say that the living community of plants and animals in any area together with the non-living components of the environment such as soil, air and water constitute the ecosystem.
Some ecosystems are fairly robust and are less effected by a certain level of human disturbance. Others are very fragile and quickly destroyed by human activities.
The coniferous forests grow in our J&K state on the higher altitudes of mountain slopes where the temperatures are low. These forests have needle like leaves and downward sloping branches, so that the snow can slip off the branches. Man is a part of these forests and the local people depend directly on these forests for several natural resources. These forests act as their life support systems.
Forest products that are collected by people include food like fruit, roots, herbs and medicinal plants. People also depend on fuelwood, building material and fodder which is extracted directly from the forests. The people who live in urban areas buy forest products, thus, they also use forests indirectly.
Baglihar Dam across Chenab River near Chanderkote in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir state in India. Self-Photographed/Gtsenthilnath on 20 June 2010.In forest ecosystem the vegetation cover prevents the soil erosion. The forests regulate the local temperature, absorb carbon-dioxide and release the oxygen that we breathe. They also retain rainwater underground.
Developmental activities like construction of roads and highways on hill slopes, rapid population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation, increasing use of consumer goods and illegal extraction of wood shall definitely lead to over utilization of forests, which in turn cannot regenerate. That is why the forests are rapidly shrinking. The forest land is being used for new settlements, the government buildings and agricultural land use. The forests have decreased from 33 percent to 11 percent in the last century.
The forests are also lost by mining and building of dams for hydel projects. One such example is of Baglihar Hydel Project which is degrading the “Mountain and river Chenab catchment Ecosystem” in district Doda, J&K. Due to Baglihar Project the flowing water of river Chenab has been locked up which has raised the water level to a dangerous extent right from the project site to Pull Doda.
The river in their normal course has its natural three stages of development. In its initial stage the river makes the rapids and falls along with erosion of transportation of eroded material. In its second stage in the slopes, the river erodes its basement, which is known as “vertical cutting”, giving birth to narrow valleys.
In the final stage the river starts deposition, where side by side, “lateral cutting” is its rule. This is the reason that it develops very vast valleys in the last stage or plains. Keeping these three stages of river in mind, the river Chenab has its second stage in district Doda. But the Baglihar Project has invited its third and final stage here in this district by blocking the water and raising its level to a dangerous extent.
The project has disrupted its normal course. Thus, the river Chenab has started side cutting or lateral cutting, soil erosion, land and rockslides, submergence of land and rock faults.
The loss of forest cover in the catchments of river Chenab shall definitely lead to irreversible changes, such as excessive soil erosion on mountain slopes, large run-off of surface water resulting in flash floods, land and rockslides, depression and submergence of land and highways along it. This will in turn effect badly the agricultural crops on which the rural people and their livestock depend.
If the ecosystem remains intact in normal and natural way, the rainwater runs along the ground and flows into the river but a part of it percolates into the ground and in dry seasons the same is drawn up from the soil by plants and trees. This water is then transpired from the leaves as water vapour and returned again to the atmosphere. This is known as water cycle. There are so many such natural cycles linked with each other. These cycles are a part of global life processes. They are related to the geographical features, climate and soil of the area and are responsible for maintaining life on earth.
The water cycles of the catchment areas of river Chenab in district Doda particularly from Baglihar to Pull Doda shall very soon be disturbed beyond the limits, that nature cannot sustain. Thus, they shall eventually breakdown and lead to a degraded earth on which human habitation shall not be able to survive. If the water cycle is disturbed, it is obvious that it shall lead to the shortage of water which is the basic need of life in any region.
Degradation of forests shall also result in decrease of insects which pollinate the crops and fruit trees leading to a decline in agricultural yields in whole the district. The water shall not be retained underground which shall in turn effect badly the residual forests and shall dry the springs.
The exposed soil shall be rapidly washed away during the rains in wet season and shall affect the crops. Once soil is eroded can take thousands of years to reform.
The natural ecosystems are frequently disrupted by human actions in the name of developmental processes. The government agencies accelerate the weathering of rocks by mining, blasting of hill slopes for construction of roads, highways and dams. Thus, giving way to other weathering agents for further disintegration of rocks. Unfortunately, the same has happened in the catchment areas of river Chenab near Assar, where the whole mountain sides have given way and roared downhill into the river Chenab just in a matter of movements on night taking with it four numbers of load carriers (Trucks) and a van along with its driver. This is natural factor that removing of vegetation cover and water assists the movement of rocks besides the gravity.
The increasing extraction of resources is always at the cost of our natural ecosystems, leading to a derailing of their important functions. Our insensitivity to using resources carefully has produced societies that nature can no longer sustain. Our traditional societies used their environment sustainably.
The mountain ecosystem being extremely fragile as the degradation of vegetation cover on the hill slopes shall lead to severe erosion of rocks and changes in river courses. In the same way the natural ecosystem of river Chenab in district can be seriously affected by pollution and changes in surrounding landscape.
The catchment area of river Chenab from Batote to Doda was already a fragile and prone to erosion and landslides due to absence of vegetation of forest cover. This erosion was more obvious while travelling in bus from Doda to Batote. The erosion was a continuous process all along the road due to the loose rocks. During the survey of Baglihar Hydel Project the same factor was not perhaps taken into consideration. Even a layman can point out that most of the part of the catchment area of Chenab is of loose rock which can easily be brought down by its waters. The consequence of the negligence of the project authorities are at present being faced by the general masses of the two districts viz. Doda and Kishtwar.
Such huge projects involving crores of rupees should have not been passed and implemented by taking the hasty decisions, without the final opinion of expert committee of high integrity. The author is of the opinion that the project has been taken up only by keeping in view the political aspirations giving less importance to expert opinions.
As a matter of fact, at present the two district – Doda and Kishtwar have been cut off from the rest of the state due to the landslides of depressed tracts of highway at certain places on Doda-Batote Road. The reasons being disrupted ecosystem of river Chenab by Baglihar Hydel Project. The total road has been declared as unsafe for vehicular traffic. It is the initial stage of disturbance of natural phenomenon. God forbid! Unexpected loss of life, land and property can be predicted if the Central and State government does not intervene immediately in the matter.
Both the government and the people should keep a close watch on the damage of consequences thereupon. The government should consult experts to make survey of safe alternate road. The author suggests giving a new link to Bhadarwah directly with Udhampur via Murmut Sudhamahadev road. Secondly Bhadarwah-Basholi road and Bhaderwah-Chamba Road should be opened on priority basis.
*The writer is a retired H.O.D. Geography & Dean Students Welfare Degree College Bhaderwah (J&K).
(This article was originally published in the Kashmir Times on January 30, 2008.)
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