TOPICS

• Kashmir Geography

• Kashmir History

• Kashmir Economy

• Kashmir Monsoons

• Destruction of Kashmir

• Disease caused by the Flood

• Migration

• Conclusion

KASHMIR LOCATION

• The valley of Kashmir occupies the topmost position in the map of India

• Jammu and Kashmir location is between 32.17" and 36.58" North altitude and East to West, the State lies between 73.26" and 80.30" longitude

• The main Kashmir valley is 100 km wide and 15,520.3 km2 in area.

KASHMIR GEOGRAPHY

• For hundreds of million years Kashmir Valley is supposed to have remained under Tethys Sea.

• Geologists have come to believe that Kashmir Valley used to be affected by earthquakes.

• Once there was such a devastating earthquake that it broke open the mountain wall that the water of the Satisar lake flowed out leaving behind latchstring mud on the margins of the mountains .

• Thus came into existence the oval but irregular Valley of Kashmir.

KASHMIR GEOGRAPHY• Kashmir is widely known for its different kinds of agricultural products:

Fruit

Vegetables

Saffron

Herbs

Minerals

Precious stones

• During summer, one can enjoy the beauty of nature, trout fishing, big and small game hunting etc.

• During winter climbing mountain peaks and sports like skating and skiing on snow slopes are commonly enjoyed.

• In addition to the above, Pilgrimage to famous religious shrines of the Hindus and the Muslims make Kashmir a great tourist attraction.

• About Kashmir Sheikh Sadia, the great Persian poet is believed to have said, "If there is any heaven on earth, it is here in Kashmir."

KASHMIR GEOGRAPHY

• Summer is pleasant but winter is cold and there is snowfall.

• It rains from the middle of March to the middle of May in the valley with an annual rainfall of about 75 cms.

• Road transport is common in the valley, but the river Jhelum still serves as one of the means of transportation.

• Due to snow and extreme winters, not all roads are open during the winter season especially the roads connecting the valley to Leh region

• There is also Air Service from Delhi and Jammu to Srinagar and Ladakh.

KASHMIR GEOGRAPHY - FORESTS

• Forests are one of the most important resources of Jammu and Kashmir.

• Area: Over 2,236 sq. kms. of the area forests accounts for 20% of the total geographical area of the state.

• More than 99% of forest area is confined to the province of Jammu & Kashmir only

• Largest area of 5848 sq. kms. in district of Doda

• Smallest are of 481 sq. kms. in the district of Budgam.

KASHMIR GEOGRAPHY – VEGETATION AND SOIL

• The valley of Kashmir has deciduous vegetation. • Trees that are found here: The Chinar, Poplar, Deodar, Fir, Pine, Kail and other fruit trees grow

throughout the valley.

• Baramulla and Anantnag districts have respectively 71% and 60% of their areas under forests.

• Soils are loamy and there is little clay content in them.

• Soil needs to be treated before cultivation because of low content of lime and high content of magnesium

• The valley of Kashmir has many types of soils like: Gurti (clay), Bahil (Loam), Sekil (Sandy), Nambaal (Peats), Surzamin, Lemb,Floating garden soils and Karewa soils.

• In Kashmir, soil is virtually worshipped as a miracle of divinity as it is a source of wealth of the land

KASHMIR GEOGRAPHY - IRRIGATION

Irrigation plays an important role in the agriculture of the State of Jammu and Kashmir because,

Kashmir does not receive rain throughout the year and sometimes it is quite insufficient and it is neither uniform nor certain.

In Jammu region temperature conditions favour cultivation of crops throughout the year but due to non availability of water in the region the plant growth is limited.

Rainy season provides sufficient water from July to September and in winter this region receives several showers of rain, but the remaining months of the year are dry.

This problem had since been solved by irrigation and 25% of the total cultivated land is irrigated.

KASHMIR HISTORY

• The history of Kashmir is intertwined with the history of a larger region, comprising the areas of Central Asia, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Tibet, China.

KASHMIR HISTORY

• Kashmir is part to the world's oldest continuous major civilization and culture, with historical and urban settlements dating back to Pre Mahabharat era.

• Today, it denotes a larger area that includes the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir, the Pakistan-administered territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit–Baltistan, and the Chinese-administered regions of Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract.

HISTORY OF KASHMIR

14th

century

• Islam gradually became prominent in Kashmir

1470s

• States of Jammu revolted against Sultans for the first time

1526 to 1751

• Mughals ruled J&K

1747 to 1820

• Afghani DurraniEmpire rules J&K

1820 to 1858

• The Princely State of Kashmir and Jammu was constituted

1846 to 1947

• Gulab Singh’s successors ruled Kashmir

WHAT LEAD TO THE SIGNING OF THE ACCESSION

Ranbir Singh's grandson Hari Singh, was the reigning monarch in 1947 when India got independence.

A revolt began in the Poonch region against oppressive taxation by the Maharaja.

In August, Maharaja's forces fired upon demonstrations in favour of Kashmir joining Pakistan.

The Poonch rebels declared an independent government of "Azad" Kashmir on 24 October.

Rulers of Princely States were encouraged to accede their States to either Dominion - India or Pakistan.

In 1947, Kashmir's population was "77% Muslim and 20% Hindu".

The Maharaja agreed to a "standstill" agreement with Pakistan.

Such an agreement was pending with India.

SIGNING OF THE ACCESSION

In October 1947, Pashtuns from Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province recruited by the Poonch rebels, invaded Kashmir to frighten Hari Singh into submission.

The Maharaja appealed to Mountbatten for assistance, and the Governor-General agreed on the condition that the ruler joins to India.

The Maharaja signed the Instrument of Accession

India accepted the joining, regarding it provisional until such time as the will of the people can be ascertained by a plebiscite.

AFTER THE ACCESSION -> ARTICLE 370

• The United Nations was then invited to mediate the quarrel.

• The UN mission insisted that the opinion of Kashmiris must be ascertained.

• India insisted that no polling could occur until all of the state had been cleared of irregulars.

• In 1949 UNCIP resolution stated that the question of the accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through a free and impartial poll.

• Both countries accepted the principle, that Pakistan secures the withdrawal of Pakistani intruders followed by withdrawal of Pakistani and Indian forces.

• However, both countries failed to arrive at a Truce agreement due to differences in interpretation of the procedure for and extent of demilitarisation one of them being whether the Azad Kashmiri army is to be disbanded during the truce stage or the plebiscite stage.

• 1949: On 17 October, the Indian Constituent Assembly adopts Article 370 of the Constitution, ensuring a special status and internal autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, with Indian jurisdiction in Kashmir limited to the three areas agreed in the IOA, namely, defence, foreign affairs and communications.

WHAT IS ARTICLE 370?

• Article 370 was and is about providing space, in matters of governance, to the people of a State who felt deeply vulnerable about their identity and insecure about the future.

• It was about empowering people, making people feel that they belong, and about increasing the accountability of public institutions and services.

• Article 370 is synonymous with decentralisation and devolution of power, phrases that have been on the charter of virtually every political party in India.

• There is no contradiction between wanting J&K to be part of the national mainstream and the State’s desire for self-governance as envisioned in the Article.

• Article 370, included in the Constitution on a temporary provision should have been gradually abrogated. This has not happened in sixty years. In fact whenever someone mentions this, vested interests raise an outcry that legitimate rights of Kashmiris are being trampled upon.

WHY WAS ARTICLE 370 INTRODUCED

• For a variety of reasons Kashmir, unlike other princely states, was not yet ripe for integration

• India had been at war with Pakistan over Jammu and Kashmir and while there was a ceasefire, the conditions were still “unusual and abnormal.”

• Part of the State’s territory was in the hands of “rebels and enemies.”

WHY SOME OPPOSE ARTICLE 370 AND WANT IT REMOVED

• Denial of Fundamental right to purchase property: Indians (non-localites) cannot purchase immovable property in J&K.

• Deprivation of the right to vote: Indians, even if residents cannot vote in J&K

• Denial of Jobs: Indians cannot get Govt Jobs in J&K

• Detrimental to women of the state: Women married to non-locals lose their citizenship, cannot get jobs or admissions into colleges.

• Victimization of Hindu Immigrants: Hindus immigrations from West Pakistan denied citizenship even until now

• Incapability to alter the boundaries of Kashmir: Parliament cannot control border

• Non-acceptance of Hindi as National language

• No CBI in Kashmir

MY OPINION ABOUT ARTICLE 370

• I feel that article 370 was introduced for a specific reason at that time and had good intentions

• It does not make sense to treat Kashmiris different from rest of Indians

• It conveys a wrong signal not only to Kashmiris but also to the separatists, to Pakistan and indeed to the international community if J&K is still not an integral part of India

• Sooner Article 370 is removed or at least revised, it will help boost economy in J&K as rest of the Indians will be able to invest and participate in improving the economy there

KASHMIR ECONOMY

• Kashmir's economy is centred on agriculture.

Traditionally the staple crop of the valley was rice, which formed the chief food of the people.

• Historically, Kashmir became known worldwide when Cashmere wool was exported to other regions and nations (exports have ceased due to decreased abundance of the cashmere goat and increased competition from China).

• Kashmir is also dependant on tourism, Some areas are so dependant that it is their chief source of income.

KASHMIR MONSOONS

• Rainy Season is from July 15 to Sept. 15, but due to its natural location, Srinagar does not witness a proper monsoon season.

• Most people enjoy the colours of autumn which usually arrives in the month of October. The cool breeze during the evening makes the weather a bit chilly.

• Most of the state receives a moderate amount of rainfall.

• Srinagar receives as much as 635 millimetres (25 in) of rain from this source, with the wettest months being March to May with around 85 millimetres (3.3 inches) per month.

• The highest day temperatures in September are around 23OC and night temperatures dip to 10OC by October, and further drop by November, when heavy woollens are essential.

KASHMIR FLOODS – WHAT TRIGGERED

• The Jammu and Kashmir state and adjoining areas received heavy rainfall from 2 September 2014 onwards

• This triggered flooding and landslides in India and the adjoining areas of Pakistan.

• On 5 September, the Jhelum River in Srinagar was reported to be flowing at 22.40 feet (6.83 m) which was 4.40 feet (1.34 m) above the danger mark

• The Chenab River was also reported to flow above the danger mark by which hundreds of villages were affected in Pakistan.

• These rivers flooded into the streets causing heavy casualties and loss of property.

DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY THE FLOODS• The survivors face a struggle to rebuild their lives amid dwindling fresh water, food and

medical supplies. Kashmiris say aid and assistance is still too disorganized and slow, and fear rehabilitation is a long way away.

• In Srinagar, most of the city areas were submerged under water. The river Jhelum spilled over submerging Sonwar, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Gogji Bagh and Wazir Bagh neighbourhoods of city.

• 50 bridges were reported to have been damaged across the state. The preliminary assessment of damages to property was estimated between INR 5000 crore to INR 6000 cr. The state government requested the central government for 25,000 tents and 40,000 blankets for the affected people.

• In the Jammu Division, the Jammu-Pathankot national highway was opened on September 8, after the water level receded. Srinagar-Leh Highway reopened for traffic on 9 September.

• The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi called it a “National Calamity".

DISEASE CAUSED BY THE FLOOD

• Waterborne diseases like cholera are spreading as fetid water swilled around the Kashmir valley more than a week after the worst flooding in more than a century.

• The World Health Organization says that flooding can potentially increase the transmission of diseases, but notes that it’s not corpses of animals or humans that pose the biggest health threat.

• Most disease agents do not survive long in the human body after death, the WHO says, meaning the biggest health risks from floating corpses lies with people who actually take them out of the water.

DISEASE IN FLOOD-AFFECTED KASHMIR

• The biggest risk of infection from flooding comes from water-borne diseases like typhoid fever, chlorea, and hepatitis A, and basic diarrhoeal diseases, the WHO says.

• That’s largely because when people are stranded in flooded areas, they can quickly lose access to clean drinking water. Local India-based news site Scroll reports that medical camps have been giving out chlorine tablets so that affected residents can purify their own water.

• Floods can also indirectly lead to an increase in mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, as standing waters are ideal habitats for breeding mosquito populations. There are, however, no current reports of malarial threat in the region.

RESCUE OPERATIONS

• About four lakh people were still stranded and desperate for help in flood-ravaged Kashmir Valley where heavy rains have eased to help scale up the massive multi-agency rescue and relief efforts in which over 47,000 people have been safely evacuated.

• "The big problem that is hampering rescue activities in the Valley is that telecom links have become dysfunctional... The Department of Telecommunications(DOT) is trying its best to restore the links quickly," an official said.

• Officials said shortage of boats was also affecting rescue operations.

• A total of 61 IAF choppers and transport aircraft undertook 451 sorties non-stop overnight to carry men and relief material to submerged parts of the Valley where about one lakh troops were engaged in the rescue operations, Defence Spokesman Col SD Goswami told PTI in Jammu.

• State-run Pawan Hans Helipoters Limited and private chopper firms have joined the massive rescue operation in the state. Air India has kept two aircraft on standby to rescue passengers from flooded area and carry relief materials. But life is far from back to normal for the Kashmiris.

MIGRATION• Many people have migrated from Kashmir due to the floods. Some stories of a few people

are• Retired government engineer Omar Jameel, whose three-storey house in Srinagar's posh

Googji Bagh area is still submerged under floodwaters, has shifted to his small house in a Jammu colony for a few months.

• He had earlier taken shelter at his relative's house in Rawalpora. "I decided to shift to Jammu against the advice of my relatives, but I never wanted to bother them for long," Jameel said. "My house in Googji Bagh is still submerged and will need complete renovation when the floodwaters recede. Therefore, I decided to move down to Jammu for a few months or for the coming winter season." His family is still staying with relatives in Rawalpora.

• In Srinagar itself, rents in 'dry' residential areas have gone up. Reports said residents of Baghat, Rawalpora, Sanat Nagar, Gulshan Nagar, Chanapora and Hyderpora areas had increased the rents of rooms and flats manifold, adding to the woes of flood-affected families.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

W H A T W E C A N D O

• We can do much more than hope.

• Donate money,

• Offer shelter

• Educate people about taking the warning signs seriously and being better prepared

• Fight to get the Article 370 removed or changed so more of the Indians can invest in Kashmir and improve it’s economic conditions

W H A T G O V E R N M E N T S H O U L D

D O ?

• Government can create shelter for the Kashmiris as well as just evacuate them as quickly as possible I feel that the government is doing a good job, but more effort needs to be put into the rescue operations.

• Invest in better roads, dams to be better prepared for the heavy rains and extreme weather conditions

• Remove or change Article 370 so rest of India can help Kashmir’s economy.

“Small actions times lots of people makes a big change”