World Mountains Day: Mountains fragile; Urbanization, deforestation to have serious ramification on human survival: Experts

Raja Syed Rather

Srinagar : The mountains are very fragile in nature while deforestation and urbanization will have disastrous ramifications for human survival, the experts said on Monday.

Talking exclusively with the news agency two prominent Geologists said that mountains play a dominant role for the survival of people.

“The mountains are rich in resources like water, minerals, forestry and other things as well. The mountains play a very dominant role in many areas. If we see Himalaya, all the major rivers of Asia flowing down are originating from it. If there are no mountains, you will get no water. So, it is simple to understand the significance of mountains this way,” Dr. Ghulam Jeelani, Head of the Department Geology & Geophysics at Kashmir University said.

He said that the moisture laden air mass hit the mountains, which results in precipitation in solid as well as in liquid form, thus generating so many rivers, underground water, springs and other related things. “A lot of forest is also there in the mountains. However, the deforestation taking place is leading to the increase in landslides, erosion and other things. Therefore, disasters are also possible when such activities take place,” he said.

“We have to understand as civilians that common people are mostly ignorant as they don’t know what they are doing. If they are harming mountains by the way of deforestation, quarrying, urbanization towards these areas and other things, they don’t know what they are doing. It may be ignorance, greed or other and that is part of the human psyche particularly in the developing nations. Then comes the role of accountability. If the rules and regulations are not implemented in letter and spirit, the possibility of devastation is there,” he said.

He said that ultimately, the immediate consequence would be about the water.

Shakil Ahamd Romshoo, a prominent Geologist and VC of Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST, said that the mountains across the globe are under pressure, whether it is environmental degradation, climate change, melting of glaciers. Even the Kashmir Himalayas are also under pressure,” he said.

He added that the livelihood of people is also linked with the mountains, but is getting affected.

“It is important to preserve the mountains. However, the people living on mountains have not the most contribution, but the impact is more on them. They are not responsible for it, but unfortunately they face the maximum brunt of it,” he said.

The steps must be taken on the global level, he said, adding that water pollution as well as the air pollution has to be reduced, which can play a significant role in preserving the mountains that are rich in resources—(KNO)