The Supreme Court’s recent warning about Himachal Pradesh’s environmental crisis, driven by unchecked hydropower development, is a wake-up call for Jammu and Kashmir. The ecological collapse in Himachal—where the Sutlej river is reduced to a trickle, aquatic life is vanishing, and landslides are intensifying—mirrors risks Kashmir faces if it prioritizes renewable energy over environmental sustainability.
Kashmir’s rivers, like the Jhelum, Chenab, and Indus, make it a key player in India’s hydropower ambitions, with projects like Baglihar and Kishanganga driving the clean energy transition. Yet, the Supreme Court’s observations about Himachal’s fragile ecology, damaged by tunnel blasting, river diversions, and unscientific infrastructure, apply equally to Kashmir. The region’s seismic vulnerability, coupled with recurring floods and landslides, demands caution. The 2014 Kashmir floods and frequent landslides in Doda and Ramban highlight the stakes.
Hydropower, while cleaner than fossil fuels, carries heavy environmental costs. River diversions disrupt ecosystems, reduce water flow, and threaten biodiversity. Local communities face dwindling water supplies and homes cracked by blasting. The court’s critique of inadequate environmental assessments, ignoring the cumulative impact of multiple projects, is relevant for Kashmir, where numerous dams strain the Chenab and Jhelum basins. Unchecked tourism, vital to Kashmir’s economy, further stresses resources through waste and water overuse.
Kashmir must adopt a balanced approach. Rigorous, transparent environmental impact assessments should guide hydropower projects, prioritizing smaller, run-of-the-river plants over mega-dams to minimize ecological harm. Strict enforcement of regulations, like maintaining minimum water outflow, is essential to protect aquatic life. Sustainable tourism practices—caps on visitors, waste management, and water conservation—are critical to prevent degradation.
The Supreme Court’s directive to treat Himachal’s crisis as public interest litigation should spur Kashmir to act proactively. The state and Union government must ensure development doesn’t sacrifice Kashmir’s pristine rivers and mountains. Renewable energy is vital, but not at the cost of the environment it aims to save. Kashmir must learn from Himachal’s mistakes and pursue a sustainable path forward.
