Srinagar, Sept 21: The Jhelum River, once described as the lifeline of Kashmir, is steadily shrinking under the weight of unchecked silt deposits, prompting growing alarm among locals, experts, and environmental activists. The irony, many say, is that while embankments are being raised every year in an attempt to contain the river, the government has restricted large-scale dredging, the very process that could restore its original capacity.
For centuries, the Jhelum has been central to the Valley’s ecology, economy, and culture. But today, its waters appear narrower and sluggish, with banks pushed outward by silt accumulation that steadily reduces the riverbed’s depth. Environmentalists warn that unless dredging is undertaken urgently, the Jhelum may lose its ability to carry floodwaters, raising the specter of disasters similar to the devastating floods of 2014.
“Every monsoon and every snowfall carries fresh deposits of silt into the Jhelum,” explained Abdul Rashid, a retired irrigation engineer. “Instead of removing it, authorities build higher embankments each year. This is a cosmetic approach. You can build walls as high as you want, but if the river itself has no space, the floodwaters will eventually spill over.”
Locals living near the Jhelum’s banks echoed these concerns. Ghulam Nabi, a shopkeeper in Rajbagh, told the news agency Kashmir News Trust, “We see the river getting narrower with each passing year. Boats that once sailed easily now struggle in shallow waters. If another flood comes, the raised banks will not save us, because the riverbed itself is choking.”
The last major dredging project was initiated after the 2014 floods, but progress has since slowed. Officials cite environmental clearances, technical hurdles, and financial constraints as reasons for halting large-scale dredging. However, critics argue that bureaucratic indifference has compounded the crisis.
“The government is not allowing dredging at the required scale,” said environmental activist Tariq Ahmad. “They say it might disturb the ecology, but what about the lives and livelihoods that will be lost in the next flood? This is a clear case of misplaced priorities.”
Officials said the Jhelum’s carrying capacity has drastically reduced over the past few decades. In the mid-20th century, the river could carry more than 35,000 cusecs of water, but estimates now suggest it struggles to hold even 20,000 cusecs. Silt accumulation, sand mining, and encroachments on the floodplains have all played a role in this decline.
Beyond the immediate risk of flooding, the shrinking river also carries economic consequences. Fishermen complain that declining water levels have reduced their catches, while farmers worry that the reduced flow threatens irrigation channels dependent on the Jhelum. The river’s once-thriving role in local trade and transport has already diminished.
Experts unanimously propose dredging as the only viable solution. Unlike embankments, dredging removes the root cause of the problem by deepening the riverbed and restoring natural flow. “Without dredging, the Jhelum is like a clogged artery. You can keep building pressure walls, but unless you clear the blockage, the heart will fail,” remarked Engineer Shazad Ahmad, a hydrologist at Kashmir University.
Locals recall that traditional methods of dredging were once a seasonal practice. Small-scale community dredging kept the river functional for decades, long before modern machinery. Many now question why such practices were abandoned, leaving the river vulnerable to neglect and mismanagement.
With climate change intensifying rainfall patterns, the stakes are higher than ever. A swollen Jhelum, unable to hold its flow, could easily inundate Srinagar and surrounding towns, repeating the nightmare of 2014. Environmentalists argue that proactive measures must replace short-term fixes.
As autumn is on, the Jhelum continues to shrink visibly, the call for dredging grows louder. Locals, engineers, and activists all converge on the same point: embankments cannot be the substitute for a healthy riverbed. The solution lies not in pushing the water away with walls but in giving the river its space back.
“The Jhelum is not just a river. It is Kashmir’s history, its economy, its culture,” said Tariq Ahmad. “If we allow it to choke on silt, we are choking ourselves.” [KNT]
