PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Rain and snowfall on Friday after a wait of about three months has brought much-needed relief to Uttarakhand’s farmers and fruit growers, though experts warn the shift in the weather points to changing climate patterns.
The rain fall restored soil moisture, supported winter crops and improved prospects for fruit growers, particularly in the mountainous regions. Farmer Mohanlal Rana said that the snowfall is vital for apple orchards, which require sufficient chilling hours for proper flowering and fruit quality. “For a long time, apple orchards were not receiving enough chilling hours,” he said. “The snowfall is welcome and is expected to improve both yield and quality.” He added that the rainfall has also benefited wheat, peas and other crops that were under moisture stress.
With snowfall reported in most high-altitude regions, the tourism sector has also seen a boost. Snowfall drew visitors back to hill stations after many tourists returned disappointed in late December due to the absence of snow.
Activist Anoop Nautiyal said that the rainfall arrived at a critical time. “It has positively impacted agriculture, horticulture, tourism, rivers, glaciers and hydropower generation,” he said, while adding that January had been unusually dry. However, he warned that intense rainfall within a short period caused waterlogging and soil erosion in some low-lying areas.
Environmentalist Anil Joshi raised concerns over changing weather patterns, including strong winds and storms accompanying snowfall. He said that the delayed snowfall, rapid melting and weak snow solidification are affecting glacier formation and crop cycles. “These trends indicate the growing impact of climate change and global warming,” Joshi said.
Experts warned that while the immediate effects are beneficial, irregular precipitation and extreme weather events pose long-term risks to Uttarakhand’s fragile Himalayan ecosystem and its agriculture-dependent economy.
