Srinagar, Feb. 19 -- Jammu and Kashmir is staring at a water crisis this year due to a massive deficit in rainfall, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday, calling for a more proactive approach and collective efforts towards water management and conservation.

Kashmir has witnessed a dry winter this year with an 80 per cent deficit of rainfall overall this year, raising the possibility of drought in the valley this summer.

Abdullah said in a post on X, "J&K is staring at a water crisis this year. It's not a recent phenomenon, actually it's been building up for a few years now. While the government will have to adopt a more proactive approach for water management & conservation, it can't just be a government centric approach. All of us residents of J&K will have to change the way we take water for granted."

The chief minister said he will review the measures being taken by the concerned department to deal with the crisis.

"I'll be reviewing the measures the Jal Shakti (PHE) Dept intends to take to deal with the developing crisis & I'll also be talking to the people of J&K over the next few months about what we can do collectively," he added.

According to officials, several water bodies are flowing below the zero level mark at many places while some springs in south Kashmir have dried up completely due to the receding water table.

An official at the Irrigation and Flood Control Department said the water level in Jhelum and several other water bodies was more than a metre below the usual water level for this time of the year.

"If it does not rain or snow in the next fortnight, there is a possibility of a crisis with regards to water for drinking and irrigation purposes," he added.

Social media is flooded with videos and images of dried-up water bodies with Achabal springs in south Kashmir having dried up completely.

The river bed of Jhelum is visible at many places, especially upstream in south Kashmir areas while the water level downstream in north Kashmir is alarmingly low. The situation is similar in other major streams of the valley.

As per the data, Jammu and Kashmir received only 29.8 mm of rainfall between January 1 and February 12, compared to the normal 140 mm.

Among the districts, Kathua district is worst affected with a 97 per cent shortage of rains. Jammu recorded a 94 per cent deficit, followed by Udhampur and Samba at 92 per cent. Srinagar witnessed an 82 per cent rainfall deficit.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.