Vikram Katoch is visibly worried: the vast valley of Lahaul-Spiti in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is almost snowless this January. \u201cBy now we should have had at least four to five feet of snow, but right now we have nothing,\u201d he says. \u201cIt is a matter of grave concern because snowfall ensures our water security and provides water for irrigation and farming to local villagers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Katoch is vice president of the Save Lahaul Spiti Society, a non-profit organisation trying to protect this ecologically fragile valley from environmental degradation and the impacts of climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over 500km north, the situation is no different in the skiing destination of Gulmarg, Kashmir. Despite the ongoing Chillai Kalan (Kashmir\u2019s harshest, 40-day winter period) snow is missing from Gulmarg\u2019s slopes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Via social media on 9 January, Omar Abdullah, the vice president of the Jammu Kashmir National Conference party, said<\/a>: \u201cI\u2019ve never seen Gulmarg so dry in the winter … If we don\u2019t get snow soon the summer is going to be miserable.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n On 10 January, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) meteorologist Sonam Lotus confirmed<\/a> large winter snowfall deficits across the northern regions of Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. He added there is no likelihood of snow until 25 January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n