India has postponed its national winter games due to an unprecedented lack of snow in Gulmarg, the ski resort town in Jammu and Kashmir where the event was scheduled to take place later this month.
The games, which were originally set to be held from February 22 to 25, were expected to feature around 300 athletes competing in four snow sports: ski mountaineering, alpine skiing, snowboarding, and Nordic skiing. However, officials have decided to delay the event due to insufficient snowfall on key ski slopes.
“We have decided to postpone the event as key ski slopes lack sufficient snow,” said Rauf Tramboo, president of the Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir, in a statement to Reuters.
Gulmarg’s slopes typically receive between seven to eight feet (about two meters) of snowfall, but this year’s dry spell has left them unsuitable for winter sports. The Kashmir Sports Council announced that a new assessment will be conducted once snow conditions improve, after which an updated schedule will be issued.
Climate concerns loom over Kashmir
The postponement comes amid a broader climatic shift in the region, with Kashmir experiencing a significant rainfall deficit of 79% so far this year. The unseasonably warm and dry weather is raising concerns not only for winter sports but also for the region’s economy, which heavily depends on tourism and horticulture.
A similar lack of snowfall in January 2023 had already led to a decline in visitors to ski resorts and hotels in Kashmir, a picturesque Himalayan region claimed in full by both India and Pakistan but administered in parts by each.
Experts fear that if current weather trends persist, Kashmir’s horticulture sector—its primary economic driver—could suffer significant setbacks. The region produces approximately 2.5 million metric tons of fruit annually, with apples being the dominant crop. The premature warming of the climate is disrupting natural agricultural cycles, posing risks to farmers.
“In February, we recorded temperatures 12 degrees Celsius (53.6°F) above normal. This has caused crops that should remain dormant until late February to become active in winter only,” said agrometeorologist Sameera Qayoom, calling the pattern “worrying.”
Environmental impact: drying springs and forest fire risks
Adding to ecological concerns, several water sources across Kashmir have already dried up due to the persistent dry weather. One such affected site is the historic Mughal Garden in Achabal town, located about 70 kilometers (40 miles) south of Srinagar, where a once-flowing spring has now vanished.
Experts also warn that the prolonged dry spell increases the risk of forest fires and could lead to a water crisis in the coming months if conditions do not improve. The government and local authorities are closely monitoring the situation, with potential relief measures being considered.
For now, the fate of India’s winter games remains uncertain, as officials await nature’s cooperation to resume winter sports in the region. A revised schedule will be announced once conditions improve.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar says Pakistan is open to talks with India, but won't beg for diplomacy, as tensions over Kashmir and water rights remain high.
On the sidelines of the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin held a bilateral meeting with Kirti Vardhan Singh, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
Britain’s Trade Minister Jonathan Reynolds is set for a pivotal week of negotiations with U.S., EU, and Indian officials as fresh U.S. steel tariffs complicate the implementation of recent trade agreements.
At least 34 people have died in India’s northeast following days of torrential rains that triggered devastating floods and landslides, while thousands remain stranded as rescue operations intensify.
Landslides and flash floods caused by days of heavy monsoon rain have killed at least 22 people in India’s northeast, officials said.
A U.S. federal judge ruled Wednesday that hundreds of Venezuelans deported to El Salvador under an 18th-century wartime law must be granted the right to challenge their detention—dealing a blow to the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown.
Canadian manufacturers and union leaders are warning of job losses and sales disruptions after the U.S. raised tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%, prompting Ottawa to prepare retaliatory measures.
The Government of Ghana has signed a $2 billion memorandum of understanding with key energy partners to extend oil production licenses for the Jubilee and TEN fields through 2040, aiming to boost output, increase gas supply, and drive infrastructure development.
Reddit has taken legal action against AI startup Anthropic, accusing the company of unlawfully scraping content from its platform to train the Claude AI chatbot, despite public promises to avoid such practices. The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco, marks a major escalation in the ongoing battle over
A U.S. district judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of the wife and five children of the suspect in a recent firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado, citing concerns over due process and potential irreparable harm.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
In a major blow to one of President Donald Trump’s key economic policies, a US federal court has blocked the administration’s sweeping global tariff regime, ruling that the White House overstepped its constitutional authority.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, caused a train derailment and a traffic accident early Sunday, killing at least seven people and leaving 30 injured, according to emergency services.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed it carried out a third targeted attack against the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, early Tuesday morning, marking a new escalation in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Massive flooding in India’s northeastern Assam state has displaced hundreds of thousands and endangered rare one-horned rhinoceroses in one of the country's most densely populated rhino habitats.
The Philippines has inked a $700 million agreement with South Korea's KAI to acquire 12 advanced FA-50 fighter jets by 2030, enhancing its military capabilities amid regional tensions.
The Trump administration may roll out a $1,000 fee to fast-track visa interviews, raising legal concerns from within the State Department.
A U.S. federal judge ruled Wednesday that hundreds of Venezuelans deported to El Salvador under an 18th-century wartime law must be granted the right to challenge their detention—dealing a blow to the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown.
Canadian manufacturers and union leaders are warning of job losses and sales disruptions after the U.S. raised tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%, prompting Ottawa to prepare retaliatory measures.
A U.S. federal judge ruled Wednesday that hundreds of Venezuelans deported to El Salvador under an 18th-century wartime law must be granted the right to challenge their detention—dealing a blow to the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown.
Canadian manufacturers and union leaders are warning of job losses and sales disruptions after the U.S. raised tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%, prompting Ottawa to prepare retaliatory measures.
The Government of Ghana has signed a $2 billion memorandum of understanding with key energy partners to extend oil production licenses for the Jubilee and TEN fields through 2040, aiming to boost output, increase gas supply, and drive infrastructure development.
Reddit has taken legal action against AI startup Anthropic, accusing the company of unlawfully scraping content from its platform to train the Claude AI chatbot, despite public promises to avoid such practices. The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco, marks a major escalation in the ongoing battle over
A U.S. district judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of the wife and five children of the suspect in a recent firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado, citing concerns over due process and potential irreparable harm.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment