Karewas form an important part of Kashmir’s fragile eco-system. Karewas known as Wuder, flat-topped tableland, in local parlance are not just raised mounds of earth but repositories of geological and archeological treasures.
The tectono-geomorphic setting of the Kashmir Valley reveals that due to the rise of the Pir-Panjal Range, the primeval drainage was impounded as a vast lake (Satisar) in which the sediments of Karewa Group were deposited as fill deposits.
The Karewas were formed due to tectonic events, which occurred at different intervals during the uplift of the Pir Panjal Range due to Himalayan orogeny.
Karewas are glacio-fluvial in nature and consist of conglomerate, silt, clay, sands and lignite beds. The thickness of Lower Karewa at certain places is about 1700 m.
The sediments of the Lower Karewas are overlain by Upper Karewas and comprises about 300-500 m thick sequence of fine laminated clays, sands and silts of different shades of yellow and grey colors.
At most of the places, the aeolian loess deposits cap the Karewa sediments. These loess sediments occupy a major part of the present day valley floor and form the typical geomorphic landscape of the Kashmir Valley.
However, due to haphazard development, Karewas are being extensively vandalised in Kashmir. In absence of regulation, Karewas are being destroyed for soil excavation on the pretext of so-called developmental activities especially road constructions.
Remnants of flattened karewas are visible in Budgam district in central Kashmir, Pulwama district in south Kashmir and Baramulla district in north Kashmir.
Even if soil is needed for developmental projects, other options can be explored. Dredging material from river Jhelum and water bodies in Kashmir can be used in place of soil for filling.
Unbridled excavation of Karewas in the past over a decade for filling up floodplains in the Jhelum basin, for infrastructure development projects like Railways and Highways, has lead to enhanced soil erosion from Karewas and siltation of the waterways of Kashmir. Its ill-effects were visible during the devastating floods in 2014 when floodwaters overflowed the Jhelum banks.
Noted geo-scientist Prof Shakil Romshoo says globally the Karewas of Kashmir are subject of intense multidisciplinary scientific research, “but the people of this place are completely oblivious of the scientific and historical importance of these landforms.”
“The climatic and tectonic record during the last 1.6 million years is well preserved in the sediments of Karewas of Kashmir valley. Tectonic uplift, lithology and climate forcing have played a significant role in the landscape evolution of the Kashmir valley. In Kashmir Valley, the tectonic, climatic, glacial and interglacial record for the quaternary period is preserved in the Karewas.”
Environmentalists have been raising their voice against the destruction of Karewas. Environmental activist Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat states that despite having one million year old history Karewas are an unnoticed heritage of Kashmiri people.
“The Karewas of Kashmir are so flat and massive that Srinagar international airport is located on one such plateau in Budgam district, called Karewa Damodar.”
“Due to massive urbanisation the Karewas of Kashmir are under severe threat as they are being raised to ground and bulldozed. From the last 20 to 25 years almost 20 to 30 % of Karewas in Pulwama and Budgam have been raised to ground, which is a plunder of these geological formations,” he rues.
“The Karewas could have been developed as a tourist attraction but authorities at the helm have never even thought of giving them legal protection by declaring them as heritage sites. Now by allowing excavation of soil and clay from Karewas, the Government is itself causing a huge disaster to these heritage sites.”
Geologists have found several fossils were found in the upper reaches of Budgam. Fish scales were found in Karewas of Gogjee Pathri and upper mountain areas of Liddermud and Yusmarg. Elephant species called Elephas hysudricus were found in Karewas of Pulwama and Budgam areas. Besides fossils of Sivatherium giganteum (extinct species of Giraffe) have been found in Samboora karewas near Pampore.
Much destruction of Karewas has been done both by successive regimes and unscrupulous persons. Damage done to Karewas is irreparable. We have lost a major chunk of Karewas to unplanned development and soil mafia.
We have to understand that Karewas are a valuable repository of the late Quaternary climatic changes and landscape evolution of Karewa Basin of Kashmir.
There is a need for strict legislation to prevent further vandalisation of Karewas. There must be an immediate blanket ban on excavation of soil from Karewas at any cost. No amount of money can compensate for the loss of Karewas.
We can build big buildings, bridges and roads but not Karewas! We have no right to vandalise natural assets. It is our moral, social and religious duty to preserve the environment for future generations. We have to act as guardians rather than destroyers.
Owing to immense scientific and cultural importance, Karewas must be preserved as a natural museum. Our Karewas can be of immense interest to scientists and attraction to tourists. Government must explore the possibility of declaring Karewas as heritage sites.
Author in Executive Editor, Greater Kashmir