Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Karewa

Mains level: Land degradation

Kashmir’s highly fertile alluvial soil deposits called ‘karewas’ are being destroyed in the name of development, much to the peril of local people

The Kashmir valley is an oval-shaped basin, 140 km long and 40 km wide, trending in the NNW–SSE direction.
It is an intermountain valley fill, comprising of unconsolidated gravel and mud.
A succession of plateaus is present above the Plains of Jhelum and its tributaries.
These plateau-like terraces are called ‘Karewas’ or ‘Vudr’ in the local language.
These plateaus are 13,000-18,000 metre-thick deposits of alluvial soil and sediments like sandstone and mudstone.
This makes them ideal for cultivation of saffron, almonds, apples and several other cash crops.

Today, the karewa sediments not only hold fossils and remnants of many human civilisations and habitations, but are also the most fertile spots in the valley.
Kashmir saffron, which received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2020 for its longer and thicker stigmas, deep-red colour, high aroma and bitter flavour, is grown on these karewas.

The fertility of these patches is believed to be the result of their long history of formation.
When formed during the Pleistocene period (2.6 million years to 11,700 years ago), the Pir Panjal range blocked the natural drainage in the region and formed a lake spanning 5,000 sq km.
Over the next few centuries, the water receded, making way for the valley and the formation of the karewas between the mountains.

Despite its agricultural and archaeological importance, karewas are now being excavated to be used in construction.
Between 1995 and 2005, massive portions of karewas in Pulwama, Budgam and Baramulla districts were razed to the ground for clay for the 125-km-long Qazigund-Baramulla rail line.
The Srinagar airport is built on the Damodar karewa in Budgam.

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