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Disasters in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh region

human actions. The political conflict stretching back to India’s independence has contributed to the most lethal, destructive,
and continuous man-made disaster in the region. The region went through multiple crises in terms of violent insurgency
and terrorism from the neighbor country in the Kashmir valley after India’s independence (Bose, 2003). There were
repeated instances of violence against the region’s minority Pandit community, leading to a mass exodus of the Pandit
community from the valley in 1990 (Shekhawat, 2009). In recent times, the region has witnessed large-scale protests and
stone pelting as a form of collective civilian resistance, along with a new wave of militancy (Behera, 2016).
According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), the militancy or terrorism in J&K and Ladakh region over
the past three decades has led to 47,689 deaths between 1988 and July 30, 2020; among the casualties were 15,138
civilians, 6979 security personnel and 25,572 terrorists (SATP, 2020). The terrorism-based violence has also displaced
lakhs of people – the majority among them being Kashmiri pandits. The people of the region continue to live in a heavily
militarized zone under the constant threat of violence and terrorism. Normal life gets disrupted on a regular basis and a
small incident can result in large-scale protests and violence (Behera, 2016). Violence has not only led to physical injuries
and deaths but also resulted in the disruption of daily life. The family structure comes under stress, traditional and cultural
events loose significance or get banned for security reasons, and overall community life gets affected (Amin and Khan,
2009). The violence has impacted the growth of children as they have been born and raised in a militarized zone that
regularly witnesses violence. Growing up in a society ravaged by violence has not only hampered their mental growth but
also their cultural growth (EFSAS, 2017).
All these factors lead to high prevalence of stress, trauma, and deep and lasting psychological impacts on all sections
of the population. A study conducted in Kashmir highlights that about 55% of the population suffers from some level
of depression and that the condition is much more prevalent in rural areas compared to urban areas as socio-economic
factors add to factors like violence (Amin and Khan, 2009). Disability and violation of modesty (Violation of modesty
is the local equivalent for sexual violence and includes inappropriate touching, in accordance with the WHO’s definition
of sexual violence) are the most common factors that cause psychological stress among men, whereas for women, the
most common factors are exposure to violence and a sense of powerlessness (De Jong, Ford, Van de Kam, et al., 2008).
In the 1990s, the threat of sexual violence was used to terrorize the Pandit community (Shekhawat, 2009). Over the
years, the terrorism-based violence in J&K has resulted in the deaths of many more men than women, leaving behind
thousands of widows (Qayoom, 2014). A number of men have disappeared during the violence with no proof of death
and their wives are referred to as half-widows (Qutab, 2012). The widows and half-widows, who were mainly dependent
on their husbands economically and socially, have to struggle for their daily survival. Widows from poor backgrounds
with no education have found difficulty in getting jobs other than manual labor (Qayoom, 2014). Half-widows not only
suffer from economic deprivation but also stigma and psychological problems as they are unable to get closure due to the
uncertainty that persists about their partners and their possibility of returning (Qutab, 2012).
The terrorism in J&K has had a major impact on the economic condition of the region. Due to the terrorism, in 1989,
private investment in the region came to a complete halt and the economy of the region grew at a much slower pace than
the rest of the country, resulting in high unemployment rates – especially in the private sector (Mahapatra and Shekhawat,
2008). Given the security concerns, the limited resources of the region are often diverted toward internal security and
policing. The periods of violence have affected sources of livelihood—especially tourism, horticulture, and handicraft
industries. The horticulture industry considered the backbone of Kashmir’s rural economy, with numerous orchards
producing apples, strawberries, almonds, walnuts, and saffron, was severely affected during the 1990s (Sharma, Sharma,
and Waris, 2012). Kashmir was once India’s favorite tourist destination, but as the terrorism raged on, the industry
declined, affecting the livelihoods of thousands of people.
The number of tourists visiting J&K and Ladakh declined from 557,974 in 1989–8026 in 1993 (Sharma, Sharma, and
Waris, 2012). The progress on increasing the footfall of tourists back to the previous levels has been marginal. This is
reflected by the fact that only 27,358 tourists visited the region in 2002. Thus, during the most violent years of the terrorism,
from 1989 to 2002, the valley lost an estimated 27 million tourists leading to tourism revenue loss of approximately $3.6
billion (Sharma, Sharma, and Waris, 2012). Major tourist destinations and historical sites became militant hideouts.
Terrorists attacked both Indian and foreign tourists, with tourist hotspots like Srinagar Airport being repeatedly attacked
(EFSAS, 2017). It severely hampered the business of hotels and houseboats, while also crippling the handicraft industry
that is dependent on purchases by tourists (EFSAS, 2017). In recent times, the number of tourists visiting the Jammu and
Ladakh regions has grown faster compared to the Kashmir valley, which used to be the central attraction for tourists in
the pre-insurgency days (Sharma, Sharma, and Waris, 2012). A study by Barbhuiya and Chatterjee (2020) also highlights
that severe conflict or violence events affect domestic tourist arrival negatively, while natural disasters negatively impact
international tourist arrival. Education also suffered during the conflict, with schools and colleges remaining shut during

74 International Journal of Population Studies | 2020, Volume 6, Issue 1