In Context
- Kashmir’s highly fertile alluvial soil deposits called ‘karewas’ are being destroyed in the name of development, much to the peril of local people
About Karewa
- The word Karewa in Kashmiri dialect means, “elevated table-land.”
- This term was first used by Godwin-Austin (1859) and later by Lydekker (1878) for an unconsolidated to semi – consolidated sand-clay-conglomerate sequence.
- These sediments occur as terraces, plateaus and mounds and rest over the Paleozoic-Mesozoic sediments of the Kashmir ‘basin’.
- Since the Paleozoic and Mesozoic sequences form the basement for the Karewa sediments, a short description of these is also included for a regional overview
- Most of the cultivated fields in the Kashmir Valley are situated on the Karewa sediments.
- Utility:
- They are 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.
- 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 karewa sediments hold fossils and remnants of many human civilisations and habitations and are also the most fertile spots in the valley.
- They are also being excavated to be used in construction.
Source:DTE
