BEYOND FERTILITY DECLINE
Jammu and Kashmir, celebrated for its snow-capped peaks and vibrant traditions, now faces a silent demographic collapse. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has plummeted to 1.4 – far below the replacement level of 2.1 – threatening not just population stability but the survival of the region’s cultural fabric.
The Steepest Decline in India
The TFR in J&K has dropped by one child per woman in just 15 years, from 2.4 in 2005 to 1.4 in 2021 – the sharpest fall nationwide. Urban areas fare worse (TFR 1.2), while rural zones hover at 1.5. This mirrors trends in aging societies like Japan, raising alarms about economic stagnation and a shrinking workforce.
Unmasking the Crisis: Beyond Economics
While unemployment (30%) and inflation deter family planning, deeper factors lurk beneath:
- Infertility Epidemic: 45% of men and 35% of women in Kashmir struggle with infertility, driven by PCOS, endometriosis, and environmental toxins like pesticides and heavy metals.
- Lifestyle Shifts: Sedentary habits, processed foods, and stress from political instability disrupt hormonal balance. Traditional warmth sources like the Kangri(firepot) are linked to pelvic inflammation.
- Late Marriages: Women now marry at 26 (vs. India’s 22), shortening the reproductive window. Over 50,000 women in Srinagar alone remain unmarried past the “ideal” age.
Cultural Erosion and Migration
The decline isn’t merely demographic. As nuclear families replace joint households, languages like Poguli and Bhadarwahi risk extinction. Rural-urban migration strips villages of youth, leaving elders to tend abandoned orchards and crumbling shrines. “We’re losing our storytellers,” laments Shopian apple grower Wasim Ahmad. “Who will sing Rouf dances if families vanish?”.
Policy Gaps and Controversies
- Healthcare Access: Only 3 IVF clinics serve J&K’s 12.5 million people, forcing couples to seek costly treatments in Delhi.
- Workplace Inequity: Private-sector jobs lack maternity leave, pushing women to delay motherhood.
- Environmental Neglect: Pesticide-laden apple orchards – a pillar of Kashmir’s economy – poison groundwater and impair fertility.
- Controversial Reforms: Recent land redistribution schemes (targeting 1.99 lakh beneficiaries by 2024) have sparked fears of demographic engineering, deepening public distrust in policy solutions.
A Path Forward: Blending Tradition and Innovation
To avert collapse, experts propose:
- Revive Rural Economies: Subsidize organic farming and revive dairy cooperatives to stem urban migration.
- Expand Reproductive Healthcare: Establish district-level IVF centers and train doctors in advanced treatments.
- Cultural Preservation Funds: Sponsor festivals, language schools, and artisan guilds to sustain traditions.
- Regulate Toxins: Ban endocrine-disrupting pesticides and promote Kashmiri walnuts/saffron for fertility.
Voices from the Frontlines
Dr. Nighat Firdous, Srinagar gynecologist: “Late marriages and PCOS are a double curse. We need awareness campaigns to destigmatize infertility and encourage early testing”.
Martand Kaushik, Population Foundation of India: “Policies penalizing larger families must end. Let couples choose without losing benefits”.
Conclusion
J&K’s fertility crisis is a mirror reflecting systemic failures – from healthcare gaps to cultural erosion. Saving this paradise demands more than statistics; it requires a collective vow to protect its people, traditions, and future.
(Author can be reached at: [email protected])
