Srinagar, Jan 18 (IANS) An expert has contested official assertion and a general belief that Kashmir is witnessing an unprecedented winter.

Shakeel Ahmad Ramshoo, head of the Geo-Informatics and Remote Sensing department of Kashmir University, said here Wednesday: “The snowfall this year and last year in the (Kashmir) valley has been normal.

“There is nothing unusual about the snowfall this year.

“Yes, we have seen severe cold in the valley for a relatively extended period.

“This should not be interpreted as an indication of climate change. The main indicator of climate change is data collected over the last 125 years which definitely indicates that both the minimum and maximum temperatures have been rising in the valley.”

Talking about the dense fog in the valley and in Delhi, Ramshoo said: “In Kashmir, fog is natural as it is part of the weather system.

“But in Delhi the fog is result of pollution which comes from excessive burning of fossil fuels and other sources of pollution.”

He added: “We have seen colder and harsher winters. Because of a boom in information technology, news gets disseminated quickly these days.

“The valley has seen much heavier snowfall in the past and this should not be interpreted as an alarming indicator of climate change.”