Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s announcement on Tuesday—that his government is mulling the formation of a team of experts to identify vulnerable places across Jammu & Kashmir and recommend preventive measures—sounds promising. However, the people of J&K have heard such pledges too many times before, often in the aftermath of disasters when the loss of lives is already irreparable. The harsh truth is that successive governments have failed to translate words into action, and ordinary people continue to pay the price of neglect, short-sightedness, and complacency. Jammu & Kashmir is no stranger to nature’s fury. Cloudbursts in Kishtwar, landslides in Ramban, avalanches in Kupwara, and the catastrophic floods of 2014 stand as grim reminders of how fragile J&K is. Every calamity is followed by inquiries, committees, and statements of intent, only for the reports to gather dust in government offices. What has been missing is political will, foresight, and above all, respect for the sanctity of human life. If Omar Abdullah’s government is serious this time, the proposed team of experts must not become yet another cosmetic exercise. The state urgently needs a scientific vulnerability map prepared by hydrologists, geologists, and disaster management professionals, not bureaucrats sitting behind desks. Hazardous zones—be it unstable slopes, floodplains, or encroached riverbeds—must be identified and declared off-limits for construction, no matter how politically inconvenient. Too many lives have been lost because of unregulated urbanisation, rampant deforestation, and blind eye turned towards illegal structures in danger zones. Preparedness must also go beyond paperwork. The government must install early warning systems, weather radars, and effective communication networks that can alert people in real time. Schools, panchayats, and villages must be trained in evacuation drills and basic rescue measures. These are not luxuries but necessities in J&K parts where lives are under constant threat from natural calamities. The real test lies in implementation and accountability. J&K has had disaster management plans on paper for years, but when disaster strikes, the response is usually marked by chaos and helplessness. Unless the Chief Minister ensures that expert recommendations are binding, time-bound, and immune to political interference, this new initiative risks becoming just another headline. People of Jammu & Kashmir deserve more than condolences and ex-gratia payments after every tragedy. They deserve a system that values prevention over platitudes, action over announcements. Omar Abdullah now stands at a crossroads—either break the cycle of tokenism or risk being remembered as yet another leader who promised much but delivered little. Nature’s fury cannot be controlled, but governance can certainly decide whether it becomes a disaster or a survivable challenge. The time for half-measures is over.