Trading Green for Grey |
Kashmir has long been celebrated as a land where nature speaks in many voices. Clean air drifting through mountain passes, waters flowing patiently through valleys, and shades of green that once seemed endless have shaped life here for centuries. This natural harmony has been Kashmir’s greatest inheritance. Today, that inheritance stands imperilled. What once defined the Valley is gradually being eclipsed by concrete, plastic, and a restless, unplanned march of expansion. The signs of distress are no longer subtle. Air quality, once a point of quiet pride, has deteriorated alarmingly, particularly in urban centres. During the winter months, Srinagar’s Air Quality Index has frequently exceeded 150 and at times reached 200, levels officially categorised as unhealthy for vulnerable populations. This marks a stark departure from earlier decades, when AQI readings often remained below 50, signifying clean and breathable air. The culprits are familiar yet unaddressed: an ever-growing number of vehicles, diesel generators humming through power cuts, brick kilns on the outskirts, and the steady erosion of green cover.
If the air tells a troubling story, the water tells an even grimmer one. Dal Lake, the cultural and ecological heart of the Valley, has reportedly lost nearly half of its original area........