Srinagar, April 16 -- The forests and rivers of Kashmir are under strain, and the response cannot be half-hearted. Climate change is no longer abstract; it is visible in floods that arrive without warning, in glaciers that retreat year after year, and in the erratic weather that unsettles farming cycles. Planting trees, restoring habitats, and involving local communities are steps in the right direction, but they must be pursued with consistency and seriousness, not as symbolic gestures.

Forests are living systems that regulate water, stabilize soil, and provide refuge to countless species. In Kashmir, where livelihoods are tied to land and natural resources, every plantation drive and every act of soil conservation carry the weight of s...