Srinagar, Sept. 2 -- Walnut harvesting is one of Kashmir's oldest agricultural traditions and an important source of livelihood for thousands of families. Yet behind the economic value of this crop lies a largely ignored occupational hazard. Every year, workers climb tall and often slippery walnut trees using crude traditional methods. Many lose their balance and fall from considerable heights, suffering fatal head injuries, spinal damage, fractures, permanent disabilities as well as death.

This is not an isolated or unknown problem. A medical study conducted in Kashmir found that 94 per cent of tree-fall cases occur between August and October, with walnut trees being a significant source of such injuries. The study documented serious or...