Srinagar, July 30 -- In places like Gulmarg, Dachigam National Park, Hokersar, and Haigam, the signs are clear: forests are thinning, wetlands are vanishing, glaciers are retreating. And with every passing season, the changes feel more permanent.

In Sopore, where I grew up, elders still talk about the wetlands as if they are alive. Today, many of those wetlands have shrunk or disappeared altogether.

A scientist at the University of Kashmir put it plainly: in just two decades, half of our wetlands have been lost. Forest cover is declining. Glaciers are melting faster. These are the daily reality in the region.

The causes are many, and they all point to us. Tourism has exploded without much planning. There's no serious waste management i...