Every year, as May arrives, the Kashmir Valley—otherwise resplendent in its springtime bloom—is blanketed by a white, cotton-like fluff (fress-famb) that floats through the air, clings to homes, schools, and hospitals, and silently suffocates many of its residents. This is the seed fluff of the Russian Poplar (Populus deltoides), a fast-growing non-native tree species introduced decades ago for timber and greening projects. What began as an ecological experiment has turned into a public health concern of alarming proportions.

From asthma and allergic rhinitis to eye infections and skin rashes, the cottony seeds of female Russian poplars are now more than a seasonal nuisance—they are a widespread health hazard. The question that haunts us every spring is not whether the problem exists, but why it persists. It Is time for Kashmir to reclaim its air. And to do so, we must turn to our greatest strength—our people.

Two Phase Plan

An effective and sustainable management of this menace is peoples movement. Through this opinion, I propose the launch of a valley-wide public initiative in the form of a “Poplar Pruning Mela”—a mass, week-long campaign that mandates and encourages the pre-seed pruning of all existing Russian poplar trees across districts. This mela can be held annually in early to mid-April, this initiative should bring together citizens, municipal councils, schools, colleges, religious institutions, and government departments in a collective drive to ensure pollen-free months of May and June.

This opinion, rather a policy, is not just a........

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