This is a concern not many would have at the moment but might manifest five to ten years from now. That time, however, it will be too late to do anything. By 2035, the Kashmir Valley may no longer be the poetic, snow-kissed landscape that once enthralled saints, emperors, and seekers. If the present trajectory of unplanned development, environmental apathy, and infrastructural shortsightedness continues, the Valley is destined to mutate into a grotesque parody of its own past – a fragile ecosystem battered by greed, incompetence, and unchecked urbanization.

The Geography of Destruction

Kashmir’s geography has always been its gift and its curse. Its alpine meadows, serene lakes, and cascading rivers have long defined its soul. But in the last three decades, greed has outpaced gratitude. Hills are being shaved down to stumps for roads and hotels. Wetlands – nature’s own flood defenses – are drained and encroached upon. Forests are vanishing to make way for second homes and boutique resorts. Rivers are being straightjacketed, their natural courses throttled by concretized embankments that do more harm than good.

Ten years down the line, this geographical mutilation will lead to severe ecological consequences. Expect more landslides where there occurred none earlier. Expect flooding not as a once-in-a-decade calamity but as an annual certainty. Expect the fragile Zabarwan hills to lose their green cover, and for Dal Lake to become a dead, black pond choked and stiffled.

Kashmir was once known for its four distinct seasons, each unfolding like a slow-moving raga. But those rhythms are now broken. Snowfall has become erratic; summers longer and harsher. Winter rainfall has dwindled, impacting spring agriculture and horticulture cycles. And this is just the beginning.

With rampant construction disrupting natural wind patterns and reducing green cover, urban heat islands are already forming in Srinagar, Anantnag, and Baramulla. By 2035, parts of the Valley will experience summer temperatures touching 35-40 degrees Celsius – unimaginable just two decades ago. Glaciers that fed the Valley earlier are receding at an alarming rate. With hydrological cycles disrupted, water scarcity will........

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