For Nature’s Sake
Inspired by his surrounding picturesque Zabarwan range Shahnawaz, a veterinarian, chose to follow his heart. He recently qualified Indian Forestry Services. Zubair Sofi tells...
“Dokhas are seasonal and need to be dismantled once nomads move out”
Riding Modi wave in 2014, Lal Singh deserted Congress and joined BJP to eventually become state’s health minister. After Ms Mufti took over in...
Straining Forests
From once a self-sufficient timber producer to a major importer, Kashmir’s forest tale has many chapters written in red. Shakir Mir reports the gulf...
The Forest Folklore
The battle against smuggling has made Kashmir literally beg for cheap inter-continental timber that now sustains a huge economy. With scores of compartments totally...
Burning Indifference?
A fire rages through the forests of Tral for several days, but eye witness accounts and government official statements seem poles apart. Bilal Kuchay...
Tethwan: A depleting treasure
Kashmir is losing its rich biodiversity to unplanned development, however, a programme by KU’s botany department is helping revive some medicinal plants. Baseera Rafiquee...
For a greener pasture
The nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals have been migrating to greener pastures every year to rear their sheep and cattle. For centuries they have kept...
Wedded to wood
Lolab, literally the waters of love, is one of the most beautiful places in Kashmir inhabited by beautiful, hardworking people mired in tradition and...
Forest Encroachments
Jammu and Kashmir regions have encroached upon 9482 hectors and 4877.62 hectors of land respectively. Since2005-06, the Forest Ministry has retrieved 64.30 hectors and...
The only job
Almost all the young men of a forest village in Baramulla district indulge in timber smuggling, while the dealers make huge profits they continue...
Denuding Kashmir
Timber smuggling fuelled by a construction boom is causing widespread destruction to the forests in Kashmir in the absence of a coherent forest policy...
Changing climate, changing life
Changing lifestyle and heavy influx of tourists is putting the fragile ecology of Ladakh region under stress, which is already witnessing the negative effects...
Caught in the storm
Beaten first by rough weather, the year has been tough for Gujjar nomads, with the long shutdown adding to their woes. Ikhlaq Qadri reports.
Herding...