Uneasy spring

The world is heating up even in La Niña years that are associated with cooler temperatures

- AKSHIT SANGOMLA

MANGO TREES across the country this year are laden with dense clusters of greenish-white and pinkish flowers. In Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the rhododendron has painted the hills red and pink more than four weeks ahead of schedule. In Jammu and Kashmir, almond, peach and gul-tour (a yellow flowering herb), too, have flowered earlier than usual. But rather than spreading cheer, this early arrival of spring has raised concerns among scientists.