Kashmir Still Drowns in Neglect

Letter to Editor

- Malik Yaseen

Eleven years after the devastating floods of 2014, Kashmir remains on edge every September.

The Jhelum rises, rains fall, and the memories of families stranded on rooftops or watching their homes and harvests vanish come rushing back.

While Jammu has recently borne the brunt of heavy rainfall, the valley itself has been reminded how fragile its flood preparedness remains.

The river, once wide and free to flow into natural basins and wetlands, has been constricted over the years. Silt has raised its bed, illegal buildings crowd its banks, and wetlands like Wular and Hokersar that once absorbed floodwaters have been reduced or built over.