Pulwama, Feb 10 (KNO): The prolonged dry spell in Kashmir has led to significant environmental challenges, particularly in Tral area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district.
As per the details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), earlier dozens of springs that were source to dozens of water supply schemes have dried up and now hundreds of trees in forests have started drying up.
Shabir Ahmad, a local resident of Tral told KNO that forest trees including Kairu have started drying up in different areas of Tral, causing worries among the locals.
He said forest trees have started drying up in Doodhmarg, Branpathri, Nagbal, Hajan, Zovastan and many other areas.
Abdul Rashid, another local, said that they have witnessed it for the first time that forest trees at a large scale have started drying up and it is because of the prolonged dry spell.
“It seems that the concerned authorities are watching all this as a mute spectator but they need to wake up and take immediate steps in this regard," he said.
Locals said that there are chances that some disease might be in these trees that need to be ascertained at an earliest, adding that the government must constitute a committee of experts to ascertain the causes of drying up of these trees.
They said that the numbers of affected trees is increasing with each passing day and authorities must take up immediate steps in this regard at an earliest.
Meanwhile, an official of the forest department said that this is all because of the prolonged dry spell and these trees will recover on their own in the coming days.
He said that they have already submitted report to the higher ups in this regard and whatever is required will be done on priority—(KNO)