Photos: Kashmir’s Dal Lake faces environmental and climate challenges

Dal Lake in Srinagar, the heart of tourism and cultural life in Indian-administered Kashmir, is gradually deteriorating due to increasing population and environmental pressures. It is polluted with untreated sewage, plastic waste, and invasive weeds, while unregulated construction and encroachment have reduced its surface area. Climate change, including erratic rainfall and rising temperatures, is speeding up its decline despite cleanup efforts. The situation mirrors a broader environmental crisis across the Kashmir Valley.