Srinagar, May 25 -- The Himalayan glaciers of Kashmir and Ladakh, vital reservoirs of freshwater for South Asia, face a multifaceted crisis driven by climate change, urban heat islands, and human-induced environmental changes. Among these, the loss of urban heat sinks-natural features like water bodies, wetlands, and green spaces that absorb and dissipate heat-and the decline of countryside vegetal cover, including forests, grasslands, and agricultural fields, play critical yet often overlooked roles. These losses amplify regional warming, disrupt microclimates, and accelerate glacier melt, compounding the effects of rising global temperatures and urban development. In Kashmir and Ladakh, where urbanization and land-use changes are rapidl...