Srinagar, July 4 -- Kashmir was never immune to heat. Summers have always had their bite. But the difference is: we once had green shields. We had tree-lined streets, wetlands, and pastures that absorbed the heat. We had canals that breathed life into the land. Now, those buffers are almost gone, replaced by a lifestyle chasing concrete, convenience, and quick profits.

The wilted paddy fields and drying canals are not isolated problems. They are signs that this is no longer a fight an individual can win with a bottle of water and a ceiling fan. This is a collective crisis, and it needs a collective answer.

Kashmir cannot afford to rely on emergency measures alone. Cooling centers, heat advisories, and shaded bus stops are important, but...