Srinagar, May 22 -- Abdul Gani stands on the edge of his paddy field in Qazigund's Kurigam village, holding a bundle of green seedlings in his hands. The earth beneath his feet is cracked like old paint, dry and dusty where water once flowed.

He looks out at the emptykul-the irrigation canal his family has relied on for generations-and says, quietly, "We cleaned it ourselves. Waited for days. Nothing came."

This was supposed to be a season of transplantation. Instead, farmers across south and central Kashmir are facing an unfamiliar enemy: heat.

The Kashmir Valley, long known for its cool summers, is now in the grip of a severe heat wave. Temperatures in May crossed 35degC in many districts. That's not just unusual. It's unheard of.

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