Srinagar, June 5 -- Kashmir's seasons once whispered stories of eternity. Now they shout the scars of a shattered land. Nothing here is untouched.

When I was younger, I believed our mountains could not be moved. That the forests would always breathe beside us. That Dal Lake would always reflect the sky cleanly, gently.

Today, I know better. On this World Environment Day, I'm not writing to describe beauty. I'm writing to tell you it's slipping away.

Kashmir has always held more than just postcard views. Our forests still cover a fifth of our land. Our lakes feed our lives. Our mountains hide the last of the Hangul, our own endangered deer. The snow leopard walks silently somewhere up there.

But every year, these places grow more silen...