Voices of Kashmir: Pollution and the Disappearing Houseboat Community

For decades the people of Dal Lake and Srinagar have beared witness to many of their lakes becoming polluted beyond repair. Now, Dal Lake is on the brink of an environmental disaster with huge economic, social, cultural repercussions. 

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In 2018, we connected with the some of the local Dal Lake houseboat community, talking about the challenges they continue to face and the lack of urgency from the authorities in mitigating the displacement of entire families, as well as the collapse of ecosystems. It seems there are multiple contributing factors, from peripheral farming chemicals and widespread pollution, to government corruption and environmental education. Dal Lake is just one aspect of a story that continues to threaten the very existence of life on this planet today.