India: Dumping site in Pampore threatens Kashmir's saffron field

Abdul Rashid Mir, a local saffron farmer, shared his frustrations:“This dumping site has made life hard for us. There are so many stray dogs now that it's dangerous to even enter the fields, especially for women and children. We have to work in groups for safety, which slows down our harvest.” He added,“The rats are destroying our saffron seeds, which means we'll have smaller yields in the coming years. If this keeps up, we might lose the crop entirely.” Saffron farming is the primary livelihood for thousands of families in Pampore, who rely on the harvest of this high-value crop. Irshad Ahmed, another local grower, expressed his anger and fear.“Saffron is our heritage, but it feels like the Municipal Committee is determined to drive it to extinction. Saffron used to support about 26,000 people here,” he said.“It's illegal to use saffron fields for construction purposes, but even the government seems to overlook this, what can we do ? We are desperate and ready to do anything if ...