Green gold on fire

Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in India where forest fires are reported almost every season. As per Indian state of forest report 2017, India saw a 46 percent increase in the number of forest fires in the last 16 years. Forest fires not only affect the flora and fauna of the region but they also pollute the environment and lead to climate change by increasing greenhouse gases.

"In the last one decade, forest fires have negatively impacted the Jammu and Kashmir region and have affected the ecosystem to such an extent that the drinking water crisis has aggravated in many parts of the Himalayan region. It has also affected regeneration, soil fertility, productive capacity of forests, non-timber forest products and other ecosystem services," says Abdul Rashid, the documentary filmmaker.

The film “Green Gold on Fire” by Abdul Rashid provides an overview of the impacts of forest fire on the community life and the environment. The film was one among the selected documentary films that were screened during the eighth edition of Quotes from the Earth--an Environmental Film Festival 2018 held at New Delhi from December 6-8. The film festival was organised by Toxics Link and India International Centre with support from the Swedish Society For Nature Conservation.

About the filmmaker

Abdul Rashid is an engineer and documentary filmmaker working with Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMMRC), the University of Kashmir since 2005. He is an award-winning filmmaker and an environmental activist. His documentary on Dal Lake “The Bitter Truth” was also selected for the eighth edition of ‘Quotes from the Earth’ – an Environmental Film Festival 2018.