<p>The long, crunchy edible stem of the lotus plant – is an essential part of Kashmiri cuisine and is always in high demand. Harvesting nadru in winter is one of the toughest jobs, as farmers spend hours standing waist-deep in freezing water, bending repeatedly to pull the stems out from thick, muddy beds.</p><p>Farmers in the Sangam water bodies, traditionally one of the richest regions for lotus stem cultivation are not just battling the winter chill but also grappling with lower yields.</p><p>The reason, they point out, is reduced water flow from the Sind River, which enters the region from Ganderbal.</p><p>Lower yields should have pushed up prices, but farmers say that hasn't happened either, adding to their woes. The shrinking of Ganderbal's water channels is a worrying trend according to environmentalists, which could potentially threaten the very survival of nadru cultivation in the region. And if that happens, it would take away a major livelihood source for farmers in Kashmir. </p>
