Teen environmentalist shows how one person can make difference

October 25, 2025

Every Sunday, while children her age are engrossed in homework or enjoying weekend recreation, 14-year-old Jannat Patloo rows her small boat on Dal Lake in Srinagar, gloves on and net in hand, removing the plastic and waste that threaten the lake’s delicate ecosystem. For Jannat, this weekly ritual is more than a chore—it is a mission to protect one of Kashmir’s most cherished natural treasures. Her journey began at the age of five, inspired by her father, Tariq Ahmad Patloo, a third generation houseboat owner.

Tariq had long organized voluntary cleaning drives on Dal Lake, but seeing his young daughter take interest added momentum to their efforts. “Every time I accompanied my father, watching him collect waste filled me with enthusiasm to join in and do my part,” Jannat recalls.Tariq’s own commitment to social work on Dal Lake began 25 years ago, sparked by a simple yet profound observation. While rowing his shikara, he saw a foreign tourist bend down to pick up a cigarette butt floating in the water.

That single act made him realize how carelessly locals treated a resource others considered paradise. From that day, he dedicated himself to preserving the lake, slowly inspiring others around him.Jannat’s involvement, beginning at such a young age, transformed this family mission into a generational endeavor. She mimicked her father’s movements as a child and now matches them with determination and skill. Over the years, their efforts evolved beyond environmental stewardship. In 2020, during the COVID 19 pandemic, Tariq converted his shikara into a floating ambulance, ferrying patients and delivering medicines to isolated lakeside hamlets.

With the help of an NGO, the boat was fitted with a loudspeaker to spread awareness about safety measures during the pandemic. This initiative, blending care for people and the environment, earned national recognition, including a mention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Mann Ki Baat. For Jannat, protecting Dal Lake is about more than just cleaning debris—it is about preserving the livelihood of those who depend on it. Houseboats, shikaras, and tourism form the backbone of Srinagar’s local economy, and unchecked pollution threatens this delicate balance.

“It is not just my father who depends on the lake for income, but scores of others whose survival is tied to it. That means we must clean the lake regularly to prevent it from getting choked or silted,” she says. Her awareness of the connection between ecological health and economic well-being has driven her dedication from childhood to adolescence