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In my last article titled ‘Environment- Jammu and Kashmir has a long road to traverse-I ’, Greater Kashmir of June 5, the World Environment Day, I sounded the alarm regarding deteriorating environmental situation in Jammu and Kashmir. To substantiate my argument, I wrote that we need to look at the condition of our rivers, streams, springs, lakes, glaciers, wetlands, forests, pasture lands, karewas and flora and fauna and notice the state of decline of many of these natural assets. The truth is that most of these are in a state of decline.

I also pointed to the poor standards of urban municipal governance in our towns and cities and lack of proper arrangements for sanitation and waste disposal in the rural areas where the responsibility rests with Panchayats under the Panchayat Act. I referred to high levels of air pollution caused by ever increasing number of vehicles on the roads, need for a new policy for tourism in J&K to make this economically vital industry environmentally sustainable, urgency of protection of forests and need to adopt a more cautious approach towards allowing use of forest land for non- forest purposes or in allowing felling of forest trees. In this regard I mentioned about the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2023 which allows in large parts of J&K’s geographical territory exemption from prior permission for diversion of forest land for security and defence constructions and infrastructure.



The purpose of writing this second instalment of th.

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