SKUAST-K to frame Sustainable Mountain Development Policy for J&K

Srinagar, Oct 12: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) will frame a Sustainable Mountain Development Policy for Jammu and Kashmir, aimed at regulating mountain ecosystems, forests, tourism and infrastructure, Vice-Chancellor Nazir Ahmad Ganie said.
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‎Speaking on the sidelines of the 13th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit, Ganie said the proposed policy would seek to establish a framework for protecting the region’s fragile mountain ecosystems while addressing development requirements.
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‎“The focus of this summit will be on how to protect our mountains, our ecosystem and our environment, and how to secure our posterity and our future,” Ganie said.
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‎He said the policy would be presented to the government after its formulation and that efforts would be made to secure support from the Government of India to develop it as a model for other Himalayan regions.
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‎“We will try to support this pilot project from the Government of India and create a model from J&K for the entire country, which other Himalayan states, from Arunachal Pradesh onwards, can adopt,” he said.
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‎Ganie said the three-day summit had brought together experts from across the country to deliberate on sustainable mountain development and environmental protection.
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‎He said the proposed framework would address the regulation of mountain areas, forests, tourism activities and infrastructure development, with an emphasis on protecting the environment and ensuring long-term ecological sustainability.
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‎Ganie also called for coordinated efforts involving institutions, civil society and other stakeholders to protect the region’s environment and ecosystems.
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‎He said public participation and institutional cooperation would be important in helping the government formulate a policy suited to Jammu and Kashmir’s mountain landscape.
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‎The proposed policy, he said, could serve as a pilot initiative for wider adoption across the Indian Himalayan region, subject to government support and subsequent implementation.(KNS)