Srinagar, Oct 12 : Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Minister Javed Ahmad Dar on Monday called for greater public participation and behavioural change to protect the Union Territory’s fragile environment, saying government policies and legislation alone cannot ensure effective conservation without active involvement of society.
Addressing the J&K Agriculture Science Congress 2026 at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Dar said the region’s sensitive ecological landscape required collective efforts to safeguard its natural resources and promote sustainable mountain development.
Referring to concerns raised by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, the minister said the government was committed to environmental protection and would examine the policy recommendations emerging from the three-day congress.
He expressed confidence that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would take forward the recommendations and make efforts towards their implementation.
Highlighting the environmental pressures associated with the large number of visitors to Jammu and Kashmir, Dar called for a mechanism to sensitise tourists and other visitors about the region’s fragile ecology and the importance of responsible behaviour.
“Till society has changed, nothing can be done,” he said, stressing that environmental conservation required a change in public attitudes and practices.
The minister, who also holds the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj portfolios, said several laws were already in place to protect the environment, but their effective implementation depended on public cooperation and awareness.
He said the government would continue working on the policy agenda emerging from the congress, particularly recommendations concerning environmental conservation and sustainable development in mountain regions.
Dar said the three-day event provided a platform for scientists, experts and delegates from different states to deliberate on pressing environmental and agricultural challenges and suggest practical measures to address them.
He urged participants to contribute meaningfully to the discussions and expressed hope that the deliberations would help chart a course for protecting Jammu and Kashmir’s ecological landscape.
The J&K Agriculture Science Congress 2026 has brought together scientists, academicians, faculty members and delegates to discuss agriculture, environmental conservation and sustainable mountain development. (KNS)
