J-K needs Master Plan to retain ecosystem: Governor

J-K needs Master Plan to retain ecosystem: Governor
Changes in climate in the state are visible with summers getting warmers and cropping patterns changing
Published on 10/14/2009 4:17:07 PM
By Ajmer Alam Wani
Srinagar: The Himalayan region in India's Jammu and Kashmir needs a Master Plan to preserve its fragile ecosystem, state Governor NN Vohra said.

"Time has come to protect the environment by way of having a full-fledged Master Plan in hand for the whole state from Ladakh downwards," he said adding that the document needs to address the issue of environment protection by suggesting where to go for development and constructions keeping in view the fragile ecology of J&K.

Vohra was speaking at the valedictory function of the three-day International Workshop on "Climate Change, Glacial Retreat and Livelihoods" at the University of Kashmir. The conference was jointly
organised by the University of Kashmir, State Forest Research Institute (SFRI)
and The Energy Research Institute (TERI).

The Governor also stressed that the Master Plan should be statutory in nature and structured in a way that its provisions cannot be violated.

Speaking on the occasion, state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said there was need to sensitise the civil society about the consequences of climate change.

"The issue of climate change is no longer theoretical as was perceived some years back. It is something that is visible to us. If we wake up to the issue today, we may be able to salvage something for posterity," he said.

He said that the challenge before the government was to reverse the damage caused to the environment over the years.

"People are to be made aware about the environment, climate change and glacial retreat as all this concerns them directly. We are seeing visible change in climate in Kashmir where summers are getting warmers and cropping patterns are changing," he said, adding that the workshops like these lend practical dimension to the problems like climate change.

The state Forests Minister Mian Altaf Ahmad, said his Ministry was alive to the challenges it faced vis-a-vis environment.

"Whatever recommendations will be presented to us, we will ensure that they are implemented," he said, while calling for empowerment of the Ecology and Environment Department.

For the original article please check the following link:
http://www.igovernment.in/site/J-K-n...stem-Governor/