World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5th across the world. Its aim is to create awareness among the people about the importance, protection and preservation of the environment. It also aims to raise awareness about critical environmental issues facing the world today. The day commemorates the Stockholm conference on human environment held in 1972. The theme for the world Environment Day 2024 is “Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience”. The slogan of world environment day 2024 is “Our Land, Our Future”. The kingdom Saudi Arabia will host the 2024 World Environment Day global celebrations. It will provide a platform for more than 143 countries to come together, formulate sustainable policies and address critical and pressing environmental challenges for a sustainable world. Human health always requires clean air, pure water, safe and healthy food, natural disease resistance etc. and these basic things are provided by the healthy environment. These basic things, which support all life on the earth directly affects human life and disturbance of any one of them, affects human lives severely. The quality and healthy environment contributes significantly to all sectors of Jammu and Kashmir. Over the last two decades, all countries of the world including the state of Jammu and Kashmir is facing rising and critical environmental challenges at an alarming rate particularly global warming, climate change, rapid melting of glaciers, water crisis, pollutions, deforestation, floods, desertification, drought, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, ecological disturbance in nature. The pressing challenges caused by anthropogenic activities have a great impact on human health and ecosystems in all regions of the world. Increasing urbanization, technological advancement, concretization, agricultural expansion, rapid industrialization and economic development for the last many years have put tremendous pressure on our resources. They contributed significantly to environmental degradation. The J & K has been witnessing unbridled plundering of forests and vandalisation of fresh water bodies coupled with haphazard planning and development activities that has gradually pushed the eco fragile Jammu and Kashmir to the verge of eco disaster. There has been massive damage to forests, mountains, glaciers, water bodies, wetlands, fertile agricultural land and atmosphere by reckless anthropogenic activities. Increasing human activities are one of the major triggers of erratic climate patterns and natural resources destruction as well. The residents of Jammu and Kashmir forgot devastating floods in September 2014 and recent flash floods, land sliding and land sinking that was a sort of nature’s revenge! Mesmerizing landscapes are continuously turning to jungles due to unregulated constructions in eco fragile areas. Unplanned urbanization has aggravated the problem of damage to natural resources’ particularly forests, mountains, water bodies, wetlands and agricultural fields. Unregulated and outdated industries, brick kilns, cement factories; stone crushers etc. have become potent threats for the air quality and the environment of Jammu and Kashmir. Illegal mining activities on fertile karewa lands and in Nallahs like sukhnag have caused significant damage to Karewa lands and Nallahs respectively. Thousands of people die every year due to water and air pollution diseases. Tons of fish in rivers and Nallahs like Sukhnag are being killed due to pollution and reckless illegal mining by JCBs. The recent fish death in quintals at sail Beerwah in trout farm of Peerzada Rayees speaks volumes about reckless illegal mining in Sukhnag Nallah. Thousands of poor and marginal people lose their jobs every year putting them to struggle hard for necessities of life.
“It is the responsibility of all the stakeholders to ensure better protection and preservation of the environment. All NGOs’, civil society, religious leaders, teachers, and students should join hands together to make Jammu and Kashmir cleaner and greener for future generations and ourselves. Together we can make a positive impact and create a sustainable and resilient environment.”
Rapid melting of glaciers in Jammu and Kashmir has seriously affected the water availability and hydrological regimes of the region. Many areas of Jammu and Kashmir are experiencing drought, land degradation and desertification. World Environment day serves as a reminder for all of us about the importance of environmental protection, conservation and the need for collective action to create a sustainable future. There is an urgent need for mitigation measures at our own levels to at least minimize further damage to our eco fragile environment. Awareness programs should be conducted in all educational institutions and communities to educate students and people about environmental issues and their impact on living flora and fauna. Teachers and students of educational institutions should organize clean up drives to remove litter and waste from public places, parks, Nallahs, rivers, wetlands, forests etc. planting more and more trees and restoration of degraded springs, canals, forests, and wetlands will contribute to our degraded environment significantly. Adoption of sustainable practices in daily lives like using eco-friendly products, renewable sources of energy, conserving natural resources and promoting sustainable activities adds more to the environment. Reduction of carbon footprint, control on deforestation, ban on illegal mining, soil excavation, polythene and recycling initiatives, sustainable development projects, and strict implementation of environmental laws and polluter pays tax will definitely protect and correct destruction of our environment. Judicious use of natural resources, reduce, reuse and recycling of non-biodegradable waste, introduction of environment impact assessment and role of government as a policy maker play an important role in conservation and protection of environment. It is the obligation of all the concerned including the Union Government and State Governments to protect and conserve natural resources. The article 48-A of the constitution states that the state shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the forest, and wildlife of the country. The Article 51-A of the constitution says that it is the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and have compassion for living creatures. If we want to revive our clean and green Jammu and Kashmir existing two decades ago, we need to work sincerely for our bruised and battered environment and time will come very soon when we can again drink fresh water from our water bodies, breathe fresh whiff of air and enjoy mesmerising beauty of scenic landscapes. It is the responsibility of all the stakeholders to ensure better protection and preservation of the environment. All NGOs’, civil society, religious leaders, teachers, and students should join hands together to make Jammu and Kashmir cleaner and greener for future generations and ourselves. Together we can make a positive impact and create a sustainable and resilient environment.
(The author is teacher at Govt Boys Higher Secondary School Beerwah in Budgam district. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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