Srinagar, Aug 27: Despite having the distinction of being a carbon-positive state, Jammu and Kashmir is losing foreign funds worth crores of rupees meant for conservation of environment vis-à-vis plantation of tress, cleaning of water bodies and protection of mountains.
The state government does not know how to go about getting funds from foreign non-governmental organizations and developmental agencies like UNDP, informed officials told Greater Kashmir.
The official sources said although aid agencies provide funds to various states but they by and large remain interested in those which are carbon-positive. “Jammu and Kashmir has the distinction that it is not that much polluted as other states in India. And in fact the state is on the list of carbon-positive states of various agencies including UNDP,” they said.
“Carbon-positive states get funds worth hundreds of crores from foreign agencies or non-governmental organizations. The only response carbon-positive states need to give is to approach the agencies in their own capacity or through the concerned union ministries,” an official said.
“In case of Jammu and Kashmir, the state Government is supposed to take up the matter with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests,” he said.
The funds coming from aid agencies and non-governmental organizations of European Union and the US are aimed at providing assistance to the carbon-positive states like J&K and Kerala,” another official said.
“Earlier the funds would directly come to the state Government for disaster management. However, this too has been reduced. And it is not necessary that state Government must take up the matter with Union Ministry, the aid agencies can directly give the funds to the state provided the Government approaches them,” he said.
The official said the state Government has even no plans of participating in the Eleventh Conference of Parties on Convention on Biodiversity that is being hosted by India in October this year at Hyderabad. “The participation of Jammu and Kashmir Government in environment conferences so far has been very less. It should seriously think of attending the conference since it has missed funds in the past. Government should not make the same mistake of remaining dormant over opportunities like these,” the official said.
Minister of Environment and Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad, said the state Government was not receiving funds from the UNDP but has sent projects to World Bank, Asian Development Bank and various other non-governmental organizations for the same.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 27 Aug 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 27 Aug 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:00:00 IST