Ganderbal: A Legal awareness programme on “Climate Change: Role of state institutions and Law” was organised by District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Ganderbal in collaboration with Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Faculty of Forestry, Benhama Ganderbal.
Justice Ali Mohammad Magray, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh, and Executive Chairman J&K Legal Services Authority was chief guest on the occasion.
Justice, Javaid Iqbal Wani, Judge High Court of J&K and Ladakh and Administrative Judge of District Ganderbal, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahamd Ganai, Member Secretary, J&K Legal Services Authority, M K Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Shyambir, SSP Ganderbal, Nikhil Borkar, Director Extension SKUAST-K, Prof Dil Muhammad Maqdoomi, Secretary DLSA Ganderbal, Tabasum besides faculty members of college and students were present on the occasion.
On this occasion a Legal Literacy Club was also inaugurated at Faculty of Forestry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology, Benhama Ganderbal by Justice Ali Muhammad Magray.
Justice Magray in his presidential address said that the principle objective of legal services Institutions is not only to ensure access to justice to the weaker sections of the society but also to educate the people about their rights and duties towards preservation of environment.
He said that the courts have played a pivotal role in interpreting the laws concerning the environment and by way of judicial interventions succeeded in conserving & preserving the water bodies.
Justice Javed Iqbal Wani, while speaking on the occasion highlighted the importance of legal literacy clubs in the educational institutions. He gave an overview of various judicial pronouncements by the apex court on the issues of environment.
He emphasised that the state actors and legislators can work towards realizing the importance of preservation of environment. He underscored the need of nature based solutions to arrest and limit the ecosystem degradation and deforestation.
Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganie, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K provided his valuable feedback on the issue and said that the underlying causes of environmental degradation in India takes within its fold various social economic and institutional factors.
While the social factors include excessive population, poverty, and unchecked urbanization, the economic factors include market failures or the non-existent or poorly functioning markets for environmental goods and services, and the unprecedented growth in all sectors of the economy including transport, industries, ports and harbour activities etc. without any corresponding measures to check the resultant environmental degradation.
Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, Shyambir Singh in his welcome address said that Climate is the pattern of variation in temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, precipitation, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological variables in a given region over long periods.
He further said that Climate Change is normally known as the variation in global and regional climates over the time. He underscored the need for preservation of ecological balance.
MK Sharma, Member Secretary, J&K LSA gave an overview of various provisions in the constitution of India regarding the ecology and environment and the initiatives undertaken by the Legal Services Institutions in UT of J&K in preservation of the environment. The other academicians who deliberated on the occasion included Dr Dil Mohommad Maqdoomi Director Extension SKUAST, Prof Bashir Ahmad Ganai, Associate Prof Shehnaz Noor & Prof . S.A Gangoo. The opening remarks of the programme was given by Tabasum, Secretary District Legal Services Authority Ganderbal. While presenting the vote of thanks Tabasum, Secretary, District Legal Services Authority Ganderbal deliberated on the importance of Legal Literacy Club and dissemination of legal knowledge among the students to help common masses to fight for their legal rights and duties. The proceedings of programme was moderated by Dr Akhlaq Wani. Later, Justice Magrey also kick started plantation drive by planting sapling of fir in the lawns of college under Har Gaon Hariyali initiative and also inspected the Biodiversity park there.
Earlier, on his arrival, Justice Magrey was presented Guard of Honour by district police Ganderbal.
