Srinagar Apr 11: A roundtable was held here to discuss environmental degradation in Kashmir.
Senior lawyers practising at National Green Tribunal (NGT) New Delhi, Rahul Chowdhary and Ritwick Dutta who are the recipients of Right Livelihood Award 2021 also called Alternative Nobel Prize, deliberated upon various aspects related to air and water pollution.
The event was attended by a large number of environmental experts, lawyers and activists from various districts of Kashmir. Chairman J&K RTI Movement Dr Raja Muzaffar, who had coordinated the event, gave a detailed presentation on unscientific waste management in Kashmir and its impact on our water bodies like Dal lake, Nigeen Lake , Wullar, Jhelum, Doodh Ganga and Shali Ganga.
“Illegal mining is taking place across small rivers of Kashmir which are technically not at all feasible for this kind of work,” Muzaffar said.
Syed Nasarullah chairman legal committee of Environmental Policy Group (EPG) appreciated the work of Advocate Rahul Chowdhary and Ritwick Dutta for taking up environmental cases from Kashmir at NGT. Convener EPG Faiz Bakshi deliberated upon unscientific waste management and gave presentation about EPG’s work.
Noted environmental experts Prof G A Bhat , Dr M R D Kundangar and Ajaz Rasool spoke in detail about the pathetic conditions of water bodies in Kashmir and discussed the ways and methods to control it.
President Travel Agents of Kashmir (TAAK) Farooq Kuthoo and past president Peerzada Fayaz deliberated upon eco-tourism and uncontrolled tourist rush in Kashmir valley and its impact on environment.
During the discussion work done by Manzoor Wangnoo Chairman NLCO to clean up Gilsar and Khushaal sar was hailed. Former SMC Commissioner Dr G N Qasba also participated in the roundtable and urged upon the participants to work in close coordination with Govt.