Srinagar, Oct 12(KINS): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday called for a practical and balanced roadmap for sustainable mountain development in Jammu and Kashmir, stressing that environmental protection, economic growth and people’s livelihoods must go hand in hand.
The Chief Minister was speaking after inaugurating the 13th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit, jointly organised by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-Kashmir) and the Integrated Mountain Initiative, in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Science, Technology and Innovation Council (JKSTIC).
Held under the J&K Agriculture Science Congress-2026, the summit focuses on sustainable Himalayan landscapes for an inclusive Viksit Bharat and the formulation of a Sustainable Mountain Development Policy for Jammu and Kashmir.
Emphasising the need to protect the region’s fragile mountain ecosystem, Omar Abdullah said climate change, erratic snowfall, water scarcity, extreme rainfall and landslides were posing growing challenges to the region.
He said changing weather patterns, including reduced snowfall and prolonged dry spells followed by intense rainfall, cloudbursts and flooding, were affecting water availability, infrastructure and the lives of people.
The Chief Minister said that while Jammu and Kashmir could not independently reverse global warming, greater efforts could be made to protect its environment through responsible practices and sustainable planning.
“We cannot stop global warming on our own, nor can we reverse it. The whole world will have to come together to address this challenge. But we can certainly take better care of our own environment,” he said.
Omar Abdullah stressed that development remained essential but must be planned in a manner that reduced environmental damage and protected local livelihoods. He said the challenge was to adapt to changing environmental conditions while ensuring continued economic growth.
Referring to tourism, the Chief Minister said the sector placed pressure on popular destinations but cautioned against blaming tourists alone for environmental degradation. He said residents, businesses, visitors and the government all had a role in protecting the region’s natural resources.
He urged people to avoid littering, reduce the use of single-use plastics and conserve water and energy, stressing that individual responsibility was equally important alongside government action.
On tourism development, Omar Abdullah said the solution was not to restrict visitors to established destinations such as Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg, where many people depended on tourism for their livelihoods. Instead, he advocated developing new destinations through proper planning and sustainable infrastructure.
He said sewage treatment, wastewater management and solid waste disposal systems should be established before opening new tourist destinations to avoid overburdening the environment.
“Some of our destinations do not have enough carrying capacity. We have to widen tourism, not to stop people from going to Gulmarg, Pahalgam or Sonamarg, but to develop new and sustainable destinations where the systems for waste disposal and sewage disposal are already ready,” he said.
The Chief Minister also expressed concern over unscientific hill cutting during road construction, saying such practices contributed to landslides and repeated damage to roads, particularly in remote areas.
He observed that indiscriminate cutting of mountain slopes without adequate stabilisation measures might reduce initial construction costs but often resulted in expensive repairs after heavy rainfall.
Omar Abdullah said he had asked the Forest and Environment Department and the Public Works Department to work together to promote scientific construction practices and minimise the risk of landslides.
He stressed that road projects must incorporate proper slope stabilisation and engineering measures, adding that long-term safety and sustainability should take precedence over short-term savings.
On urban development, the Chief Minister called for energy-efficient and earthquake-resilient buildings, along with more effective land use. With land becoming increasingly scarce in the Valley, he said, planners should explore vertical development wherever appropriate instead of continued horizontal expansion, while ensuring compliance with seismic safety standards.
Referring to the devastation caused by the 2014 floods and the 2005 earthquake, he underlined the importance of incorporating disaster resilience into future construction and exploring cost-effective ways to strengthen existing buildings.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the retreat of glaciers in the region, citing changes in the glacier near Sonamarg as an indication of the impact of climate change. He said protecting the region’s natural heritage was a responsibility that the present generation owed to future generations.
“That is what we owe the future generations. Protect what we have, retrieve what we can, and ensure that we do not do any further damage, while also ensuring that livelihoods are protected,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of agriculture and horticulture, Omar Abdullah said these sectors contributed substantially to Jammu and Kashmir’s economy and should not be overshadowed by the focus on tourism.
He said environmental conservation and sustainable mountain development were closely linked to economic security, employment and the long-term prosperity of the region.
The Chief Minister expressed hope that the three-day summit would move beyond academic discussions and produce concrete recommendations that could be translated into policies and practical measures.
He said Jammu and Kashmir aspired to become the first Himalayan territory to formulate its own mountain policy, adding that the initiative must be based on wider consultations and the region’s actual requirements.
Omar Abdullah emphasised that the proposed policy should strike a balance between environmental sustainability, economic development and the needs of communities dependent on mountain resources.
“Those recommendations need to be grounded in reality. We need to balance the need for sustainability with the need for existence and livelihoods,” he said.
He urged delegates and experts from different parts of the country to contribute practical suggestions that could guide the government in framing an effective policy for the region.
The Chief Minister also released several publications brought out for the summit.
Minister for Agriculture Production Javid Ahmed Dar, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Mandeep Kaur, SKUAST-Kashmir Vice-Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmed Ganai, Integrated Mountain Initiative President STS Lepcha, former IMI president PD Rai and IMI Councillor Rajan Kotru were among those present.
Delegates from 11 mountain states, representatives of non-governmental organisations, faculty members, scholars, students and other stakeholders also attended the event.(KINS)
