Srinagar, Oct 12: Minister for Agriculture Production Javid Ahmed Dar Monday said the unique landscape of Jammu and Kashmir needed to be preserved through collective efforts and greater public awareness.
In his address at the inaugural ceremony of 13th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit, jointly organised by SKUAST-Kashmir and the Integrated Mountain Initiative, in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Science, Technology and Innovation Council (JKSTIC). The summit was held under the J&K Agriculture Science Congress-2026
Javid Dar said the region’s growing floating population, running into lakhs, made environmental conservation an increasingly important concern.
Dar said although several conferences and initiatives had focused on environmental protection, the summit provided an opportunity for meaningful deliberations on policies and practical measures to preserve the region’s natural assets.
He called for establishing a mechanism to educate people about environmental conservation and encourage them to adopt sustainable practices, observing that government efforts and existing laws alone could not achieve the desired results without a change in societal behaviour.
“As long as we don’t change, nothing can be done,” he said.
He said there was a need to make people aware of the importance of environmental protection and their responsibility towards it.
“Government will examine and work on recommendations emerging from the summit. I hope that discussions among experts would provide practical direction for implementing conservation measures,’ he added.
He congratulated the organisers for bringing together delegates, scientists, faculty members and students for deliberations on the preservation of the Himalayan landscape.
Earlier in her address, Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD), Mandeep Kaur said that sustainable urban planning was key to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
She said the development in J&K must account for ecological vulnerability, climate change and the carrying capacity of mountain regions.
“The way urban settlements are planned and managed would have a decisive bearing on the sustainability of the entire Himalayan landscape,” she added.
She said sustainable mountain development was not merely a policy objective for J&K but an essential condition for its long-term prosperity and survival.
“Our mountains, rivers, forests, lakes and valleys constitute an invaluable ecological and economic asset,” she said.
She added that the growing demands for housing, infrastructure, mobility, sanitation and public services required a distinctive approach to urban development in mountainous areas.
Kaur said urban planning must account for fragile terrain, drainage patterns, seismic vulnerability, water availability, ecological carrying capacity and risks associated with extreme weather events.
“Development that disregards these considerations may create short-term gains but impose significant long-term costs on communities and the environment,” she added.
She called for climate-resilient, environmentally responsible and people-centric urban development while stressing the need for stronger spatial planning, effective implementation of master plans, protection of water bodies and natural drainage channels, improved solid waste management and efficient wastewater treatment.
She also underlined the importance of sustainable mobility, accessible public spaces and safe, affordable housing, particularly for economically weaker and vulnerable sections of society.
“Our towns must not simply expand but they must become more liveable, inclusive and resilient,” she said.
Mandeep Kaur said issues such as water scarcity, waste management, air quality and biodiversity conservation cannot be addressed through urban interventions alone but needs coordinated planning across administrative boundaries and stronger collaboration between urban development authorities, local bodies, scientific institutions, environmental experts and community representatives.
She said the government intended to strengthen its collaboration with scientific institutions to translate research and policy discussions into practical measures for sustainable development.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also released several publications brought out for the summit.
Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir Prof Nazir Ahmed Ganai, President Integrated Mountain Initiative, STS Lepcha, former president IMI PD Rai, Councillor, Integrated Mountain Initiative, Rajan Kotru, delegates from 11 mountain states, representatives of NGOs, faculty members, scholars, students and other concerned persons were present at the event.
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