Amid growing concerns over environmental degradation, shrinking wetlands, pollution of rivers and lakes, rampant encroachments, poor solid waste management and increasing ecological pressure on tourist destinations, the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly Committee on Environment will hold a crucial meeting on July 23, 2026 to review the environmental performance of the Tourism department and allied agencies.
The meeting will be chaired by Committee chairman Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, MLA.
The meeting is expected to be attended by all Committee Members – Prof Gharu Ram, Sajad Gani Lone, Baldev Raj Sharma, Daleep Singh, Showkat Hussain Ganie, Javaid Ahmad Mirchal, Dr Sajjad Shafi, Salman Sagar, Javaid Riyaz (Bedar), Dr Rameshwar Singh and Devyani Rana. Senior officers, including the Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Tourism Department, Chief Executive Officers of all Tourism Development Authorities in J&K, and the Chairman, J&K Pollution Control Committee, have also been asked to participate.
The Committee is expected to undertake a comprehensive review of environmental conservation measures adopted at major tourist destinations during the last five years.
Key agenda items include implementation of the J&K eco-tourism policy, protection of wetlands, lakes and water bodies from encroachments, sanitation and solid waste management, enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics, environmental compliance by hotels and tourism establishments, functioning of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), and pollution control measures.
The Committee will also review the environmental safeguards relating to the Gulmarg Gondola project, Tawi Gondola project, Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), leased tourism assets, environmental audit reports, ecological compliance, and action taken against environmental violators.
It has sought detailed status reports on pollution control, conservation measures, environmental expenditure and sustainable tourism initiatives from the concerned authorities. The deliberations are expected to focus on ensuring that tourism development in Jammu and Kashmir proceeds in harmony with environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the Union Territory’s fragile ecosystems.
About The Author
