Inaugurates new blocks at IUST, releases policy brief on drug-free campaign
Srinagar, Aug 3 (GNS): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today called for placing Nature-based Solutions at the centre of development planning to strengthen climate resilience and livelihoods in the Himalayan region.
Addressing the Islamic University of Science and Technology conference on ‘Strengthening Climate Resilience and Livelihoods in the Himalayan Region through Nature-based Solutions’, the Lieutenant Governor said the pace of climate change in the Himalayas is alarming. He noted that between January and August last year, the region witnessed a natural disaster almost every day. In Jammu and Kashmir alone, flash floods and cloudbursts damaged public infrastructure and disrupted roads, water supply schemes and power feeders.
He said there is no conflict between development and conservation and that nature itself serves as infrastructure. Citing examples, he said a watershed works as an effective flood-control system while also purifying water and supporting irrigation, wetlands act as natural reservoirs that absorb excess monsoon water and sustain areas during dry months, and dense forested slopes protect mountain villages from landslides. He added that destroying these natural systems endangers the future, while conserving and restoring them is an investment in a secure future.
The Lieutenant Governor urged scientists and experts to bring Nature-based Solutions out of the margins and into the core of development planning. He called for using modern technologies like remote sensing, geospatial mapping and AI to track glacier retreat, spring flow, soil health and forest cover so that this data informs every development project. He said such solutions must be embedded in project budgeting, appraisal and monitoring, and that farmers, shepherds, orchard owners and tribal communities must be treated as equal stakeholders as their generational knowledge of rivers, mountains and forests is invaluable. He also suggested annual budget reviews should assess whether forests and ecosystems have grown richer or weaker to ensure accountability for environmental wealth, and stressed the need for long-term cooperation platforms among scientists, policymakers and communities. He further said the focus should move beyond concrete embankments to restoring floodplains and wetlands by combining built structures with natural systems.
He urged universities to develop Nature-based Solutions as a multidisciplinary subject spanning ecology, hydrology, engineering, economics, disaster management and traditional knowledge so that future professionals understand the link between ecosystems, economies, technologies and societies.
Recalling the Green Jammu Kashmir Drive launched in 2020, he said forest cover has now reached nearly 55 percent and reiterated the importance of sustainable living. He envisioned a Himalaya where watersheds are healthier, wetlands thrive and rivers flow naturally, sustaining both biodiversity and culture. He said by placing nature at the centre of development, integrating modern technology with traditional wisdom and involving communities as partners, the Himalayan region can build resilience against climate change, adding that the Himalayas are not just a geographical entity but a living heritage that demands foresight, patience and responsibility.
On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor inaugurated the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Block at IUST’s main campus, along with the Larmoo Campus and the Law School. He also released the special edition of IUST’s monthly magazine ‘Times Echo’ on the 100-Day Anti-Drug campaign and a Policy Brief on Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyan prepared by experts. Certificates were handed over to PMKVY trainees.
Chief Justice (Acting) of High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh Shri Justice Sanjeev Kumar, IUST Vice Chancellor Prof. Shakil A. Romshoo, Registrar Prof. Shamim Ahmad Shah, Conference Convener Prof. Javed Hussain Mir, along with scientists, senior officials, faculty and students were present at the conference.(GNS)
