GCC urges special environmental laws, warns of ecological crisis in J&K

Ziraat Times Team Report 

Srinagar: In a high-level meeting with the J&K Legislative Assembly’s House Committee on Environment today, the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC) raised alarm over a rapidly worsening environmental crisis in Jammu & Kashmir and urged the enactment of special laws to protect the region’s natural resources.

The GCC delegation, led by Khurshid Ahmad Ganai (Retd IAS, former Advisor to Governor, J&K), presented a detailed memorandum calling for urgent legislative measures, including a Water Bodies Conservation Bill and a Climate Resilience and Glacier Protection Bill, to be introduced in the next assembly session.

The meeting was attended by Committee Chairman M.Y. Tarigami and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) Peerzada M. Syed, Irshad Kar, Zafar Khatana, Feroz Ahmad, Mushtaq Guroo and Yudvir Sethi.

The GCC warned that J&K stands at the cusp of an ecological catastrophe, citing evidence of declining water bodies, deforestation, urban air pollution, and climate-related anomalies such as heatwaves and erratic rainfall. While acknowledging global climate change, the group pointed to local contributors like unregulated construction, vehicular emissions, and deforestation.
They demanded the drafting and publication of a J&K Climate Action Plan, alongside a robust mechanism to monitor the UT’s contribution toward India’s Net-Zero 2070 targets.

Key Recommendations by GCC:
An odd-even vehicle policy for major cities

Expansion of electric and CNG-based public transport

Strengthening of the Pollution Control Committee’s mandate

Immediate EIA audits of key infrastructure projects including tunnels on the Srinagar-Jammu highway and Panjtarni–Amarnath route

Strict regulation of agricultural land conversions and encouragement of vertical housing

Lake and river restoration programs akin to Ganga and Yamuna clean-up drives

The GCC flagged a worrying trend in household vehicle ownership, noting that J&K now ranks third in the country at 23%, significantly impacting urban air quality.

Chairman M.Y. Tarigami acknowledged the gravity of the concerns raised. “We take these issues seriously and will work to ensure that the government takes early and effective action,” he assured the GCC team.
EIA flaws, food security concerns
The delegation expressed concern over missing or inadequate Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in key infrastructure projects. They called for audits of 5–10 major projects to assess compliance and risks of landslides, soil subsidence, and habitat loss.

The conversion of agricultural land post-agrarian reform amendments was also flagged as a critical issue threatening food security and long-term ecological balance.

Water bodies and wetlands in decline
GCC members presented stark findings on the deterioration of water bodies, including Dal Lake, Wular, Anchar, and Manasbal. They cited encroachments, untreated sewage, and plastic waste as key threats to the Jhelum, Chenab, and Tawi rivers.

The Ehsaas NGO-led revival of Khushalsar and Gilsar was praised as a successful community model. The group recommended similar NGO-government partnerships for wider river rejuvenation initiatives.

Wetlands such as Hokersar and Surinsar–Mansar were reported to be under stress due to poor management and encroachments. The GCC called on the committee to conduct on-ground assessments and verify data on wetland health and migratory bird populations.

Health hazards from poor waste management
A major concern raised was the Achan dumping site in Srinagar. Dr. Fiaz Fazili, healthcare policy analyst, told the committee that toxic gas emissions from the site have been linked to rising cases of cancer, respiratory illnesses, infertility, and allergies. He recommended immediate testing of emissions as per OSHA standards and the issuance of public health advisories.

The group criticized the lax enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics and called for polluter-pays enforcement, private sector involvement, and promotion of biodegradable packaging.

GCC’s participating members
Apart from Chairman Ganai, the GCC delegation included:

G. H. Kango (Retd IFS, Former Prpl Chief Conservator of Forests)

G. J. Nehvi (Retd IAS, Former Chief Secretary)

Abdul Rashid Khan (Retd IG Police)

Ab Majid Bhat (Geo Scientist)

Ms Naseem Lankar (Retd IAS, Former Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir)

Latif-ul-Zaman Deva (Retd IAS, Former Chairman PSC)

Khaleeq-ul-Zaman Butt (Former Principal District & Sessions Judge)

Syed Kifayat Hussain Rizvi (Retd IAS, Former Chief Secretary)

Dr. Fiaz Fazili (Healthcare Policy Analyst)

Er. Hakim Iftikhar (Former Chief Town Planner)

Er. Iftikhar A. Drabu (WSP India, Head – Nordics, ICRC)

Mohammad Rafi (Former Director/Mission Advisor, School Education J&K Govt.)

Mr. Rafi also proposed improvements in public transport systems and suggested that all tunnel constructions undergo environmental impact reviews to understand their effect on the ecosystem.

In its closing appeal, the GCC urged the House Committee to recommend swift policy reforms, enforce existing environmental laws, and institutionalize citizen, expert, and NGO participation in Jammu & Kashmir’s ecological restoration efforts.