The recent directive by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir’s office to expedite decisions on construction permissions within the Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ) of Dachigam National Park, Thajwas (Baltal), and Overa-Aru Wildlife Sanctuaries is a welcome administrative intervention — but one that must be guided by the paramount principle of environmental protection.
As development pressures mount, the balance between public convenience and ecological preservation becomes ever more delicate. Expediency should never translate into ecological compromise. The scars of environmental mismanagement in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and, most recently, parts of Jammu serve as painful reminders of what happens when mountains are pushed beyond their carrying capacity. These disasters have shown that nature’s tolerance has limits, and when those limits are breached, the results are catastrophic — landslides, flash floods, and loss of lives and livelihoods.
Kashmir’s fragile ecology — with its glaciers, wetlands and biodiversity — cannot withstand unregulated construction, even in the name of development. The Eco-Sensitive Zones around wildlife sanctuaries are not bureaucratic obstacles; they are ecological shock absorbers, essential for the survival of species like the Hangul and for maintaining climate resilience in the Valley.
While administrative efficiency is necessary, environmental prudence is non-negotiable. The Divisional Commissioner’s parallel directive to map green corridors and revive the Hangul population is a step in the right direction, but these efforts will bear fruit only if the state enforces strict accountability for violations within the ESZs.
Every decision — whether about tourism infrastructure, housing, or road building — must first pass the test of environmental sustainability. Kashmir’s future prosperity lies not in concrete expansion but in ecological stewardship. The lesson from the hills is clear: we either protect our environment now, or we pay a devastating price later.
