Member Judge of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Principal Bench New Delhi, Dr. Afroz Ahmad, on Saturday visited District Bandipora and chaired a meeting to review the compliance of NGT directions regarding the formulation and implementation of the District Environment Plan (DEP).

The meeting, held at the Conference Hall, Mini Secretariat Bandipora, was chaired by Dr. Afroz Ahmad in the presence of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Bandipora, Indu Kanwal Chib, and attended by Dr. Shakeel Ahmad from the Islamic University of Science and Technology, besides senior officers from departments including Police, Forest, Agriculture, Health, Jal Shakti, R&B, Industries, Pollution Control Board, Municipal Councils, and Rural Development.

During the meeting, the DC Bandipora presented an overview of the District Environment Plan 2024, formulated in pursuance of Government Order No. 81-JK(GAD) of 2019, under which a District Environment Committee has been constituted to oversee environment-related action plans. The DEP outlines an integrated approach across seven thematic areas viz. solid waste management, water quality management, domestic sewage management, industrial wastewater management, air quality management, mining activity management, and noise pollution management.

It was informed that Bandipora district, with a geographical area of 345 square kilometres and nearly 1.99 lakh hectares of forest cover, maintains an overall environmental status within safe limits, though challenges persist in areas such as solid waste management, sewage disposal, and plastic pollution.

The DEP identifies major pollution sources including surface runoff of fertilizers and pesticides into local water bodies such as Arin Nallah, Gadar Kul, and Ajas Nallah, and noise pollution primarily caused by vehicular traffic in urban areas. It was further informed that industrial pollution in the district remains minimal, with only eight stone crushers, four hot mix plants, and two operational units in the Sumbal Industrial Estate.The plan emphasizes public participation as the cornerstone of environmental preservation, promoting awareness through schools, colleges, Gram Sabhas, and initiatives such as Back to Village programmes. It also advocates the 5Rs approach; Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle as a guiding principle for waste minimization and sustainable living.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Afroz Ahmad underscored the importance of scientific soil and solid waste management, noting that untreated and legacy waste pose severe threats to soil and groundwater health. He called for the adoption of scientific methods such as segregation, recycling, and bioremediation; strict enforcement of waste management rules; and effective utilization of environmental funds for remediation purposes.

Emphasizing that a clean environment is a fundamental right, Dr. Afroz urged all stakeholders to foster eco-friendly and sustainable practices to maintain ecological and economic balance.

 He appreciated the comprehensive and pragmatic approach adopted by the Bandipora Administration in preparing and implementing the DEP, while calling for sustained and coordinated efforts to conserve the district’s fragile ecosystem, promote afforestation, and strengthen solid and liquid waste management systems at the community level.

In her remarks, the DC Bandipora assured full commitment from the administration and directed all departments to ensure time-bound execution of environmental measures. She emphasized the need to reduce waste generation at the source, improve scientific waste segregation and disposal, and intensify awareness programmes through local institutions for wider public participation.