Mankind has always remained greedy and in this devastating direction, humans have been destroying nature immensely for their petty gains. With the expansion of infrastructure in the modern era, nature has been the first causality across the globe.
In Kashmir, the situation is also no different. While the commoners are adamant to destroy nature and the fragile ecosystem for their comfort, the Government has also taken taken the same route and has resorted to the destruction of natural landscapes not only in Kashmir but also in most sensitive areas of Ladakh.
The Government hasn’t even stopped yet as it is further planning to establish strategic areas in the environmentally fragile areas of Kashmir. While we understand the need for the establishment of Army bases in these areas, but it should not be at the cost of destroying the fragile ecosystems of the Valley.
While there have been attempts to disturb the ecological balance everywhere, Uttrakhand and Kashmir floods were the response from nature. Scores of people lost their lives and properties. We humans disturbed and dismantled the ecological balance which invited nature’s fury.
If people and the Government go on with the ill planning and mismanagement; step up measures to disturb the equilibrium in the environmentally fragile areas, then the day is not far when we might have to face nature’s fury again, as we saw in 2014 in the shape of flash floods in Jammu & Kashmir.
There is a need for the adoption of all guidelines of the National Green Tribunal and other necessary permissions/licenses before going for construction in these environmentally fragile areas for our own existence.