Minister for Forests, Environment & Ecology Choudhary Lal Singh today said that each one of us is a stakeholder for environmental conservation and urged upon all to avoid throwing garbage and other waste on roads, rivers-banks, rivulets, natural water bodies for safeguarding this environment.The Minister was speaking at the day-long workshop on ‘Solid Waste Management' organized by Solid Waste Management (SWM) team from Bangalore along with ‘Youth for Change & Development’ NGO in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Sciences, Degree College Kathua. This has been organized as part of continuing initiatives being taken for capacity building at GDC Kathua.Deputy District Election Officer, Chand Kishore was the guest of honor on the occasion.Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that there is need to encourage discussion on use of polythene and soil waste management and build community effort in tackling environmental concerns. He also gave suggestions that can be implemented to tackle pollution in the rural and urban areas, including disposing-off the garbage and all kinds of wastes in a scientific manner. He further dwelt on the methods of waste minimization, segregation, handling and storage and spoke about various aspects of the solid waste management.The expert of Solid Waste Management from Bangalore Ram Parshad informed the gathering about the number of measures that have been taken so far and also shared the ones that are to be taken in future for improved solid waste management in the state.
He further said that he is actively involved with the Tourism Department of J&K for solid and waste water management in a scientific manner for ensuring sanitation and cleanliness all along the important tourist spots.During the workshop, it was given out that the wet solid waste can be used for domestic purposes, while the dry bio-degradable waste would be treated on scientific lines. For the purpose, the gathering was informed that treatment plants need to be established, both in rural and urban areas of the district.Earlier, the Minister also examined different models being exhibited by the students depicting proper management of waste in order to reduce its adverse effect on the environment.Among others PCCF J&K, Ravi Kesar, APCCF, O P Sharma, Director Social Forestry, Ashwini Gupta, MD SFC, Suresh Gupta, Director SFRI, B M Sharma, CCF Jammu, Farooq Gillani, RD PCB Jammu, Showkat Chowdhary, Kh. Qamardin, Conservator East Circle, DFOs and HoDs of different Forest Wings besides Principal, Staff and students in large numbers were present on the occasion.