Chief Justice, Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice Gita Mittal today urged all the stakeholders to make coordinated efforts to work for safeguarding environment and ecology of the region.Speaking at a post-planation drive programme, ‘Green J&K Drive’ at District Court Complex, Moominabad, Srinagar, the Chief Justice advised the Forest Department and other stakeholders to convert the plantation drive into a Public Movement, involving school children and all other sections of the society.The ceremonial winter plantation drive was organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Forests in collaboration with District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Srinagar at District Court Complex, Moominabad, Srinagar.On the occasion, saplings of blue pine, deodar and Chinar were planted in the Campus.Judges of the J&K High Court and District Court, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan, Inspector General of Police, SP Pani, SSP Srinagar, Haseeb Mugal among other senior officers of Forest Department, Police and Civil Administration participated in the event.The Chief Justice planted a conifer and Chinar saplings to formally launch the drive.Meanwhile Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Inspector General of Police, SSP Srinagar, Chief Engineer, R&B also planted the saplings under the drive.The Chief Justice suggested planting of a sapling by each family on the birth of a baby to ensure participation of public in the programme. “NGOs must be roped in for the massive plantation drives across Jammu and Kashmir,” she said, adding “People who have passion for environment must also come forward and play their part in saving environment and taking Global Warming head-on,” she said.Chief Justice in her hour long speech complimented the Department of Forest for organising the programme saying that afforestration is critical for Jammu & Kashmir—whose survival is heavily dependent on plant life and biodiversity.
“Maintaining proper green cover in a tourist-friendly place like Jammu and Kashmir is all the more important for us,” she said. “We all must develop passion for planting trees in our surroundings. We must contribute back to the health of our environment, the way it nourishing us,” she said.The Chief Justice lauded the efforts of Forest Department for maintaining, improving the green cover in J&K and involving various stakeholders in the plantation programmes. She directed the officers of District Legal Services Authority, Srinagar to take up the plantation drive in all the Court Complexes in collaboration with the Forest Department during current plantation season.“We must take a pledge to turn all our campuses clean and green. DLSA must take a lead in carrying ahead this mission,” she said. She also urged the stakeholders to launch a massive campaign against garbage and littering issues across Jammu and Kashmir.“We are an ecologically fragile area and we must be well civilized in disposing off our garbage,” she said.In his address, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Dr. Mohit Gera highlighted the achievements of “Green J&K Drive” which involves planting 50 Lakh plants in J&K during the current year out of which 20.07 Lakh plants have already been planted in Jammu region during monsoon season. He impressed upon the officers of the Forest Department to involve the institutions, Students, Panchayats and Civil Society in large numbers during plantation programmes.He said that the Forest Department has embarked on a massive afforestation drive across the Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir, S.F.A. Gillani, welcomed the participants and briefed them about the planting programmes being taken up during the winter plantation season in Kashmir Region under the “Green J&K Drive”.Principal District and Session Judge and Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Srinagar, Abdul Rashid Malik conducted the proceedings and presented vote of thanks during the event.In his speech, Malik invoked noted Sufi Saint, Shiekh-ul-Alam and his teachings about safeguarding environment and ecology. He said that DLSA was keen to work for turning Court campuses greener. He said that efforts are underway to launch more programmes in this regard.