Srinagar, Aug 3 (KNS) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said nature itself is infrastructure and called for placing nature-based solutions at the core of development planning to build climate resilience in the Himalayan region.
Addressing a conference on 'Strengthening Climate Resilience and Livelihoods in the Himalayan Region through Nature-based Solutions' at the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Sinha said the Himalayas witnessed a natural disaster almost every day between January and August last year.
"In Jammu and Kashmir alone, flash floods and cloudbursts have damaged public infrastructure, disrupting roads, water supply schemes, and power feeders," he said.
Sinha said there is no dichotomy between development and conservation. "When we destroy these natural systems, we are playing with the future. But when we conserve and restore these natural systems, we are investing in a bright future," he added.
The Lt Governor inaugurated the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Block at the main campus, IUST's Larmoo Campus, and the Law School on the occasion.
He urged scientists and domain experts to use modern technologies like remote sensing, geospatial mapping, and artificial intelligence to track glacier retreat, spring flow, soil health, and forest cover.
"Nature-based Solutions must be embedded into project budgeting, appraisal, and monitoring. Farmers, shepherds, orchard owners, and tribal communities must be equal stakeholders.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelTheir generational knowledge of rivers, mountains, and forests is invaluable," Sinha said.
The Lt Governor also called upon universities to elevate nature-based solutions into a multidisciplinary subject spanning ecology, hydrology, engineering, economics, disaster management, and traditional knowledge.
Recalling the Green Jammu Kashmir Drive launched in 2020, which raised forest cover to nearly 55 per cent, Sinha said the Himalayan region can build resilience against climate change by integrating modern technology with traditional wisdom and involving communities as equal partners.
"Himalayas are not merely a geographical entity but a living heritage that demands foresight, patience, and responsibility," he said.
Sinha released the special edition of IUST's monthly magazine 'Times Echo' on the 100-Day Anti-Drug campaign and the Policy Brief on Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyan, prepared by various experts of the Union Territory. Certificates were also handed over to PMKVY trainees.
Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Justice Sanjeev Kumar, IUST Vice Chancellor Prof Shakil A Romshoo, Registrar Prof Shamim Ahmad Shah, and Convener of the conference Prof Javed Hussain Mir were present on the occasion.
Eminent scientists, experts, senior officials, faculty, and students attended the conference. (KNS)