Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat
Few years back the Department of Environment had pushed a proposal to the government for constituting Eco-Tourism Board with an aim to recommend measures and identifying potential sites for promotion of Eco-Tourism in Jammu & Kashmir. Nobody knows what happened to that proposal which was submitted before the General Administration Department (GAD). We all know that Jammu & Kashmir has great potential for Eco-Tourism and developing this sector has to be given utmost importance by the Government in view of the greater demand from foreign as well as domestic tourists. As already discussed in my previous column titled “towards a sustainable society” the United Nations is putting its great efforts towards achieving sustainable development by 2030 in various sectors which includes agriculture, tourism, and environment as well.
Sustainable development goals
The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are a new, universal set of goals, targets and indicators that UN member states will be expected to use to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years. The SDGs follow and expand on the millennium development goals (MDGs), which were agreed by governments in 2001 and are due to expire at the end of this year.There is broad agreement that, while the MDGs provided a focal point for Governments – a framework around which they could develop policies and oversee aid programmes designed to end poverty and improve the lives of poor people – as well as a rallying point for NGOs to hold them to account, they were too narrow. The eight MDGs – reduce poverty and hunger; achieve universal education; promote gender equality; reduce child and maternal deaths; combat HIV, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; develop global partnerships – failed to consider the root causes of poverty and overlooked gender inequality as well as the holistic nature of development. The goals made no mention of human rights and did not specifically address economic development. While the MDGs, in theory, applied to all countries, in reality they were considered targets for poor countries to achieve, with finance from wealthy states. Conversely, every country will be expected to work towards achieving the SDGs.
The proposed 17 goals:
* End poverty in all its forms everywhere
* End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture
* Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages
* Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
* Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
* Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
* Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
* Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all
* Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation
* Reduce inequality within and among countries
* Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
* Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
* Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (taking note of agreements made by the UNFCCC forum)
* Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
* Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss
* Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
* Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Conclusion :
Among the proposed 17 goals 4 goals are directly focusing on environment , eco system, biodiversity and water. Achieving the goals of sustainable development vis a vis environment and tourism with special reference to Jammu & Kashmir is only possible when we preserve and protect our environment by making ourselves and our younger generation aware about environment and ecology. Environmental education is a key driver for sustainable development and there is an urgent need of a greater coordination of Forest (including wildlife) and Tourism departments in J&K so that we can maintain the ability of our natural systems which further provide the natural resources , ecosystem and tourism services. Most of our state’s economy is dependent on natural resources and that is why there is a dire need to protect these resources. The role of Non Governmental Organisations is also of great importance while we work on development of our ecotourism in Jammu & Kashmir. There are many experts in NGO sector who have a vast and in-depth knowledge in this filed and their services should be availed by the Government. The recent move of the J&K Government to involve Eco Tourism Society of India is a welcome step in this direction. Honorary Secretary of Eco Tourism Society of India Rakesh Mathur who visited Srinagar recently to have discussion with Government about strengthening this sector indicates that Government is serious about making ecotourism a reality in J&K. We hope government will not stop here as we have a very bad experience in past. The previous Government didn’t create the ecotourism development board nor did it involve other stakeholders. We hope more and more people, NGO’s, experts stake should be involved in the process of making Jammu & Kashmir a hub of ecotourism. We need to preserve our natural resources for future generation without causing any harm to the nature and its other components. Ecotourism ties together concern for the carrying capacity of natural systems. The recent initiative taken by the Department of Environment Ecology and Remote Sensing by organizing first ever Forest Food Festival at Srinagar in collaboration with Centre for Conservation of Culture & Heritage (CCCH Trust) and Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) Srinagar is also being hailed by the people from Tourism sector. I hope many more forest food festivals are organized in other areas of our state so that people explore these herbs and start value addition of these products and market them commercially. J&K’s Tourism Ministry must make it sure that all the Tourism development authorities must create a cell in coordination with Forest, Environment and Wildlife Departments so that some small research is done locally on forest herbs etc . Various food items like Machran Chai, Pamb Haakh sabzi, Wopal Haakh Parathas, Tethwan Pulao, etc can be prepared from locally available edible forest herbs and these food items should be made available at the JKTDC restaurants in Gulmarg , Pahalgam , Yusmarg , Sonmarg , Bhadarwah, Kishtwar , Vaishno Devi and other places.
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