The prolonged dormancy of the Jammu & Kashmir Biodiversity Council is a glaring lapse in governance, with far-reaching implications for the Union Territory’s ecological future. As per the Jammu and Kashmir Biological Diversity Rules, 2015, the Council is mandated to meet at least twice a year to evaluate progress and chart the path ahead. Yet, no meeting has been convened since September 2023, in direct violation of Rule 8. This negligence has stalled vital environmental initiatives, most notably the finalisation of the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. The absence of Council meetings in 2024 has effectively suspended oversight on decisions taken during 2023, especially those pivotal to the BSAP – a document foundational to ensuring the sustainable use and conservation of J&K’s rich biological diversity. Conceived in 2020, the BSAP draft has undergone wide departmental consultations and contains 11 themes, 38 strategies, and 161 actionable items. Despite its significance and the involvement of reputed experts like “The Celestial Earth”, the draft continues to await approval from the Administrative Department.
Jammu & Kashmir, with its unique ecosystems and biodiversity, is acutely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Delaying such a plan not only hampers environmental conservation efforts but also sidelines crucial integration of biodiversity into developmental planning across sectors – from agriculture and forestry to tourism and rural development. The Council’s inaction also contravenes its broader statutory duties: advising the Government on biodiversity matters, promoting stakeholder awareness, and mainstreaming biodiversity into all levels of planning. These gaps represent missed opportunities to bolster local livelihoods, particularly those dependent on natural resources.
This inertia must end. The competent authorities, including the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Administrative Department, need to urgently convene the Council meeting, prioritise approval of the BSAP, and ensure compliance with the established rules. The revival of the Council is not merely a bureaucratic obligation but a moral imperative to safeguard the ecological and economic future of Jammu & Kashmir. As climate risks grow more severe, every delay in biodiversity governance diminishes resilience and undermines sustainability goals. Time is running out as the impact is already visible.
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