Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 8: Experts today urged students to use legal mechanisms, including approaching district authorities and the National Green Tribunal, for environmental protection during a roundtable held at KCEF Law College, Pulwama.
The roundtable, organised by KCEF Law College in collaboration with the J&K Climate Action Group, focused on alleged gaps in enforcement of environmental laws and their on-ground impact.
Students highlighted key environmental concerns in Kashmir, including degradation of water bodies, deforestation and rising pollution levels, prompting speakers to stress greater legal awareness and citizen action.
Environmental lawyer Shakir Parray alleged violations of riverbed mining norms, citing a case study from the Sukhnag river where 163 disposal permits were issued without mandatory environmental clearance.
He said intervention by the National Green Tribunal had helped “break the atmosphere of silence” created by mining operators.
RTI activist Mushtaq Ahmad Lone raised concerns over implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), alleging that waste segregation sheds had turned into dumping sites with no actual segregation taking place.
He also questioned the open defecation-free status of several villages.
Earlier, chairing the session, Raja Muzaffar Bhat outlined provisions of key environmental legislations, including the Environment Protection Act, 1986, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and Solid Waste Management Rules, highlighting the role of legal intervention.
Presiding over the programme, Prof Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Director of KCEF Law College, said the initiative aimed to sensitise law students about environmental governance and available legal remedies.
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