Jammu and Kashmir Faces Environmental Crisis Amidst Funding Mismanagement
Jammu and Kashmir, often referred to as 'Paradise on Earth' due to its natural beauty, is currently grappling with a severe environmental crisis. Despite receiving 21 crore rupees (approximately 2.5 million USD) between 2019 and June 2022 under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), only 0.5% of these funds, amounting to 12 lakh rupees (approximately 14,400 USD), have been utilized. This significant underutilization of funds raises serious questions about accountability and program execution. The region's capital, Srinagar, has seen its air quality ranking drop from 4th in 2023 to 26th among 39 Indian cities with populations over 10 lakh. Contributing factors to this decline include the open burning of municipal solid waste, lack of dust control mechanisms, increased vehicular emissions, unchecked illegal cement plants and stone crushers, and inadequate construction and demolition waste management. Furthermore, a recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report revealed that over 500 lakes in Jammu an...