J&K Govt’s ‘Har Gaon Hariyali’ initiative helps reversing progression of climate change, increasing green cover

Globally, climate change is threatening access to clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply and safe shelter. Human activities are causing the earth to become warmer and resultant changes are altering the geographic range and seasonality of certain infectious diseases besides disturbing food-producing ecosystems. Countries are realising the urgency to have well-prepared and responsive health systems to prevent and minimize health risks posed by climate change.
The Paris Agreement is the first universal and legally binding agreement on climate change that was adopted in 2015. India has drafted a policy on the National Action Plan on climate change outlining ways to reduce impact of climate change by applying principles of adaptation and mitigation in health systems.
Similarly, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir is too very serious towards this global concern and has initiated the remarkable ‘Har Gaon Hariyali’ program in November 2021 with the aim to bring two third geographical area of J&K under the forest and tree cover. The forest cover in J&K is about 55 percent, which is substantially higher than the national average of 24.56 percent.
The UT Government launched this initiative in consonance with the vision of ‘Green Jammu and Kashmir’ to ensure sustainable development and promote climate justice across J&K.
Green Jammu and Kashmir campaign aims at creating people’s movement at a massive scale with involvement of all stakeholders particularly village panchayats, women, students, Urban Local bodies, NGOs and civil society.
The Social Forestry department is organizing various programs with multiple activities in all districts of Jammu and Kashmir to provide impetus to J&K Green drive initiative with participation of local communities. Under ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the Social Forestry department in collaboration with the School Education Department is also involving schools in afforestation and awareness activities. The students being important stakeholders in sustainable development, their adequate sensitization would go a longer way in achieving the long-term objective of the programme.
With the serious efforts of Forest Department and active involvement of people, around 90 lakh saplings have been planted during the current fiscal against the set target of plantation of 1.35 crore seedlings under Jammu and Kashmir, Government’s ambitious initiative ‘Har Gaon Hariyali’,. The ‘HGH’ campaign helps reversing progression of climate change and increasing the green cover in J&K UT. Under this initiative, plantation of 1.35 crore seedlings is fixed as the target for the year 2022-23, of which, 26.50 lakh saplings to be planted with active involvement (Janbhagidari)of Village Panchayat Plantation Committees (VPPCs) to create green assets in the Gram Panchayats.
The government is adopting a multi-disciplinary convergence model linking school-level eco clubs, Village Panchayat Plantation Committees to various plantation and protection drives to ensure active participation of people in government-sponsored plantation drives. As per the NITI Aayog’s `State Energy and Climate Index’ report, J&K has 94.5 tonnes of carbon stock per hectare of forest land. Carbon stock refers to the amount of carbon stored in forests in the form of biomass, soil, deadwood, and litter. An increase in green cover and carbon stock indicates a healthy trend to deal with global warming.
A recent Forest Survey of India report has revealed that Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed an increase in the total forest cover in the last three years. The credit for this achievement must go to the Forest and sister department for seriously working towards increasing the green cover and raising awareness among masses for tree plantation by providing them the plants free of cost from its modern nurseries. The department is organizing such programs with multiple activities in all districts of J&K to provide impetus to J&K Green drive initiative with participation of local communities. The department appeals to people in general and farmers in particular to avail the supply of plants from departmental nurseries to take up agro-forestry activities on their lands. Pertinently, J&K UT has 20,194 sq km of forest area which is 47.80% of its geographical area with 55% forest and tree cover and 43% open forest. Besides, having the maximum number of forest types, J&K also has the highest biodiversity of herbs in the country.