IIOJK’s ecological crisis: 25,000 trees uprooted in scam-plagued road project
Srinagar: A massive scam has surfaced in the Handwara-Bangus road project, resulting in the uprooting of over 25,000 trees and medicinal plants in Rajwar Forests, occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, this ecological disaster comes as the world grapples with climate change, and occupied Jammu and Kashmir faces heightened vulnerability due to the felling of apple orchards and forests by the Indian army and timber mafia.
Advocate Rasikh Rasool’s petition in the Green Tribunal has exposed the project’s illegalities, corruption, and collusion between forest authorities and the India’s construction company.
The scam involves the misuse of the road fund and politically connected subcontractors, depriving the local community of their livelihoods and contributing to deforestation, soil erosion, landslides, and decreased biodiversity.
The destruction of Kashmir’s forests and ecosystems highlights the need for accountability and sustainable development in the face of climate change.
