JAMMU — A Jammu-based charitable trust has called for an urgent shift away from hazardous agrochemicals in Jammu and Kashmir, while also seeking stronger environmental mitigation measures for major development projects.
The We The Humans Forum for Nature and Mankind organised a one-day conference of farmers and citizens at the Forest Media Centre, Vikram Chowk, on Sunday to discuss environmental and public-health concerns linked to intensive agrochemical use and rapid infrastructural expansion in the Union Territory.
District and Sessions Judge R S Jasrotia attended the conference as chief guest, while Prof Rajinder Peshin, former Director Education at SKUAST Jammu, Samardev Singh Charak, Secretary of Dogra Educational Trust, and social activist-author Meenu Ajay Sawhney were guests of honour.
Speakers at the conference said Jammu and Kashmir records about 3.69 kg of chemical pesticides per hectare, compared with around 0.62 kg per hectare in Punjab and Haryana, 0.50 kg per hectare in Himachal Pradesh and a national average of about 0.22 kg per hectare.
They described the reported level as placing J&K among the country’s most pesticide-intensive regions and called for greater adoption of natural farming, integrated pest management and disease-resistant crop varieties.
Speakers also linked excessive and unsafe use of agrochemicals to increasing cases of cancer, chronic kidney disease, brain tumours and neurological disorders among farming communities.
Capt Lalit Sharma (IFS, Retd), Vice Chairman of the trust, and K Y S Manhas, its Chairman, also raised concerns over the condition of water bodies and the loss of tree cover.
They said rivers and lakes, including the Jhelum, Wular, Dal, Tawi, Devika and Basantar, were shrinking due to encroachments and pollution from municipal waste, untreated sewage, heavy metals and toxic chemicals.
The speakers also referred to large-scale felling of indigenous trees for ring roads, highways and expressways. They urged the J&K government to implement concrete environmental mitigation plans and plant at least 10 lakh native trees along the ring roads of Jammu and Srinagar as compensatory measures.
Prof Sadiq Nargal, a food technologist, stressed the importance of safe agricultural practices and a contamination-free food chain.
Prof (Dr) Sanjay Khajuria, Head of KVK Samba, and Balkar Singh, President of the Bhartiya Kissan Sangh, J&K, encouraged farmers to adopt modern farming techniques and diversify crops while reducing dependence on hazardous agrochemicals.
They highlighted options including high-density mangoes, jackfruit, strawberries, dragon fruit, litchi, exotic vegetables, turmeric and ginger.
The conference also showcased examples of diversified farming and agri-entrepreneurship.
Anshuman Singh, who was described by the organisers as a “living legend” of J&K, shared his experience of visiting nine countries to study innovative farming practices. His Bajalta farm, according to the organisers, now demonstrates dragon fruit, export-quality strawberries, Kesar and Alphonso mangoes, organic turmeric, blueberry cultivation and high-value exotic vegetables, along with agri-tourism.
Reva Rajput, Director of Devi Pindi FPO Ltd, shared her experience of developing a small organic processing unit into a branded enterprise marketed across India. The organisers said the enterprise currently earns her more than ₹1 lakh per month.
She encouraged farmers to explore agri-entrepreneurship and value addition.
Several progressive farmers who have adopted safe agriculture, diversified cropping and agri-tourism were also honoured with shawls during the conference.
The trust said the We The Humans Forum for Nature and Mankind is a public charitable trust focused on restoring human values and addressing environmental damage associated with unsustainable growth, development and chemical-intensive agriculture.
