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Govt honours GK Executive Editor Arif Shafi Wani with State Award as Outstanding Environmentalist

He specialises in covering environmental issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir. He is an alumni of Tyndale Biscoe School
01:50 AM Jan 27, 2025 IST | GK NEWS SERVICE
govt honours gk executive editor arif shafi wani with state award as outstanding environmentalist
Govt honours GK Executive Editor Arif Shafi Wani with State Award as Outstanding Environmentalist
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Srinagar, Jan 26: Arif Shafi Wani, the Executive Editor of Greater Kashmir—the leading English Daily of Jammu and Kashmir has been awarded the prestigious State Award as Outstanding Environmentalist by the Jammu and Kashmir Government on the occasion of Republic Day.

The award carries a cash prize of Rs 51,000 and citation. Arif has been working with Greater Kashmir for the past over two decades. He has done Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from Media Education Research Centre (MERC) Kashmir University. He has also done a Bachelors in Commerce. He specialises in covering environmental issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir. He is an alumni of Tyndale Biscoe School.

He is the first journalist in Kashmir to launch a sustained campaign for over a decade on the conservation of Dal Lake and other water bodies in Kashmir which have been marred by extensive pollution and encroachment. He has extensively highlighted impacts of climate change besides factors contributing to the rapid melting of glaciers, deterioration of wetlands, vandalisation of karewas and illegal riverbed mining.  In recognition of his continuous work on the environment, he was honoured with the first Sher-e-Kashmir (Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah) Award for Environmental Awareness in 2007 by the then Member of Parliament and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Minister of Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah.

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He also received the Ozone Award for best environmental reporting in 2008 andthe Award of Excellence for best environmental and tourism reportage in 2009 and 2012 by the Travel Agents Association of Kashmir. Arif is also the recipient of the Green Journalist Award in 2012 in recognition of his contribution as a journalist in the conservation of Dal Lake. In 2013, Arif was awarded the Parvaran Mitra Award by the Environmental Medical Association of India. He was also felicitated with Award of Honour for environmental reporting by the Jammu and Kashmir Ski and Mountaineering Association. He has also been awarded Ahad Zargar Memorial Award for his environmental conservation efforts. In 2017, then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti awarded Arif with a lifetime achievement award for highlighting environmental issues. In 2017, the Department of Religious Studies Central University of Kashmir awarded Arif for his “commendable services towards environmental conservation.”

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In 2018, J&K Government honoured him with a state award in the outstanding media persons category. In 2021, Members of Parliament led by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leader Chirag Paswan presented the Real Hero Award to Arif for his exceptional services in journalism and highlighting environmental issues. In 2022, Arif Shafi was awarded Environment Policy Group EPG-Nassarullah Shah Save Nature Award for his outstanding contribution for environmental conservation. Kashmir Welfare Trust also awarded Arif in 2021 in recognition to his outstanding service to community and environment. In 2023, Environment Policy Group awarded Award of Excellence to Arif Shafi for his sustained campaign for over two decades to save water bodies, forests and wetlands on the occassion of World Environment Day In 2024, Arif was awarded the Award of Excellence by Cabinet Minister Satish Sharma during a function organised by the NIgeen Tourist Traders Association. Meanwhile, people from different walks of life have felicitated Arif. President Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) and former Minister Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen has congratulated Arif Shafi Wani for receiving the prestigious award.

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In his greetings message, Yaseen said, “the people of Jammu and Kashmir are proud to have a brilliant environment journalist like Arif Shafi who has been working with Greater Kashmir for the past over two decades and writing on varied environmental issues with a social obligation.”

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“In the hands of selfless journalists like Arif Shafi, the society is in the safe hands. "I am immensely pleased with the decision of the empowered state-level award selection committee to confer the outstanding environmentalist award to a young and experienced journalist like Arif Shafi Wani,” the PDF president added.

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Former minister and senior leader of the People’s Democratic Party Naeem Akhtar also congratulated Arif

“Congratulations Arif. Very well deserved. You’ve been an eco-warrior always. Stay the course and be blessed. More power to your pen,” Naeem posted on X.

NC state spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar and MLA Lal Chowk Ahsan Pardesi also extended felicitations to Arif.

Chairman of Nigeen Lake Conservation Organisation Manzoor Wangoo hailed Arif’s campaign for environmental preservation. Convenor Environmental Policy Group Faiz Bakshi in his greetings said, “Arif Shafi has been contributing a lot for the conservation of the environment through his well-researched and documented columns in Greater Kashmir.”

Prominent environmental and social activists Dr Raja Muzaffar and MM Shuja, Farooq Kuthoo and Dr Touseef Bhat also congratulated Arif for highlighting environmental issues.  “Arif Shafi extensively highlighted the Dal Lake issue, Chuntikul and the lake’s backwater deterioration, His work helped in raising awareness to save Dal Lake,” said an environmental activist Bashir Guru.

In their greetings messages, President Kashmir Markaz Adab-w-Saqfat (KMAWS) Chrar-e-Sharief Dr Gazanfar Ali, Media Secretary Mushtaq Mehram and General Secretary Inayat Gul and Chairman Ahata Waqaar, Chanapora Abdul Gani Parray have congratulated Arif Shafi for getting the prestigious award. “We welcome the government's decision to confer the Outstanding Environmentalist award to Arif Shafi. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are proud to see a brilliant environmentalist in Arif Shafi who has been creating awareness about environment-related issues through his inclusive write-ups. Arif Shafi keeps on ringing alarm bells time to time against environment degradation issues through his write-ups,” they said in a joint statement.

President Employees Joint Action Committee Fayaz Shabnum also congratulated Arif. “He truly deserves this award. Many congratulations again for this achievement,” Shabnum said.

Chairman of Shaher-e-Khaas Traders Alliance Nazir Ahmad Shah also felicitated Arif for highlighting environmental issues confronting J&K.