J&K rallies to end plastic pollution on World Environment Day

Awantipora, Jun 5: Jammu and Kashmir marked World Environment Day 2025 with a powerful call to action to end plastic pollution, led by the Department of Ecology, Environment & Remote Sensing (DEERS) and the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) at a high-energy event on the university campus.

Over 400 participants—including top forest officials, academics, students, NGOs and line departments—gathered under the UN theme “Ending Plastic Pollution” to reinforce Mission LiFE and promote plastic-free forests and sustainable lifestyles.

Suresh Kumar Gupta, Head of Forest Force, highlighted ongoing clean-up drives under the “Plastic-Free J&K” campaign and urged youth to lead the charge against single-use plastic. “Every bag we refuse and bottle we reuse brings us closer to a cleaner J&K,” he said.

PCCF Wildlife Warden SariveshRai warned of plastic’s growing threat to biodiversity, especially aquatic life, while Pollution Control Committee Chairman VasuYadav called for strict waste segregation at the source to curb pollution.