On 2 wheels for clean air: Activist raises alarm over Kashmir’s deteriorating air quality

Srinagar, Dec 9: With the chill of December settling over the Valley, a lone cyclist moved steadily along the Srinagar–Budgam road this morning — not for sport, not for leisure, but to make a point.

Environmental activist Touseef Ahmad Bhat set out on a symbolic ride from Convent School Srinagar, where he was flagged off by Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) President Javid Ahmad Tenga, pedalling towards Budgam to raise awareness about Kashmir’s worsening air quality.

The initiative, named ‘Pedal for Clean Air,’ was Bhat’s way of reminding people that the air they breathe is slowly turning toxic. His journey, stretching across urban and suburban corridors, was meant to stir conversations society often ignores until the consequences become too visible to escape.

“My aim is to create awareness. I have pedalled for life, for our children, for the Valley’s future,” Bhat said after reaching Budgam and submitting a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Dr Bilal Mohiuddin, urging immediate and coordinated action to curb pollution.

The memorandum highlights the alarming rise in pollutants, calling for stricter checks on emissions, regulation of brick kilns, better waste management, and promotion of sustainable, non-motorised transport. What began as a solitary protest gradually turned into a community expression of concern, with locals joining along parts of the route — on bicycles, on foot, and at roadside stops — offering support, encouragement and conversation.

“This is not a one-man effort but a collective wake-up call. Our paradise is choking. It will take all of us to heal it,” Bhat said. His message resonated with many who gathered at Budgam, reflecting a growing public anxiety over what used to be taken for granted — clean air.

Throughout the ride, discussions with citizens revolved around rapidly increasing vehicular emissions, dust from construction sites, burning of waste in open spaces and the steady expansion of industrial activities. Winter inversion conditions, which trap pollutants close to the ground, often turn Kashmir’s valleys into bowls of smog — a problem experts warn could escalate without intervention.

Touseef has been advocating for sustainable development, environmental justice and public health for years. “The deteriorating air quality is a silent pandemic affecting our children, our elderly and our future. We must transition to greener alternatives, enforce regulations strictly and make clean air a priority in our development agenda,” he said.