Ecosystem of entire Himalayan region is in danger, experts warn.

MUZAFFARABAD -- Addressing the participant of a virtual dialogue on the environmental issues of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, experts said on Monday that the local environment and the ecosystem of the entire Himalayan region was in danger.

They said that if forests, rare species of animals, precious birds that act as environment filters, valuable herbs, and ecosystem-balanced plants are not protected, the region would lose its ecological balance.

The environmentalists warned that the timber mafia should be curbed to protect the precious forests of the region. They also said that irregular construction of guest houses in Neelum Valley should be stopped and alternative sources of energy should be provided to the people to stop the relentless deforestation.

'If steps are not taken at the grassroots level, we will lose a great deal of national capital, which will have a devastating effect on the local environment and the ecosystem of the entire region,' they said.

Speaking on the environmental issues of Neelum Valley, the speakers unanimously adopted that a massive awareness campaign and steps need to be taken to create awareness among the people about climate change. District-wise steps must be taken in accordance with international norms to promote eco-friendly and sustainable tourism. Necessary changes need to be made in the curriculum to make the new generation aware of the dangers facing the environment.

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Siddique Awan, a top researcher on wildlife, conservation, and biodiversity, said that the growing population, deforestation, the influx of tourists to protected areas, and pollution have resulted in the greenhouse gas effect. He emphasized that both mitigation and adaptation measures were urgently needed to address important environmental issues. He further said that rising greenhouse gas emissions have multiplied the risk of glaciers erupting in the Neelum Valley, which poses a serious threat to the ecological balance of the whole Himalayan region.

He said that we have to make the new generation aware of the dangers facing the mountains and forests through changes in the curriculum. 'Local data on climate change is very limited, and more funds are needed for further research into the wise use of water, minerals, and medicinal plants,' he mentioned in his keynote address.

The illegal extraction of medicinal plants from the Neelum Valley needs to be stopped and the movement nomads-especially those migrating from the mountains...