Militants are attacking civilians in ‘desperation to provoke security forces’, says J&K LG Sinha

Srinagar, Jun 5 (PTI) Militants are attacking innocent civilians in “desperation to provoke security forces”, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Sunday, as he appealed to the people of the Union territory to isolate terror elements to promote peace.

Addressing the ‘One Earth, Shared Future’ programme organised by the forest department on the World Environment Day here, Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing another kind of pollution — terrorism — “exported by our neighbouring country and it is threatening our social harmony”.

“Our neighbour is polluting J-K by spilling the blood of innocents… Terrorists are targeting innocent men, women and even children. Society must speak up now. Communities must come together as one entity to fight this menace,” the Lt Governor said.

He said the militants were attacking innocent civilians in “desperation”.

“They are resorting to such killings to provoke security forces so that they will do something similar in desperation,” he said.

However, he assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the administration will not take action against any innocent person.

“It has been the policy of J-K administration that our security forces will not take action against any innocent person… But, the way terrorism is used as a weapon for killing the innocent civilians, the administration and the security forces will do their jobs with promptness. I appeal to the people to condemn such elements. It is your national duty and only then will the peace be established in J-K,” he said.

Terrorism has no place in society, he said, adding, I call upon every citizen to isolate terror elements, expose their brutality. “It is the fundamental duty of every citizen towards the nation to protect and promote peace.” Sinha said the police and security forces are fighting the menace of terrorism with restraint and fairness and saving innocent lives.

“Our forces will keep responding effectively and firmly resolved to finish destructive threat of terrorism,” he added.

In his address, the Lt Governor highlighted the need for coordinated action and collective partnership, besides making changes in people’s behaviour and lifestyle, to tackle the impact of climate change and reducing the carbon footprint for protecting the environment and conserving biodiversity.

“We are blessed with nature’s rich resources but also confronted with multiple challenges of a fragile ecosystem which requires collective action to create a fine balance between man and nature,” he said.

“Climate change is a reality. We are experiencing it in the form of climate extremes, like the unprecedented heat wave and untimely heavy rainfall which are challenging and endangering the existing ecosystem,” Sinha said.

This year’s theme of World Environment Day — ‘Only One Earth’ — is a reminder to the entire world that environmental protection or sustainable lifestyle is not the job of a select few, but a collective responsibility of each one of us, he said.

Highlighting the Jammu and Kashmir government’s consistent efforts towards environment protection, Sinha said the protected area network is around 12 per cent of the geographical area which is more than double the national average of five per cent.

“Our focus is the industrial environment through nature- based solutions,” he added.