 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 3: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-Jammu) on Wednesday successfully concluded its multi-year Plantation Drive (2024-2026) aimed at developing and expanding the Open Air Green Zone Reading Areas around the Central Library at Chatha and the Faculty Library at R.S. Pura.
The initiative, designed to connect youth with the environment, underscores the university's commitment to sustainable eco-tourism, ecological harmony and a drug-free campus under the Nasha Mukt Abhiyan.
The structured, multi-year roadmap focused on extensive sapling plantation across the Central Library premises at Chatha, with the primary objective of expanding the tranquil outdoor reading space. The serene Green Zone now offers students a unique setting for study amidst nature, fostering a deeper link between education and the environment while symbolising ecological and cultural harmony.
A wide range of native, fruit-bearing, ornamental, flowering and avenue plants-including Alphonso mango-were planted to enhance both the ecological value and aesthetic appeal of the zone. The expanded Open Air Green Zone Reading Area provides a peaceful, eco-friendly space with natural light and seasonal tranquillity, ideal for concentrated study and reflection.
Focus on Resilience: Post-Flash Flood Context -The drive assumed added significance in the aftermath of the severe flash floods that struck the SKUAST-Jammu Chatha campus in late August 2025, causing substantial damage to infrastructure, including library areas. After the resumption of full operations, plantation and maintenance efforts formed a key component of the campus restoration and greening programme. Emphasis was placed on rehabilitating and further developing the Green Zones as living symbols of recovery, resilience and sustainable growth. Continuous maintenance, training and care of the fruit, flowering and avenue trees ensured high survival rates and healthy development of the Open Air Green Zone Reading Areas in accordance with the planned roadmap. |
