In the run-up to the much-awaited Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election 2024, the Election Department has also embarked on a significant mission to promote ‘Green Election’, as it aims to achieve a unprecedented milestone of planting over one lakh plants across various Polling Stations in the Union Territory, fostering a sense of environmental stewardship among the electorate.
‘Green Election’ is an initiative of Election Commission of India (ECI) that aims to reduce the environmental impact of electoral processes across the country. This concerted effort towards environmental sustainability and community engagement is made possible through collaborative efforts with locals, youth and volunteers, along with polling officials.
The larger concept of encouraging ‘Green Election’ is to introduce the electoral practices that aspire to reduce the environmental impact of elections. The initiative of ‘Green Election’ involves measures such as using recycled materials, promoting electronic voting, and encouraging candidates to adopt sustainable campaign practices.
The stage is set for the much awaited J&K Assembly Polls which will be held in three phases commencing from 18 September, 2024, wherein as many as 88,04,502 electorates are going to exercise their franchise in 11,838 Polling Stations established across the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
In the recently held Lok Sabha Elections, while following the precedence of ECI towards promoting ‘Green Election’, the Office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K UT, achieved a major milestone of planting 60,198 plants across various Polling Stations in the Union Territory.
In the forthcoming Assembly Elections, the J&K Election Department has geared up not only to surpass all the previous records of polling percentage, but also to break the records in its efforts towards promoting ‘Green Election’.
The Office of CEO, J&K UT, has set a target of planting more than 1 lakh plants during the forthcoming J&K Assembly Polls, even as the necessary directions have been given to all the District Electoral Officers and the officers of J&K Forest Department and others to follow the compliance.
To promote the theme of ‘Green Election’ in J&K and to help the Forest Department in environment protection, the Office of CEO, J&K UT, has outlined the target of planting over 100 plants in the premises of 90 Green Polling Stations, i.e. one in each of the 90 Assembly Constituencies across the UT. Similarly, the remaining 11738 polling stations will see plantation ofaround 10-15 plants in each of them across the J&K UT.
In this regard, the CEO Pandurang K Pole inaugurated a plantation drive in the premises of Model Higher Secondary School, Domana, in Bhalwal block of Jammu district on Monday. More than 100 plants were planted at the drive organised by the Office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K, in collaboration with J&K Forest Department
Recognizing the growing concern for the environment, the SVEEP campaign integrated Plantation Drives into its activities, linking environmental stewardship with electoral participation. This initiative aims to create a lasting impact by not only promoting voter registration but also contributing to the beautification and greening of the region.
The plantation drives are being coordinated by 90 Nodal Officers across the 90 Assembly Constituencies. These officers are working closely with local authorities, schools, and community organizations to organize mass tree-planting events. The chosen sites for these plantations included polling stations, parks, schools, and community centers, ensuring that the planted trees would be visible to a large number of people and serve as a reminder of the upcoming election.
The saplings to be planted during these drives include a variety of native species, selected for their suitability to the local environment and their ability to thrive with minimal maintenance. The involvement of the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department has ensured that the saplings are of high quality and that the planting is done according to best practices.
The goal of planting more than 1 lakh saplings during the election period is not just a symbolic gesture but also a practical contribution to the region’s ecological health.
Moreover, all the Government employees, non-government organisations, volunteers and other stakeholders have been appealed to come forward to help in plantation drives to promote the eco-friendly Assembly Elections in J&K UT.
The Office of CEO, J&K, is also exploring the possibility to promote the ‘Green Election’ under Go-Green campaign so that a message to protect ecology can be propagated among the voters who will come to cast their votes in Polling Stations during the 3-phase long J&K Assembly Elections.
The appropriate disposal of waste material after the completion of J&K Assembly elections is the key to achieve the target of ‘Green Election’ initiative and sufficient directions have been given to the concerned officers in J&K. The burning of election materials is highly discouraged which otherwise creates air pollution.
From time to time, the ECI has issued directions to the election machinery of all the States and union territories; and political parties to minimize the use of paper for preparations of voter lists and electoral materials.
In line with these directions, the instructions have been issued to encourage the digital and electronic mode of communication during the ensuing polls which can help in reducing the Carbon Footprint and make the elections environment friendly.
The election machinery and political parties have been directed to avoid single-use plastic completely and ensure separate collection bins and proper signage during the upcoming Assembly polls for eco-friendly elections.
Further, ensuring adequate disposal facilities for each type of waste, promoting eco-friendly vehicles for transport as well as encouraging carpooling and public transport during the polls have also been highlighted by the office of the CEO, J&K UT.
Equally, all the stakeholders must take sufficient steps which can reduce the impact of elections on the ecosystem by incorporating sustainable methods and digital innovations during the ongoing J&K Assembly Elections.
(The Author is Nodal Officer for Media, Looking after SVEEP activities at the Office of CEO, J&K UT)
