Srinagar, June 19: Three persons were arrested after explosive substances and Hizbul Mujahideen posters were allegedly recovered from their possession in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, officials said on Friday.

Police recovered two grenades, 2.5 kgs of PEK (plastic explosive kirkee), four mobile phones, and posters related to the terrorist outfit from the three persons at Pudsoo area of the south Kashmir district on Thursday night, the officials said.

They identified the individuals as Aizaz Ahmad Khanday, Arbaz Ahmad Mir, and Nasir Ahmad Dar, all residents of Begama in Shopian.

All three were missing from their home since May 31, they added.

Amar Singh Club, Srinagar in collaboration with the Moul Mouj Foundation and GK Communications under its ‘Common Interest Conversations’ program observed the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day”.

The event was presided over by Advisor to Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani and other speakers included former Advisor Khursheed A Ganai, President of Central Pensioners Welfare Association, Khifayat Hussain Rizvi, Chairperson of Kashmir Centre for Social & Developmental Studies (KCSDS) Prof. Hameeda Nayeem, and Dr Zubair Saleem Founding Chairman, Moul Mouj Foundation and Prof Yasmeen Ashai, former Director of Colleges.

On behalf of the Club Managing Committee, Club Secretary Nasir Hamid Khan and Rouf Ahmed Punjabi were present. A number of eminent citizens like Saleem Beig, Er SRS Madni, G M Dug, Dr Abdul Majid Siraj, G N War, Mohd Ashraf Mir, Qurat-ul-Ain, Showkat Malik, Masooda Yasin, Masooda Rajpuri, and others participated.

Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion, acknowledged elder abuse as a serious and emerging social concern. He stressed the need for widespread public awareness and said that the government is considering the formation of a committee on the issue, which may include experts from Amar Singh Club and Moul Mouj Foundation to help formulate effective interventions and policy recommendations.

Nasir Hamid Khan, Secretary of Amar Singh Club, while welcoming the participants thanked the Advisor for presiding over the event. He stated that today they had gathered for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day under a clear, urgent message from the United Nations through their theme for the year 2026 which was: “Beyond Awareness — Making Elder Abuse Prevention Work.”

“Awareness matters, but awareness alone is no longer enough. For years we have described the problem — physical harm, emotional neglect, and financial exploitation, but now we need to move from words to systems: from sympathy to practical, lasting prevention. That meant building measures that stop abuse before it starts,” Nasir said.

Nasir said prevention began by changing the environments where our elders live. He stated that he was proud to share that the Club Managing Committee and members had responded to this call by introducing a special category: Senior Dependent Members. Under this initiative, parents of Club members receive Club privileges with no admission fees and no monthly charges. “This simple change reduced isolation, brought seniors into active social life, and lowered their risk of depression, neglect, and vulnerability. It was a small but concrete step that demonstrated how community design prevents harm,” he said.

He said prevention also includes protecting physical health with Paras Group of Hospitals. Through this scheme, Paras will provide our senior members with complimentary health screenings twice a year to enable early detection, privileged consultations with top specialists, geriatric-focused benefits: priority sample collection within a 10 km radius, a dedicated relationship manager (a medico) to assist with OPD and medical guidance, special discounts, and tailored geriatric packages.

Khan appreciated the critical role played by the event collaborators Moul Mouj Foundation in mitigating the sufferings of the elderly and GK Communications in raising community awareness by dedicating substantial space in their newspapers for senior citizen related issues.

Launched last year the Common Interest Conversations to create that space — a forum to exchange views and discuss issues like digital addiction, drug abuse, mental health, women’s wellness, eldercare, and the environment. Another CIC session focused on traffic congestion in Srinagar and other towns of Kashmir was being conducted shortly. These conversations highlighted not only individual and family responsibilities but also the critical importance for a united, proactive society.

“A major obstacle to community action was fragmentation as we have multiplied organisations, associations, and chambers, and in doing so divided our voice and resources. Disagreements existed across economic, social, and environmental lines,” Khan said.

The Secretary informed the participants that after careful thought and consultation with concerned citizens, it was time to move beyond the limitations of the Club. He proposed the formation of the ‘Kashmir Business and Civic Chamber’. According to him, this body would not add to fragmentation but would seek to unite existing organisations and thinking individuals under one umbrella to set and enforce standards of discipline and moral values that a united society can uphold. He said that this body will be formalised in the coming days and invited well-meaning citizens from all walks of life to register as founding members.

He concluded his welcome address by requesting all community leaders and citizens present that let today be the beginning of sustained action. Do not simply watch for signs of distress—build support networks. Check on elderly neighbors, create community monitoring systems, and establish safety nets. Let our elders live in safety, with dignity and respect.

Dr Zubair Saleem, Founder Chairman of Moul Mouj Foundation delivered a keynote address highlighting the tremendous work they have been doing with regard to our Senior Citizens.

Former Advisor to the Governor, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, described elder abuse as a highly relevant issue in contemporary society. He noted that with the elderly population increasing globally, governments and communities must develop mechanisms to address the challenges associated with ageing and elder care.

Prof. Hameedah Nayeem emphasized the importance of inculcating moral values in children from an early age, while Prof. Yasmeen Ashai stressed that awareness and interventions are required at three levels—family, society, and institutions.

Kifayat Hussain Rizvi (Retd. IAS) underscored the importance of religious education and value-based upbringing in nurturing respect and care for elders. The MMF Impact Report 2026 was also released on the occasion. The report highlighted the Foundation’s key interventions during the year. Besides other dignitaries, the release was attended by MMF Advisory Board members Mandip Kaur, Prof. Masooda Yasin and Masooda Rajpuri, along with Prof. Khurshid Aslam Khan, Senior Cardiologist and Advisor to the Seniors’ Heart Care Project, and Prof. M. Ashraf Teli, Radiation Oncologist and Advisor to the Moul Mouj Cancer Care Project.

The event concluded with a renewed commitment from stakeholders to work together towards ensuring dignity, care, and protection for senior citizens across society.

Expressing serious concern over the growing menace of plastic pollution in Jammu and Kashmir, the Committee on Environment of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Thursday urged the government to take stringent measures to curb the use of plastic, particularly single-use plastic (SUP), across the Union Territory.

The Committee, chaired by CPI-M MLA M Y Tarigami, observed that indiscriminate use of plastic had emerged as a major environmental challenge, adversely affecting public health, polluting water bodies and degrading the ecological balance of the region.

“On behalf of the Committee, I appeal to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to consider issuing an Executive Order for imposing a comprehensive ban on the use of plastic across the Union Territory in the larger interest of environmental protection, public health and sustainable development,” Tarigami stated, while chairing the second meeting of LA panel in assembly secretariat in the summer capital.

The Chairman called upon the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) to intensify enforcement measures and ensure strict implementation of laws aimed at eliminating the use of single-use plastics, especially in and around tourist destinations, religious shrines and environmentally sensitive areas.

J&K LA panel on Environment also took serious note of the ongoing indefinite strike by sanitation workers engaged by various Urban Local Bodies as CLs (Casual/Contractual Labourers) and DRWs (Daily Rated Workers), who are protesting and seeking regularisation.

Describing sanitation workers as an indispensable component of urban civic services, the Committee directed the Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD), to initiate immediate dialogue with the agitating workers and make earnest efforts to resolve the impasse by examining their demands sympathetically.

During deliberations, the Committee members unanimously stressed the need for coordinated action by the Pollution Control Committee, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) and Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) to make Jammu and Kashmir plastic-free.

The members further urged government departments and public institutions to discourage the use of plastic in official meetings, offices and public functions.

The panel had sought a comprehensive report on the environmental and ecological impact of the Achan landfill site in Srinagar and Bhagwati Nagar dumping site in Jammu, including the status of legacy waste remediation, scientific waste processing, compliance with National Green Tribunal (NGT) directives and progress achieved under the proposed Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) Project at Achan.

It had also directed the concerned departments to furnish details regarding the impact of waste management activities on Anchar lake, surrounding habitations and ecosystems, besides measures taken to prevent leachate generation, groundwater contamination, air pollution and public health hazards.

The Chairman directed the Assembly Secretariat to ensure that observations contained in CAG Report No 6 of 2025 on Solid Waste Management in Urban Local Bodies (Paras 3.1.1 to 3.1.11) are placed before the Committee during its next meeting.

The panel also discussed pollution concerns relating to the river Tawi, Surinsar lake and Mansar lake and sought detailed information from the concerned departments. It directed officers to undertake on-the-spot inspections and submit reports on measures required for conservation and restoration of these water bodies.

The panel reviewed the status of drains and nullahs discharging sewage and wastewater into the River Tawi, the extent of pollution caused thereby, progress in interception and treatment projects, implementation of sewerage infrastructure and measures being undertaken to prevent the discharge of untreated sewage into the river.

It further sought details from the Jammu Municipal Corporation regarding initiatives taken for restoration, rejuvenation and conservation of ponds, lakes and other water bodies within municipal limits, including efforts to revive encroached and degraded water bodies and restore their ecological, cultural and community significance.

Several members raised issues of environmental concern in their respective constituencies during the meeting. After detailed discussions, the Chairman issued necessary directions to the officers present and asked them to take immediate remedial measures and submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) at the next meeting of the Committee.

Panel member MLA Devyani Rana, during the deliberations, expressed serious concern over the impact of sewage leakages on groundwater quality and sought a comprehensive assessment of the issue across urban areas.

Devyani also highlighted the deteriorating condition of the ecologically important Mansar and Surinsar lakes in Jammu and stressed the need for immediate conservation and restoration measures to protect the twin heritage water bodies.

She further sought details regarding the garbage collection, segregation and scientific disposal mechanisms being adopted by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), including the status of waste processing facilities and dumping sites.

Devyani emphasised that improper waste disposal posed a significant threat to public health and the environment and called for strengthening solid waste management systems in Jammu city.

The panel took note of the concerns and stressed the importance of sustainable waste management practices, protection of water resources and prevention of groundwater contamination.

Another committee member MLA Baldev Raj Sharma requested the committee to undertake a comprehensive visit to Katra and Vaishnodevi shrine to ensure effective sewage system and waste treatment all along the shrine route to safeguard ecology of the area.

The meeting was also attended by other members of the Committee viz., Prof Gharu Ram, Showkat Hussain Ganie, Javaid Ahmad Mirchal, Salman Sagar, Javaid Riyaz (Bedar) and Rameshwar Singh.

The members actively participated in the deliberations and raised various issues relating to environmental protection, plastic pollution, solid waste management, conservation of water bodies and public health concerns in their respective constituencies.

Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Forest, Ecology and Environment Department, Chairman JKPCC, Commissioners of SMC and JMC, Director Urban Local Bodies, Secretary, JKLA and other senior officers of J&K Legislative Assembly Secretariat were present in the meeting.