Jammu, Dec 16: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday urged Gujjar institutions to conduct scientific research on the effects of climate change and reservation policies on the Gujjar-Bakerwal community, highlighting that such studies would provide a foundation for more informed and effective policymaking.
Speaking at the Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust (GDCT) in Jammu, during the third death anniversary of Dr. Masud Ahmed Choudhary, former vice-chancellor of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Abdullah praised the late academician as a visionary educationist, public servant, and institution-builder.
“There is immense talent within the Gujjar institutions,” the CM said. “By leveraging this expertise to produce research on issues like climate change, we can empower the community. Studies on challenges affecting the Gujjar-Bakerwals, including the impact of reservation policies and environmental changes, are especially important.”
Abdullah emphasized that the community’s nomadic lifestyle, which involves seasonal migration to higher altitudes and returning during winters, makes them particularly susceptible to climate-related challenges and natural disasters. He urged institutions to prioritize such research to strengthen and safeguard the future of the Gujjar-Bakerwal population.
