CM Omar Pledges Urgent Action for Hangul, Markhor Conservation

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday pledged that his government will act promptly on the recommendations emerging from the Second International Conference on Hangul and Other Threatened Ungulates Conservation (2IHUC-25), with the aim of achieving measurable progress in the population of Hangul and Markhor before the next such conference.

Speaking at the valedictory session of the three-day conference at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Abdullah assured conservation experts, scientists, policymakers, and delegates from across the globe that the government would treat the outcomes of the meet with “utmost seriousness.”

“On behalf of my colleagues in government, I assure you that the recommendations emerging from this conference will be implemented at the earliest. My hope is that when we meet here next time, the population of Hangul and Markhor will have grown significantly,” Abdullah said.

The Chief Minister, who also serves as Pro-Chancellor of SKUAST-K, stressed that conservation was not merely about protecting animals but also about safeguarding human survival. “Protecting Hangul, Markhor, or any threatened species is essentially about protecting life and the delicate ecological balance we depend upon,” he said, recalling conservationist MK Ranjitsinh’s remarks on the link between conservation and human well-being.

Sharing his personal regret at never having seen a Hangul despite living close to Dachigam National Park, Abdullah said: “I don’t want a situation where our children and grandchildren know these species only through photographs in books, like the dodo or woolly mammoth. That would be a tragedy we must not allow.”

He underlined the urgency of synergy between academic institutions and government agencies to ensure that conference findings translate into action. “We cannot afford bureaucratic delays. These species will not wait for files to move from one department to another,” Abdullah cautioned.

The three-day conference, attended by more than 200 delegates including experts from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia, focused on strategies for conserving Hangul, Markhor, and other threatened ungulates of the Himalayan region.

On the occasion, Abdullah released a vision document titled Institute of Mountain Wildlife Sciences and distributed awards and appreciation certificates to participants.

Other speakers included Forest Minister Javed Ahmed Rana, Advisor to the CM Nasir Aslam Wani, SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof. Nazir A. Ganie, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Suresh Gupta, and international expert Dr. Gonzalez.

Reiterating his commitment, Abdullah said: “That is my hope, that is my belief, and I am sure that if we approach it the right way—as we saw success with Project Tiger and encouraging signs with Hangul and Markhor—that success will continue to grow.”