Waking up to ecological vandalism, police have registered a case and seized several vehicles after a group of social media influencers were caught on camera for driving inside the protected Brainwar forest area. The video sparked outrage among locals and environmentalists. Environmental Policy Group, a non-profit organisation, said forest areas of Haijan, Barinwar, and Mechkhanian, which fall en route to Ashtar Forest, are already bearing the brunt of ecological vandalism. If such activities are not stopped forthwith, it could lead to a disaster. Sensing the outrage, the Budgam district administration registered a case under the relevant sections of the Indian Forest Act. The police too launched a massive crackdown and seized several SUVs. Under the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Act, the area has been classified as a highly protected zone. Vehicular movement is strictly prohibited. However, the so-called social media influencers, who survive on hits and likes, threw norms to the wind just to film some reels. In the excitement, they filmed their illegal activities and posted them on social media. It triggered outrage with users sending SOS to the government for action. Previously, such activities were reported from Gurez, which evoked a sharp reaction from the public and social media users. Clearly, the government has to draw a line. Journalists and social media influencers have become a relative term in Jammu and Kashmir. You only need a smartphone and some followers, and you are either a journalist or a social media influencer. Plus, under the garb of this so-called journalistic activity, you can break any law. For earning dollars, you can even vandalize a forest. And that is what these so-called influencers are doing. Kudos to the Budgam administration and police for acting promptly. This is a wake-up call for the Jammu and Kashmir government. They need to plug the holes and prevent such activities in the future. Strict laws should be enacted to punish these rogue elements. Naming and shaming the violators should also be considered in some cases. Unless we expose these self-styled social media influencers, they will go on bragging about their illegal activities on their social media handles with impunity. Since they get views, likes, and shares, they are least bothered about the law and rules. To counter their social media narrative, the government needs to name and shame them. Desperate times call for desperate measures. The government needs to tighten the noose. Civil society groups, and environmentalists too, need to be involved so that such rogue elements are taken to task. Our survival depends on the forest and ecology. We are already witnessing a climate emergency. We cannot afford to lose tree cover and ecological vandalism. It is time to act against the ecocide.
Eco vandalism
