Kochi: The Jammu & Kashmir National Conference Chief Spokesperson and MLA Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq Friday represented the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah at the Kerala Urban Conclave 2025.
The event was inaugurated by Union Minister for Power, Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, along with Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Kerala’s Minister for Local Self-Government, B.L. Rajesh.
Speaking at the Conclave, Tanvir advocated for the establishment of an Urban Commission for Jammu and Kashmir, inspired by Kerala’s pioneering initiative. He emphasized the urgent need for a dedicated institutional framework to address the challenges of rapid urbanization, particularly in cities like Srinagar and Jammu.
“It feels truly special to travel from the Paradise on Earth to God’s Own Country,” Sadiq remarked, humorously adding, “Though I must confess, the Gods here in Kerala seem to have done a slightly better job in organizing cleanliness than the angels in Kashmir! In Kashmir, we offer kahwa to our guests, and in Kerala, you offer filter coffee. Maybe if we combine both, we’ll end up brewing the perfect urban policy.”
On a more serious note, he lauded Kerala for being the first state in India to establish an Urban Policy Commission, describing it as “a bold step that places citizens and communities at the heart of urban planning, setting a global benchmark aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
He drew insightful parallels between Kerala and Kashmir, both of which share a heavy reliance on tourism, natural beauty, and a fragile ecology. He also highlighted recent measures undertaken in Srinagar to enhance urban sustainability, including creation of 1.15 lakh square meters of green spaces and planting of one lakh saplings, development of a six-hectare urban forest and vertical greening on flyovers, achieving 100% door-to-door waste collection and 70% waste segregation, with ongoing bio mining of legacy waste at Srinagar’s 123-acre landfill.
He stressed the importance of climate resilience in urban planning, citing the devastating floods that have impacted both Kashmir and Kerala in recent years.
He concluded his speech saying, “Policies endure only when people believe they are a part of them. Urban democracy is not just a concept ,it is the foundation of sustainable cities. From Paradise on Earth to God’s Own Country, I carry with me the hope that dialogues like this will translate into greener, fairer, and more inclusive cities. In Kashmir, we say a good cup of kahwa can solve many problems. After being here, I am convinced a good conclave in Kerala can solve a few as well.”
