Srinagar, August 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday inaugurated Srinagar’s first ‘Waste to Wonder–Flower Garden’, an initiative of the Department of Floriculture aimed at promoting recycling, reuse and sustainable landscaping.
Developed at the Floriculture Park in Polo View, the thematic garden features installations made largely from discarded and refurbished materials, including a vintage Ambassador car, Kashmiri tonga, floral boat, scooter, heritage jeep, tractor and old tyres. Nearly 90 per cent of the materials used in creating the garden were sourced through recycling and refurbishment.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Floriculture Mela at the park and visited stalls showcasing ornamental nurseries, herbal plants, pots and terrariums, floral décor, gifts, event-management services, cut flowers, machinery and products of Jammu and Kashmir Agros. Flower growers and farmers from different districts of Kashmir participated in the exhibition.
Interacting with stall owners, Abdullah appreciated their business initiatives and encouraged them to expand activities in the floriculture sector.
During his visit to the Waste to Wonder Garden, the Chief Minister said the project demonstrated how discarded objects could be given a new purpose through creativity and imagination.
He urged people to consider whether waste could be reused or recycled before throwing it away, particularly amid growing concerns over solid and plastic waste. He also advocated simple measures such as carrying reusable shopping bags instead of accepting disposable plastic bags.
Designed around the principles of Reduce, Recycle and Reuse (RRR), the garden has been planned as an all-season attraction, with plant selection and bloom scheduling aimed at maintaining floral displays from spring through late autumn.
Abdullah also called for further development of the Chrysanthemum Garden and suggested that the Floriculture Department study similar Waste to Wonder initiatives in Chandigarh. He said adapting the concept could create another tourism attraction in Jammu and Kashmir.
Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Bani Rameshwar Singh and senior officials from the Chief Minister’s Office, Culture and Floriculture departments were among those present.
FOLLOW NOW
