Mushtaq Pahalgami
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Mushtaq Pahalgami has worked closely with many other environmental and social activists in the region. Pahalgami is founder and president of the NGO Himalayan Welfare Organization, Pahalgam (HWO), committed to service in the areas of health care, environmental protection and conservation, tourism, education,[7] poverty reduction and alleviation[8] human rights, and preservation of the famous Kolahoi Glacier, Lidder and Sind Rivers.
Pahalgami also works with trade unions and social organizations like President at Pahalgam Hotel and Guest House Association, Pahalgam Travel and Tour Operators Union, Pahalgam Tent Union, and Adventure Tour Operators Association Pahalgam .[9] He and his team at HWO are known in the region for organizing free medical camps,[10] educational conferences, environment preservation and awareness programmes, seminars and symposiums about the right to Information[11][12] public education and health care,[13] drug deaddiction, animal rights, sanitation and hygiene apart from ongoing flood relief operations after the recent floods in the valley.[14]
Pahalgami has campaigned for environmental conservation in the Himalayan region, particularly in and around Pahalgam, compelling exploitative forest, timber and land interests to retreat from most parts of the region through a long and sustained legal battle and RTI crusade against illegal occupation of forest land, hunting of wild animals, felling of trees and smuggling of timber.[15] HWO has also organised over 100 hundreds of camps and information campaigns to promote and ensure conservation of the natural ecosystems of the Lidder and Sind rivers as well as the Kolhoi Glacier.