Jammu, Feb. 20 -- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday called for the formation of a specific department which will study climate change in Jammu and Kashmir, stressing that the climate response has now become a "compulsion" for the Union Territory, underlining the urgent need for a structured and institutional approach to address climate change.

Replying to the discussion on Demands for Grants in the Assembly here, he said last year's extreme weather events, including heavy rains and drought-related losses, have made it clear that climate change can no longer be treated as a peripheral issue.

Referring to the statement of CPI(M) legislator M Y Tarigami, Abdullah mentioned that he spoke about the introduction of a separate climate b...