Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami (CM Dhami) has said that the state government is working with full commitment to conserve the Himalayas, we all have to play our role in this important work.
In the Himalaya Day celebration organized at the IRDT auditorium on Tuesday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami (CM Dhami) while wishing everyone a Happy Himalaya Day said that the Himalayas are not just a group of snowy peaks and wide mountain ranges but it is also the source of life for the entire Indian subcontinent. The Himalayas not only act as an unshakable sentinel in the north of India, but its mountain rivers are the lifeline of the entire country. The Chief Minister said that the high peaks, vast glaciers, rivers and biodiversity-rich forests of the Himalayas not only make us experience natural beauty, but also play an important role in maintaining environmental balance. He said that while on the one hand the rivers originating from the Himalayas quench the thirst of crores of people of the country, the rare herbs found on it are the basis of Ayurveda.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that today this invaluable heritage of ours is facing a serious threat. Climate change, uncontrolled development, and indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources are disturbing the balance of the Himalayas. Its glaciers are melting, which can become a big challenge of serious water crisis and ecological imbalance in the coming times.
The Chief Minister (CM Dhami) said that now the intensity of rainfall in the Himalayan region is increasing continuously and disasters like unexpected cloud bursts and resulting landslides are occurring frequently. The frequency of these incidents and their impact are increasing day by day. The Chief Minister said that recently our state has faced many terrible natural disasters. It is very important to establish coordination between scientific institutions and experts to effectively deal with these serious challenges.
The Chief Minister said that keeping this in mind, last year the government had issued instructions for the formation of a high-level committee. Now in November this year, the ‘World Disaster Management Conference’ on climate change is also being organized in the state.
Chief Minister Dhami said that the protection of the Himalayas is not only the work of the government, but it is the responsibility of every citizen of the country. Therefore, under the cooperation and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is working with full commitment towards Himalayan conservation. In this sequence, the government is working towards the long-term conservation of the Himalayas through digital monitoring system, glacier research center, water source conservation campaign and public participation programs.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that “Digital Deposit Refund System” has been started for the management of plastic waste in the state. This small initiative has succeeded in reducing 72 tonnes of carbon emissions in the Himalayan region. The Chief Minister said that we will have to pay attention towards environmental protection in the tourism sector as well because uncontrolled and insensitive tourism is proving to be harmful to the environment of the Himalayas. For this we have to promote “sustainable tourism”, so that tourism can be developed without harming the environment.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the people living in the Himalayan region have an important role in this work. Their knowledge, traditions and lifestyle teach us how we can live in harmony with nature. We should respect their experiences and traditional knowledge and include it in our environmental protection policy. Small efforts, like saving water, planting trees and minimizing the use of plastic, can play an important role in protecting the Himalayas. The Chief Minister said that in this sequence, the government has decided to celebrate Himalaya Janjagranta Week every year from September 2 to 9.
On this occasion, Padma Bhushan Dr Anil Prakash Joshi said that this year disasters have occurred in the entire Himalayan region, now year after year the monsoon season has become frightening due to such incidents. We will have to think afresh to save the environment of the Himalayas.
On this occasion, MLA Kishore Upadhyay, Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal, Mrs. Madhu Bhatt, Director General UCOST Prof. Durgesh Pant, Suryakant Dhasmana and other prominent people were present.
