There is a need for a Himalayan vision to integrate policy, places, product and personality in making a road map for the sustainable development of the Indian Himalayan region. Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said this in the inaugural session of the Sustainable Mountain Development Summit held in the virtual mode on Friday.
Rawat emphasised the need of such summits and the coming together of every stakeholder of the mountain community to push forward the mountain agenda in the bigger national and international forums. He further stressed on the need for redirecting all energies into regaining the distress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and urged every individual of the Himalayan region to become economic drivers from being vocal for local to local to global and create spaces of Himalayan brands and products in the international markets.
Speaking as the guest of honour, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma expressed his concerns on the effects of the pandemic on people and economy. He stated that most of the region is covered with forests and urged the people to be prepared for all types of mountain disasters and work to conserve the rich natural resources of the region.
In his keynote address, ICIMOD deputy director general Ekalabya Sharma reiterated the importance of International Mountain Day and the importance of the Hindukush mountains as being the pulse of the planet. He further called for action in making the mountains resilient to the climate change reality.
Integrated Mountain Initiative president PD Rai and the summit chairperson Rajendra Dobhal also expressed their views on the occasion.
The inaugural session was followed by a technical session on migration and sustainable local economies. The session delved on emerging trends in migration and reverse migration in the Indian Himalayan region and the effects on local economies. It also included discussions on measures that could be driven at the state and local level for a set of priorities for a new paradigm in socio-economic development of the mountain region.
Saturday, 12 December 2020 | PNS | Dehradun
