Tuesday, 10 SEPTEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that a special committee will be formed to address issues related to the Himalaya. This committee will be coordinated by the Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) director general Durgesh Pant. Stating this at the event held to mark Himalaya Day at the chief minister’s residence on Monday, Dhami also released the poster for the fifth International Science and Technology Festival to be organised by UCOST. This event will be held in engineering colleges in Dehradun, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Tehri, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the CM said that September 2 will be observed as Bugyal Conservation Day every year in the State. “Climate change is a reality. We witnessed considerable rise in temperature in Dehradun too this year. If the temperature continues to rise at this rate, we should be concerned about the future. We must undertake collective efforts for the conservation of the Himalaya, water and jungles. We must think about what will we leave behind for our coming generations,” Dhami said.
The CM said that various disasters have been witnessed around the world in recent years. Various disasters were also witnessed in Uttarakhand this time. “We had organised the world congress on disaster last year on November 29 and on that day the labourers stuck in the Silkyara tunnel were rescued safely,” he said, while also recalling other facets of the rescue operation. Dhami said that Himalaya Day should not be limited to just a week-long programme but should be observed every day in the form of protecting the environment. “We must comprehend the importance of Himalaya afresh. The government is working consistently towards rejuvenation of water sources and rivers. We have formed the Spring and River Rejuvenation Authority for this purpose. The government is also undertaking various other tasks for the conservation of the Himalaya. The Himalaya is our irreplaceable heritage which needs to be preserved,” he said. The CM further reiterated that development should be achieved with a balance between ecology and economy.
Padma Bhushan awardee environmentalist Anil Prakash Joshi said that Dhami had seriously raised the issues of the entire Himalayan region in the meeting of the NITI Aayog. He said that issues of the Himalaya should also be made part of the political sphere. The development in the Himalayan region should be facilitated on the basis of knowledge gained from the research of scientists, Joshi said.
Tehri MLA Kishore Upadhyaya said that the middle Himalayan region should be made a model of development. Expressing concern at the rate at which glaciers are melting, he stressed on the need for an elaborate campaign for preservation of the Himalaya.
The UCOST director general Durgesh Pant said that various programmes were held across the State from September 2 to 9 as part of the Himalaya Week.
