PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravindra Jugran emphasised the need for the governments of all the Himalayan States to together urge the Centre to establish a separate ministry and planning commission as well as a dedicated cadre of IAS, IPS and IFS officers exclusively for the Himalayan region. His suggestion comes in the wake of the multiple disasters that have occurred in areas such as Dharali, Harsil, Sukhi Top in Uttarkashi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and North East this year as well as in previous years.
“What I have suggested is significant not just because the huge stretch of the Himalayas impact the environment of India and the world but also due to this region’s enormous strategic importance due to China’s location. Efforts made in separation could hardly yield the desired results. Plans must be envisaged taking this region as a whole,” he said, adding that the Himalayas are vital for the food and water supply of one-fourth of the country’s population.
