PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Sustainable development, environmental protection and greater preparedness to tackle natural disasters are essential to safeguarding the Himalayan region, said the participants in a discussion organised in Dehradun on Wednesday to mark Himalayan Day 2026. The discussion on the theme “Himalaya: Sustainable Development, Challenges and Solutions” was organised jointly by Uttaranchal Utthan Parishad and Mahadevi Kanya Pathshala (PG) College at the college’s science faculty auditorium on New Road.
Vidhan Sabha speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan was present as the chief guest.
Khanduri said that the recent disasters in Himalayan regions, including the devastating floods in Nepal, highlighted the growing risks faced by the region. She described the Himalayas as a crucial source of water and a natural security barrier while stressing the need for development that takes environmental concerns into account. “Road construction in border areas, tourism infrastructure and power projects are necessary but they mostly involve cutting of trees and alteration of land,” she said. She urged policymakers, geologists, environmentalists and the public to work together to balance development with the conservation of the Himalayas.
The former Navy admiral Kripa Nautiyal highlighted traditional and innovative methods of water and environmental conservation in Uttarakhand. He said that human intervention in some areas could worsen the impact of natural hazards and called for greater attention to environmental safeguards during development project execution.
The senior scientist J R Perumal of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, discussed the geological formation and seismic activity of the Himalayas. He said that earthquakes and other geological movements were natural phenomena but stressed the importance of disaster preparedness and infrastructure suited to the mountain environment.
The event also featured a presentation on Himalayan geology and a poster competition on environmental conservation. Awards and certificates were presented to the winning students by Khanduri.
