New Delhi: On the occasion of World Environment Day, an impactful awareness programme was organized on the theme “Melting Himalayan Glac...
New Delhi: On the occasion of World Environment
Day, an impactful awareness programme was organized on the theme “Melting Himalayan
Glaciers, Dying Ganga” under the aegis of Voice of Ganga and Himalaya – A
Global Organization. The event, held at IIC, New Delhi, saw the participation
of environmentalists, policymakers, students, and social activists from across
the country.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan was the Chief Guest at
the event. In his address, he said: “The Himalayas and the Ganga are not just
symbols of our nature—they are the soul of India. Their protection is not just
the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment but a moral duty of every
citizen. We must turn this into a mass movement.”
Senior legislator, environmentalist, and mentor of
The Global Himalaya Organization, Kishore Upadhyay, said on the occasion:
“The Himalayas are not just the lifeline of North
India but of the entire South Asian region. If the glaciers continue to melt at
this pace, future generations may be left without even drinking water. This is
not just an environmental crisis—it’s a warning of impending social and
economic disaster.”
Referring to a recently published global study, he
highlighted how glaciers are rapidly melting in the Arctic region, including
Norway’s Svalbard, and warned that the same is likely for the Himalayan region.
The Save Himalaya Charitable Foundation Maharashtra
played a pivotal role in the success of this awareness campaign. The
organization actively contributed to organizing the event, raising public
awareness, engaging policymakers, and involving the youth.
Ashish Tuli, CEO of the foundation, said:
“Protecting the Himalayas is the first condition
for securing the future of human civilization. We must take decisive steps
together, because this is not merely an environmental issue—it is a matter of
human survival.”
Foundation trustee Karan Doshi also stated:
“Today, the Himalayas are not just losing ice, but
our identity, culture, and continuity of life are also under threat. We must
connect both emotionally and scientifically to take this mission of saving the
Himalayas to every individual.”
A.K. Bajpai, National Vice President of the Lok
Janshakti Party, remarked:
“The Himalayan crisis is not merely ecological but
a crisis of national existence. Our policies now need to shift into emergency
mode and become environment-centric, or future generations won’t forgive us.”
Kishore Upadhyay, a three-time MLA from Tehri and
former State President of the Uttarakhand Congress, has been consistently
fighting for social, environmental, and cultural concerns in the Himalayan
region for over 45 years. He has raised national-level issues such as the Tehri
Dam displacement, forest rights, and conservation of Himalayan rivers.
He also mentioned his policy work with two former
Prime Ministers and several initiatives in collaboration with institutions like
INTACH for the conservation of cultural heritage.
The event concluded with all participants taking a
collective pledge: "Save Himalayas, Save Water, Save Lives”, and appealed
to governments and international organizations to give top priority to the
climate crisis and frame strong, sustainable policies to protect the Himalayas.
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