DEHRADUN, 11 Dec: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat emphasized the need for a “Himalayan vision” to integrate policies, places, products and personalities in making a roadmap for sustainable development of the Indian Himalayan region.
Attending the inaugural function of the 9th sustainable mountain development summit (SMDS) in the capital city of Uttarakhand here on Friday, Rawat called 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 and create spaces of Himalayan brands and products in the international markets.
He emphasized the need for such summits which bring every stakeholder of the mountain community together to push forward the mountain agenda in the national and international forums.
The theme for this year is ‘Emerging pathways for building a resilient post-Covid-19 mountain economy: Adaptation, innovation and acceleration’, and it will focus on the overall objective of building pathways towards a resilient and sustainable mountain economy in the Indian Himalayan region.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the summit would provide a platform to raise specific concerns of the Himalayan region. He expressed concern over the effects of the pandemic on the people and the economy.
Stating that most of the region is covered with forests, Sangma urged the people to be prepared for “all types of mountain disasters and work to conserve the rich natural resources of the region.”
ICIMOD Deputy Director General Dr Ekalabya Sharma reiterated the importance of the International Mountain Day and the importance of the Hindukush mountains as “the pulse of the planet.” He called for action in making the mountains resilient to climate change.
Chairperson of the summit, Dr Rajendra Dobhal informed that the next SMDS summit will be held in the Darjeeling-Kalimpong hills in West Bengal. IMI president PD Rai also spoke.
The programme will conclude on 14 December.
Hosted by the Sustainable Development Forum of Uttarakhand, the annual event is being held in the virtual mode this year.
