Srinagar, Oct 14 Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday called for preserving the ecological balance in the Himalayas, as the region was not only a source for rivers but also a protector of biodiversity and a vital regulator of climate.
“Any disturbance to the Himalayan ecological balance would have far-reaching consequences,” Sinha said in his message to the valedictory session of the 13th Sustainable Mountain Development Summit at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) in Srinagar.
He underscored the critical importance of protecting the Himalayan ecosystem and called for a science-based and people-centric approach to sustainable mountain development.
The LG said that the summit had provided a platform for meaningful deliberations on issues concerning water resources, forests, land, biodiversity and climate change, while amplifying the concerns of millions of people dependent on the Himalayan ecosystem.
Sinha said that the challenges posed by climate change, environmental degradation and unplanned development are becoming increasingly evident across the Himalayan region.
“Over the past two decades, we have witnessed numerous unprecedented challenges unfold before us. The natural disasters in various parts of the country and the world prove that the intensity of climate change impacts has increased, making these challenges even more serious,” he said.
The LG said that the vision of a developed India can be realised only when the Himalayas remain secure, healthy and vibrant.
(PTI News)
