Focus on conservation

Experts say unanimously while attending the sixth Himalayan Environment Conservation organised at the Songtsen Library's Center for Tibetan and Himalayan Studies:

Anjali Nauriyal

Environment and conservation deliberations at Songtsen protection and upkeep of the environment was at the heart of the talks, discussions and deliberations at the sixth Himalayan Environment Conservation organised by the Songtsen Library's Center for Tibetan and Himalayan Studies. "This has been the centre's thrust area from its very inception," avers Dr Tashi Samphel, director who has steered the centre on exceptional lines, helping it collect books and other reference material related to Tibet and the Himalayas.

"It is not without reason that we conduct an environmental workshop every year for the for the students of the Himalayas," he reveals, adding, "It is our bounden duty to sensitize the youngsters to the threats faced by our mighty Himalayan regions, so that they can take corrective steps in the right perspective as and when they take on positions of authority."

The emphasis this year was on the Himalayan rivers. One of the main objectives of the workshop was to help understand the problems faced by the rivers and explore modern and traditional ways of resolving problems of water, explains Prof S.P. Singh, former VC, Garhwal University. He spoke to the participants on 'Himalayas and Climate Change.' He presented certain policy points that need to be looked at seriously in order to save our rivers. Speaking with reference to the Ganga he pointed out that it was unfortunate that over 53 power projects are under construction or planned on this river resulting in no water in large stretches. "The crisis faced by our river systems has to be treated as a war," he pointed out.

Dr. Ravi Chopra, Director of People Science Institute, said, "Basically we have entrusted our rivers to engineers, who only see water. They have been taught that any water flowing is wasted. But if we talk to ecologists, they maintain that uninterrupted flow is the only way in which we can keep our rivers alive. So there is a contrast of view points. The truth is that we are over-exploiting our natural resources leading to crisis such as global warming and climate change. We have to limit our consumption; we have to understand that the Erath has enough for our needs but not our greed."

S.T.S. Lepcha, CEO, Uttaranchal Bamboo and Fibre Development Board, spoke on 'Bamboo: Its application and ecological benefits. Bamboo, he said, "was very important in the western regions of the Himalayas and if we do not conserve bamboo, then we will fail to conserve the Himalayas. Elephants eat bamboo and because we have destroyed its cultivation, they are venturing into sugarcane fields and causing disturbances. Bamboo is amongst the fastest growing and can be out to a variety of uses."