Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Sept 9: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said today that Himalayan States and Union Territories offer unexplored potential for post-COVID resurgence.
Addressing the “Himalayan Divas” Conclave here, Dr Jitendra Singh said that around one dozen States and Union Territories of India, including Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and parts of West Bengal, are located along the Himalayas. For centuries together, he said, Himalaya has stood like a custodian, guarding us against invasions from foreigners and assaults from nature.
Citing scientific research, Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that for a large part of the Indian subcontinent, Himalaya serves as a major source of water, flora and fauna. At the same time, rivers flowing along the Himalayas, whether it is the Indus or the Ganga offer immense avenues, which are yet to be fully explored.
While Himalaya is a big resource house of unexplored potential, Dr Jitendra Singh asked, are we doing enough to preserve this to utilize it optimally for the benefit of humanity. That is the question, he said, which needs to be addressed rising above all considerations including politics.
Despite concerns like perennial floods, landslides, deforestation, environment pollution, climatic alterations, etc., Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Himalaya has the capacity to come to our rescue as a major tool for post-COVID resurgence. He said, the COVID catastrophe has made us realize the need to channelize the Himlayan resources.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, for example, Bamboo from the North Eastern Himalayan range will play a major role in the future economy of the country. He referred to the recent hike in import duty of bamboo and amendment in the Indian Forest Act to facilitate the production of bamboo articles and their export. Similarly, he said, there are other items like saffron and exclusive fruit which have not yet been optimally utilized for economy and trade.
Dr Jitendra Singh also mentioned some of the major Himalaya related initiatives of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and North Eastern Council (NEC). This, he said, included funding and setting up of Brahmaputra Study Centre in Guwahati University and amending the North Eastern Council Act to earmark exclusive budget for development of neglected hill regions in the North Eastern States.
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