AJAY KUMAR UPADHYAY
Bilaspur: As the fragile Himalayan ecosystem faces mounting threats from climate change and unplanned development, concerned organizations and citizen groups are coming together for a landmark Two-Day Himalayan Conference , at Saksharta Bhawan, Mandi near Sauli Khad. The event aims to initiate a people-centered dialogue on environment, disasters, livelihoods, and public participation in Himachal Pradesh.
Organized collectively by several civic and environmental groups including Ekal Nari Shakti Sangathan, Himdhara Environment Group, Himalaya Policy Campaign, and the Mandi Literacy Committee, the conference seeks to amplify the voices of disaster-affected communities and generate a roadmap for climate-resilient development.
In The Himalayas, often termed India’s lifeline, are warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, leading to frequent glacial melts, flash floods, and landslides. In Himachal Pradesh, deforestation, unscientific construction, and over-tourism have compounded these challenges. Thousands of families remain displaced from the 2023 disaster, as rehabilitation faces hurdles due to strict forest laws and lack of non-forest land.
The conference will feature a public hearing of disaster-affected citizens on the first day, followed by a policy dialogue on the second day focusing on ecological risk assessments, land use laws, and sustainable rural development. Discussions will also address how Panchayats and local institutions can lead in resource conservation, disaster preparedness, and livelihood diversification.
This gathering seeks to bridge policy, science, and grassroots movements to envision a Himalayan model of development that prioritizes nature, equity, and resilience. Organizers emphasized that saving the Himalayas is not merely an environmental campaign—it is a movement for survival, dignity, and the collective future of mountain communities.