Activists release draft ‘Himalayan Declaration’ to protect region

Bahuguna said,“The relevance of this day is to attract people’s attention to the Himalayas. The region is a storehouse of natural resources; it meets 40 per cent of the demand of water in several countries,including India. Any damage to this region will have serious consequences.”

Some of the concerns the draft addresses are regarding the construction of dams,heavy industries and hydro-electricity projects,which damage the environment and uproot people.

Also present was Dr Anil Joshi,pioneer of the organisation Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation in Dehradun. Radha Behen said,“If development is happening at the cost of the commercial exploitation of forests,dams and mines,the definition of development needs to be reviewed.”