As suggested by Pujya Swamiji and the Ganga Action Parivar (GAP) in multiple correspondences and meetings with the Honourable CM of Uttarakhand, Respected Dr. RK Pauchauriji, Director General of TERI and Chairman of IPCC, Respected Dr. Anil Joshiji, Founder of HESCO, and a core committee of representatives from the state’s premier research institutions, such as Center for Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Wadia Institute of Geological Sciences, ISRO, GB Pant Institute and many others, along with various state ministries, such as Forestry, Disaster Management, were invited to discuss the course of action for green re-development and green re-construction of Uttarakhand. Dr. Pachauriji warned, ‘the rising trend of intense and frequent heat waves and rainfall are global indicators of climate change and thereby indicators of more significant and frequent natural disasters.’
Dr. Anil Joshiji agreed, ‘the Himalayan region being eco-fragile and a young mountain range has to mold a new policy- a Himalayan Policy- which shall prevent future catastrophe…the measure of GEP (Gross Environmental Product) will not only make the state a leader in bringing environmental measures into their overall measure of state prosperity and security but will also set an example that economic growth can co-exist with environmental preservation.’
The Hon’ble CM of Uttarakhand, Respected Vijay Bahuguna welcomed the suggestions, knowledge and experience of these scientific groups to pave the path to a new Uttarakhand. He also declared two very important points in the Press Conference proceeding the meeting:
1) The determination of the parameters of the Gross Environmental Product (GEP) will be done by the end of this month with the help experts and reputed scientific institutions and agencies.
2) Plans to organize a large conference in September is underway to bring together all of the Chief Ministers of the neighboring Himalayan state in order to form a Himalayan Commission. The mission of such a commission would be to implement effective solutions to the many challenges facing our state and to create an action plan for sustainable and green rehabilitation.
Project Hope Team was one of the only NGOs present at the meeting and offered some very important suggestions from Pujya Swamiji to the Hon’ble CM of Uttarakhand. They also presented a rough, working draft of a Green Redevelopment Discussion Paper (http://www.projecthope-india.org/Uttarakhand-Floods-A-Roadmap-To-Green-Development.pdf). They humbly asked all experts and individuals to offer their valuable comments and feedback to help complete the comprehensive white paper on the topic and offered themselves to be of any service to the state through this time of crisis.
