Dehradun, July 30 -- Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday participated a state-level consultative workshop in Dehradun to mark World Tiger Day, where he stressed the need to balance ecological concerns and economic aspirations to achieve sustainable development. The workshop was held to discuss the effective implementation and enforcement of a ban on single-use plastic. Dhami said that public participation was crucial to effectively implement such a ban. "Launching an effective and decisive campaign against single-use plastic is the need of the hour to protect our forests, rivers and wildlife," he said. The chief minister said the state government was undertaking public awareness campaigns, inspections and enforcement drives to ensure effective implementation of the single-use plastic ban. Special campaigns are also being conducted to make the Char Dham Yatra routes and major tourist destinations plastic-free, while efforts are being made to promote scientific waste management. Dhami urged people to replace plastic bags and other disposable products with cloth bags, jute products and other eco-friendly alternatives. He also appealed to pilgrims and tourists to refrain from discarding plastic waste or other garbage at tourist destinations. He called upon the industrial sector to adopt eco-friendly packaging and modern recycling technologies to reduce the generation of plastic waste. He also urged the youth to take the lead in turning the campaign into a mass movement by involving schools, colleges, Gram Sabhas, self-help groups and social organisations. He also expressed confidence that the recommendations and suggestions emerging from the state-level consultation would further strengthen the implementation and enforcement of the single-use plastic ban in Uttarakhand. He said collective efforts by the "government, local communities, businesses, tourists and citizens would be crucial to achieving the goal of making Uttarakhand free from single-use plastic while protecting its fragile Himalayan ecology, forests, rivers and wildlife". During the event, the chief minister unveiled tiger conservation-themed images and postcards and honoured people who had shown courage in the face of human-wildlife conflict and made significant contributions to wildlife conservation. "The tiger is not merely a wild animal but a symbol of our rich biodiversity and a balanced ecosystem. If our forests remain safe, tigers will remain safe, and the balance of nature will also be preserved," he said. He said that nature has traditionally been revered as a mother in Indian culture and forest landscapes, including Corbett Tiger Reserve and Rajaji Tiger Reserve, are important symbols of the conservation efforts over the years....