NEW DELHI, June 9 -- Experts, policymakers and environmental practitioners from 11 Himalayan states and Union Territories on Monday raised alarm over the mounting impact of climate change and unsustainable development on the fragile ecology of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), calling for urgent policy reforms and community-led development strategies.
The concerns were voiced during a day-long consultation organised by the Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) and Systemiq, a London-based climate action organisation, at the India Habitat Centre in the national capital.
Participants criticised the prevailing development model in the Himalayan region as "directionless, unscientific and community-insensitive", warning that it is accelerating ecological degradation and increasing vulnerability to natural disasters. They stressed that unchecked infrastructure expansion, coupled with climate change, is placing enormous pressure on mountain ecosystems and local communities.
Unregulated tourism emerged as a key concern during the discussions. Experts noted that growing tourist footfalls are straining local resources, polluting rivers and forests, and affecting the cultural and spiritual character of Himalayan destinations. Sacred sites, they said, are increasingly being disrupted by littering, noise pollution and behaviour that disregards local traditions and sensitivities.
Former IMI President Sushil Ramola urged the NITI Aayog to formulate a comprehensive national policy on Himalayan tourism that balances economic benefits with ecological sustainability and cultural preservation. Former NITI Aayog advisor V.K. Jain called for a distinct "Himalayan Narrative" in policymaking, arguing that development in the mountains must prioritise conservation, ecology and community welfare rather than purely commercial considerations.
Former Sikkim MP P.D. Rai highlighted demographic challenges facing the region, including declining local populations and growing dependence on migrant labour. He cautioned that unmanaged demographic changes could create social tensions in the future. IMI President Ramesh Negi advocated the immediate revival of the Council of Himalayan States, established in 2018 to provide a common policy platform for Himalayan states and Union Territories. He also called for a mandatory Himalayan construction code to ensure that infrastructure projects are designed in line with the region's ecological and geological realities.
Representing Nagaland, Amba Jamir criticised development agencies for overlooking traditional knowledge systems and environmentally sustainable local practices. He urged a review of large-scale plantation drives involving commercial crops such as rubber and palm oil, stressing that local communities must remain central to development planning.
Systemiq Team Leader Arushi Chopra presented a framework for attracting private investment into projects that combine economic growth with conservation and community interests.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.