All should put unified efforts to conserve Himalayas for human existence: Minister Pandey

Kathmandu, July 5: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey has stressed the need for all to put unified efforts to conserve the Himalayas as the heart of the earth for human existence.

During his address to the ‘Himalayan Climate Charter’ Summit here today, Minister Pandey claimed that preserving the Himalayas is the protection of human existence, so all national and international actors should exert concerted efforts for the conservation of the mountains. He viewed that the Himalayan region should be taken as a common heritage of the entire planet and a system to keep the balance in the climate.

“The mountain is the heart of the earth. It is not only the duty to protect the Himalayas but also the preservation of human existence”, he noted. Expressing serious concern over the rising threat of the climate crisis in the Himalayan region, Minister Pandey said rapid melting and outburst of glaciers and mounting threats of floods and landslides have seriously impacted the water resources, biodiversity, tourism industry and local life.

He also shared the information that the government’s preparation for charting out the ‘Clean Mountain Strategy-2082’ has come to a final stage. The five-year action plan has envisaged waste management, environment protection, rehabilitation, responsible tourism and leadership transfer, the minister informed. He called for international financial institutions to channel resources in resolving the climate crisis evolving in the Himalayan nations.