The Mountain Climate Trust conducted an international seminar on “Empowering Mountain Communities” along with the book launch of Dr. Kamaljit S. Bawa's internationally acclaimed coffee table book “Himalayas : Mountains of life” on Saturday, November 4th, 2023 at Seminar Hall, 1, 2 & 3, Kamladevi Block, India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi.
The event was graced by honorable Sant Balbir Singh Seenchewal, Padmashri, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and world renowned environmentalist. The seminar was inaugurated by the dignified presence of Virendra Dayal, Padma Bhushan, Former Chef de Cabinet United Nations, Member Human Rights Commission and Lt. Gen Ata Hasnain (Retd), Former GOC 15 Corps (Srinagar), Member NDMA and Chancellor Central University of Kashmir.
On the occasion Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, Chancellor Central University of Kashmir and Member Disaster Management Authority delivered the Keynote Address and said, “Mountains are where National Security has huge stakes; with the LoC and the LAC both existing there. The onset of Climate Change threatens mountain infrastructure and displaces several mountain communities from traditional areas posing several security and disaster risks which need deep study to overcome.”
The seminar was focused on the importance of empowering mountain communities to counter global warming through sustainable development. Eminent Indian and international environmentalists and disaster experts discussed their insights with participating NGOs, Environmental Institutes, and policy makers on the occasion.
Emphasis was laid upon the unique challenges mountain states face in overcoming climate change and disasters due to their location and fragmented development. An overarching regional authority could coordinate efforts to build resilience.
An environmentalist at heart and weaving spirituality to eco-friendliness, Sant Balbir Singh Seenchewal is rightly termed as the Green Sant. He is a man with a mission and shares his thoughts as, “My heart goes out to the mountains as they are the first to bear the brunt of climate change. Our sages in the past climbed up the hills to meditate, they survived alone on fruits and were scarcely equipped to lead their lives. Life in the hills isn’t easy which is why people there are simple and make do with whatever little they can. But in recent times, things have changed. Everyone wants to travel to the hills for holidays, trek etc and the more affluent ones want to build their homes there to live comfortably in the summer months leading to unnecessary construction. And trust me, as compared to the facilities we are now developing in the hill states of India, we are not even sparsely equipped to manage the solid waste! None of us are unaware of the monsoons hills faced the past season. Cloud bursts and landslides are only becoming frequent.”
In his speech Sant Balbir quoted Gurbani as “The wind is our guru, water is father, and the earth, mother” emphasizing the importance of ecology and nature in the scriptures. He mentioned how he and his contemporaries transformed a rivulet into its current exemplary form. Kali Bein, the river was a dirty drain due to neglegance of the population of the surrounding area is now source of clean water supply for irrigation purposes. Proudly he states that President APJ Abdul Kalam termed this project as ‘One of the Nine Wonders of India’.
Sant Balbir, wishes to see humans respecting and revering the gift of nature that we have all been bestowed upon just like our ancestors did.