NEW DELHI, SEP 2: Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Karan Singh on Wednesday called for the creation of a Himalayan authority involving countries across the Himalayan region to protect the fragile mountain ecosystem, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the initiative.
Reacting to the devastating flash floods in Nepal, Singh said the disaster had once again highlighted the vulnerability of the Himalayan region and underscored the need for a coordinated approach to its protection.
“The cataclysmic events in Nepal have led to a considerable loss of life and property. I would like to express my deep sympathy with the people of Nepal in this hour of tragedy,” Singh said.
He noted that the event that triggered the disaster occurred in Tibet and said it was another reminder of the fragility of the Himalayas. Singh, who is also a former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, said the Government of India should play a proactive role in protecting the mountain range from environmental destruction.
Criticising the construction of four-lane highways in ecologically sensitive Himalayan areas, Singh termed the four-laning of roads connecting the Char Dham shrines in Uttarakhand “reprehensible”.
He said such projects involve extensive blasting and widening of roads and called for a complete ban on four-lane roads in the Himalayas.
“There is no reason why tourists and pilgrims cannot travel on two-lane roads,” he said.
Singh said he had been advocating for some time that Himalayan nations should establish a common Himalayan authority to formulate a uniform policy for protecting the mountain range.
“I have been suggesting for some time that the Himalayan nations should set up a Himalayan authority. This would include Pakistan, Tibet, India all the way to Bangladesh and Bhutan. Only then can a uniform policy be adopted,” he said.
He suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi take the initiative in this regard in consultation with the Prime Minister of Nepal.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Nepal’s devastating flash floods rose to 1,127 on Wednesday, with rescue teams continuing efforts to trace thousands of people reported missing.
According to Nepal Police, 348 bodies were recovered from Chitwan, 217 from Nawalparasi East, 190 from Nawalparasi West and 155 from Nuwakot. Another 66 bodies were recovered from Gorkha, 59 from Dhading, 45 from Rasuwa and 38 from Tanahu.
Security forces have so far rescued 6,541 people, while 4,858 remain missing, police said.
The flash floods, triggered by a collapse or avalanche of ice and rock near the Nepal-Tibet border, devastated parts of northern and central Nepal on August 26. Continuous rainfall has also disrupted search and rescue operations in Rasuwa and Nuwakot.
