Concerned over steady degradation of the Himalayan ecosystem, PM Manmohan Singh today pitched for "much greater engagement and coordination" among nations, including China and Pakistan, that share the sensitive mountain range.
Singh also said he would convene a meeting of chief ministers of Himalayan states in an effort to safeguard the Himalayan ecosystem and institutionalise the interaction as an annual feature.
He said while a large part of the Himalayan range lies within Indian territory, other countries -- Nepal, Bhutan, China and Pakistan -- share the mountain ranges with India.
"Any comprehensive Climate Change Action Plan for the entire Himalayan zone will, of course, require coordinated action among all stakeholder countries," he said chairing a meeting of PM's Council on Climate Change on the National Mission on Sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem.
Noting that some bilateral initiatives were being taken with China and Bhutan, Singh said "we have to recognise the need for much greater engagement and coordination with all our neighbours which share the Himalayas."
"Over the years, there has been steady degradation of this sensitive zone as a result of deforestation, demographic pressures, rapid and often uncontrolled urbanisation and road building and construction with only marginal attention being paid to environmental safeguards," he lamented.
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