SOLIDARITY OF A HILLMAN- By Standing Together with Sonam Wangchuk

As a native of *#Uttarakhand*, a hill state whose identity and discourse is defined by the five j’s of jalvayu, jal, jungle, jammen and jaiv-vividhta (climate, water, forest, land & biodiversity); the ongoing *#climatefest* undertaken by *#SonamWangchuk* really hits home.

The damage and destruction of the *#Himalayas* is in plain sight for all to see. Last year in 2023; we witnessed five (yes, coincidence but five again) major catastrophes in the Indian Himalayan Region starting with *#Joshimath* in Uttarakhand. A few months later, the monsoon of 2023 wreaked havoc in *#HimachalPradesh* as well as Uttarakhand. Just as we were heaving a sigh of relief, flash floods in the Teesta basin in *#Sikkim* in the beginning of October brought further news of death and downstream destruction. November saw the infamous *#Silkyara* episode with 41 men trapped for 17 days in an under construction tunnel that was being made flouting all rules even as per government investigations.

Even with our limited attention spans, coupled with our shrinking collective memory as a country and the electoral frenzy of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections; it is crucial that we all accept that protecting and conserving the environment is not just a responsibility, it’s a duty that we owe to our planet and our future generations. I urge each one of us to raise our voice in support for Sonam and the people of *#Ladakh* by expressing solidarity with them and ask the central govt to take precautionary steps to ensure the same.

By standing together with Sonam Wangchuk, my aim is not only to amplify the message of environmental stewardship but also advocate for eco-centric models and people-friendly sustainable development in the Himalayas. Counting on your support in this mission!

Anoop Nautiyal
Dehradun, Uttarakhand
March 23, 2024