The contribution made towards environment conservation by the people of Uttarakhand is inspirational for the whole world. The Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said this at the inaugural function of the second Rustamji BSF-Uttarakhand Tourism MTB Himalayan Race –2018 here on Sunday morning. The event was focused on the themes of 'Save Environment-Stay Healthy and Women Empowerment. It was held jointly by the BSF Institute of Adventure and Advance Training, Doiwala (Dehradun) and the Uttarakhand Tourism Department.
The Chief Minister expressed happiness at the thousands of people who have come forward to participate in the State Government’s campaign to rejuvenate the Rispana and Kosi rivers. Any campaign becomes successful only with extensive public support. He said that people should understand that every campaign being run by the Government and society is their work and then only it can be successful. Today, big cities and metros are becoming gas chambers because of pollution.
In this scenario, awareness towards environmental protection and environment is important for everyone’s life. Thousands of deaths are being reported today due to polluted environment. Urban areas and metros like Delhi are passing through a big environmental crisis. Under such circumstances, the importance of the Himalayan State like Uttarakhand has increased, with its clean environment being no less than a precious heritage.
While giving best wishes to BSF and Uttarakhand Tourism for the cycle race organised for the purpose of environmental protection and empowerment of women, the Chief Minister opined that that this event was important for enhancing environmental awareness during the time of environmental crisis.
This effort of BSF and Uttarakhand Tourism will present a new dimension in the field of adventure sports in Uttarakhand and will open the vast potential of scenic beauty and elegance of Uttarakhand along with adventure sports at the world level.
This will also help boost the State’s capabilities in other adventure sports like paragliding, water sports, trekking, skiing and mountaineering among other such activities being promoted nationally. He emphasised on the need for promoting the participation of women in such campaigns.
The BSF inspector general (Training) ID Sharma stated that all riders of mountain bikes in this campaign, with the 'Save Environment-Stay Healthy and Women Empowerment' movement, while mountain biking, will spread this message to the people settled in the hill areas of the Himalayan region along the 350 kilometre stretch of their journey.
Along with Sharma, the tourism secretary Dilip Jawalkar, BSF officers and jawans, students from various schools and colleges, cadets of National Cadet Corps, Scouts and Guides, personnel of army and ITBP along with national level mountain bikers were also among those present on the occasion.