Uttarakhand should get more financial help in form of green bonus in lieu of the environmental services provided by its forests, said Haridwar MP and former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’ while interacting with the newspersons here on Thursday. He said that though the State Government along with those of other Himalayan States are being provided with Green Bonus, it is much less as compared to the environmental services rendered by these States.
The former CM recalled that it was he who during his chief ministerial stint had rallied all the Himalayan States and held a conclave for Green Bonus. “The idea was initially laughed at by the people but later everyone accepted the contribution of these States and green bonus was given to the Himalayan States,’’ he said.
Nishank, further, informed that he had brought a private member’s bill on Glaciers and need for their perseveration in lok Sabha in 2016. He added that he had constituted a Glacier Authority in the State when he was helming the Government of Uttarakhand. He added that he would hold talks with CM Trivendra Singh Rawat for reviving the authority.
Terming the Himalayas as water tower for the large human population and equating it with lord Shiva for absorbing all pollutants emanated by the developed countries, the former CM said that efforts should be made to conserve it. Informing about his recent visit to the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Poland and Austria, he said that he was felicitated for his literary works, ‘Sparsh Ganga Abhiyan’ and achievements in the field of Himalaya and environment conservation.
He lauded the decision of Narendra Modi Government for increasing the minimum support price (MSP) of 14 crops, making it one and half times of the total production costs of the farmers. He said that it is for the first time since independence that any Government has made such an hefty increase in MSP.
Responding to a question about concerns raised by 'waterman' Rajendra Singh on Ganga rejuvenation and his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, Nishank said that concrete works for evolving a permanent solution for Ganga rejuvenation are currently being undertaken.