By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 4 Jun: In the context of World Environment Day, the Uttarakhand Chapter of FICCI FLO today organised a webinar, ‘Back to Nature’, to highlight the need for creating sustainable livelihood in line with nature. Dr Anil Prakash Joshi, green activist, social worker, botanist, the founder of Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation and Padma Shri Awardee was the Chief Guest.
The webinar was attended by 17 chapters of FLO and 4 Y FLO chapters across the country.
The webinar emphasised on women being in the forefront to adopt sustainable ways to conserve and restore nature keeping in mind economic development as ecology and economics go hand in hand. Apart from this, various ways were discussed for the conservation of environment, like minimising habits that harm the environment, planting more trees, re-energising water of rivers, et al. FICCI FLO plans to adopt some villages where women would be given a chance to be the policy makers and conserve the environment.
According to Jahnabi Pookan, National President FLO, “I am happy to be a part of this session by Uttarakhand Chapter because the topic is completely in sync with my vision for the year 2020-21, which is sustainable livelihood for women’s economic uplift. In March, 2020, the world, as we knew, had changed and in these unprecedented pandemic times, sustainability has taken centre stage. Indeed, it is only through women’s sustainable livelihood that can lead to her empowerment and only women’s economic empowerment that can lead to an equitable society. It is time that we go back to nature and look at natural and locally available resources to increase, both, availability and options of livelihood. No amount of effort can actually make natural resource management possible unless communities are engaged and there comes the role of sustainable livelihood. There are many ways of conservation of natural resource; sustainable livelihood is one of them.”
“It’s a great moment for us to organise a national webinar on sustainable livelihood in line with nature. I firmly believe sustainable livelihoods and practices have become a central concept for our age. And for us in Uttarakhand – women has been the backbone of the state and I look forward to practice of ecology to economy. No amount of effort can actually make natural resource management possible unless communities are engaged and there comes the role of sustainable livelihood,” added Kiran Bhatt Todaria, President, Uttarakhand Chapter, FICCI FLO.
Dr Anil Prakash Joshi said, “Globally, more than 50% GDP depends upon natural resources. On the other hand, we do not have the mechanism to ensure the growth of the ecosystem or natural resources so that sustainability can be maintained. Ecology inclusive economy alone can y bring stability in our development. In the recent past, we have overlooked our natural resources and, ultimately, the cost has to be borne by nature. The storms and the number of diseases unknown are all related to our past behaviour with Nature. It is high time to understand the ecosystem, its services and sustainability issues.”
The webinar was attended by Komal Batra, Senior Vice Chairperson, Uttarakhand Chapter of FICCI FLO, Dr Neha Sharma, Vice Chairperson, Uttarakhand Chapter, and all office-bearers and the executive committee.
