Integrated Mountain Initiative’s ‘Meet of the Mountain States’ was held in Delhi.

Dimapur, March 25 (MExN): Integrated Mountain Initiative’s ‘Meet of the Mountain States’ (MoMS) event kicked off at the Ganga Auditorium, Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change, Delhi on March 23.
The event was organised this year in collaboration with the DIvecha Center from Climate Change and the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, an update received here stated.
MOMs is an annual event organised by Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI) where outcomes of sustainable mountain development summit outcomes and key mountain issues are placed before policy makers and elected in Delhi. The event had participation of delegates from all mountain states of India and members of various organisations and institutions, an update received here stated.
On the opening day, the chief guests were Ministers for State MoEFCC, Ashiwni K Choubey and Minister for State Tourism, Ajay Bhatt while Tashi Gyalson, Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council was the special guest.
IMI President, PD Rai in his opening remarks highlighted the importance of the mountains and how IMI has been working for more than a decade for furthering the agenda for sustainable development in the mountains.
The outcomes from SMDSXI were shared by Jigmet Takpa PCCF- Ladakh and President, Sustainable Development Forum of Ladakh which highlighted the need to mainstream the theme of sustainable tourism across the IHR.
Two technical sessions discussed plastic management with special focus on extended producer responsibility and resurgence of millets in the mountains. Representatives from the mountain states hared the various issues and challenges on both the themes.
On the second day, Minister for MOEFCC Bhupendra Yadav joined the meeting virtually as the chief guest and Dr Rajkumar Ranjan, Minister of State for External Affairs and Education was the guest of honour.
The outcomes from the thematic sessions on millets and plastic waste were presented by the session leads, Dr GS Rawat and Roshan Rai in the presence of other legislators from the mountain states of Manipur, Sikkim, Arunachal and Uttarakhand.
The need for mountain sensitivity as well as special focus in extended producer responsibility guidelines was stressed upon by the speakers, and was deemed essential to redress the Himalayan plastic pollution crisis by the panel of Legislators. The need for legislative action to end plastic pollution in the mountains was acknowledged by all. Legislators shared their childhood connections with millets and the need to revive and promote it for the well being of people and the planet, and the year of the millets provided a great opportunity, the update stated.