Amidst devastating flash floods in Nepal, veteran Congress chief Karan Singh advocates for a unified Himalayan Authority to guard the delicate mountain vary from environmental destruction, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to guide this significant initiative.
IMAGE: Veteran Congress chief and writer Dr. Karan Singh in a dialog throughout his e book launch ‘A Statesman and a Seeker-The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Dr. Karan Singh’, in New Delhi, August 20, 2026. {Photograph}: Neeraj/ANI Picture
Key Factors
- Veteran chief Karan Singh proposes a Himalayan Authority for mountain vary safety.
- The authority ought to embrace nations like India, Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
- Singh urges PM Modi to provoke discussions with Nepal’s PM for this joint effort.
- He criticises the “reprehensible” four-laning of Char Dham highways in Uttarakhand, citing environmental injury.
- Nepal is presently dealing with devastating flash floods, with a dying toll exceeding 1,100 and 1000’s lacking.
Veteran Congress chief and former Union minister Karan Singh on Wednesday urged the establishing of a Himalayan authority by Himalayan nations to assist save the mountain vary and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the initiative.
He additionally termed the four-laning of highways to attach the Char Dhams in Uttarakhand “reprehensible”, saying the federal government of India should undertake a proactive position in saving the Himalayas from destruction.
Singh additionally expressed deep sympathy with the folks of Nepal over the lack of lives after the catastrophe, saying he has a particular attachment with the nation as his late spouse hailed from the place.
Name For A Unified Himalayan Authority
“The cataclysmic occasions in Nepal have led to a substantial lack of life and property. I wish to specific my deep sympathy with the folks of Nepal on this hour of tragedy,” Singh mentioned, noting that his late spouse was from Nepal, and thus, he has a particular attachment with that “lovely nation” and its folks.
“I have to add that the occasion that triggered the catastrophe passed off in Tibet. In a method the episode has as soon as once more reminded of the fragility of the Himalayan area. This is the reason many lovers of the Himalayas, like myself, have continuously been urging that the Authorities of India should take some proactive position in saving the Himalayas from destruction,” mentioned the veteran chief, who can also be the previous governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
“The destruction that four-lane roads in such delicate areas, because the Char Dham in Uttarakhand, is reprehensible. This includes large blasting and widening of the roads. In my opinion four-lane roads ought to be completely banned within the Himalayas. There is no such thing as a purpose why vacationers and pilgrims can’t journey on two-lane roads,” he asserted.
Defending The Fragile Mountain Ecosystem
“I’ve been suggesting for a while that the Himalayan nations ought to arrange a Himalayan authority. This would come with Pakistan, Tibet, India all the way in which to Bangladesh and Bhutan. Solely then can a uniform coverage be adopted. It might be acceptable if Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been to take the initiative on this regard with the prime minister of Nepal,” the previous Union minister mentioned.
Nepal Grapples With Devastating Floods
The dying toll from Nepal’s devastating flash floods rose to 1,127 on Wednesday as rescuers are racing to seek out 1000’s nonetheless lacking per week after the Himalayan catastrophe, the police mentioned.
In keeping with the Nepal police, 348 extra lifeless our bodies have been recovered from Chitwan, 217 from Nawalparasi East, 190 from Nawalparasi West and 155 from Nuwakot.
Equally, 66 our bodies have been recovered from Gorkha, 59 from Dhading, 45 from Rasuwa, and 38 from Tanahu.
To date, safety forces have rescued 6,541 folks from the affected areas whereas search operations continued for 4,858 lacking folks, the police mentioned.
Flash floods, triggered by a collapse or avalanche of ice and rock close to the Nepal-Tibet border, devastated cities and villages in northern and central Nepal on August 26. The continual rain in Nepal is disrupting search and rescue operations in Rasuwa and Nuwakot.
