New Delhi: Experts and policymakers have called for urgent action to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism, responsible development and climate-resilient infrastructure.
The concerns were discussed during a Himalayan Roundtable held at the India International Centre in New Delhi. The dialogue brought together policymakers, climate scientists, architects and environmental experts to examine the growing environmental pressures on the Himalayan region.
The roundtable was organised by the CP Kukreja Foundation for Design Excellence and was moderated by senior journalist Prabhu Chawla.
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Participants included P. Subramanyam, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Government of Arunachal Pradesh; Lt Gen (Retd) Harpal Singh; Ajit Pai, Chairman of the Delhi Urban Art Commission; Amit Prothi, Director General of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure; Dipankar Saharia, Senior Director at the The Energy and Resources Institute; and Dikshu C. Kukreja, Managing Principal at CP Kukreja Architects, among others.
Speaking during the discussion, Subramanyam said Arunachal Pradesh contains one of India’s richest forest ecosystems and emphasised the importance of balancing conservation with sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
“Arunachal Pradesh holds one of the richest forest ecosystems in India, and our responsibility is not only to conserve these natural resources but also to ensure that conservation goes hand in hand with sustainable livelihoods for local communities,” he said.
Lt Gen (Retd) Harpal Singh highlighted the importance of strategic planning for development in the Himalayan region.
“The Himalayas are not just a mountain range; they are a living ecosystem that supports millions of people across the subcontinent. Development in the region must be guided by long-term environmental sensitivity and strategic planning,” he said.
Ajit Pai said hill towns are witnessing increasing development pressure and stressed the need for architecture and urban planning that respects the region’s terrain, climate and ecological limitations.
“Sustainable design, low-impact infrastructure and culturally sensitive development must become the foundation for all future projects in the region,” he said.
Experts also pointed to the impact of climate change on the Himalayan landscape.
“What we are witnessing today in the Himalayas—erratic rainfall, landslides and flash floods—is not an isolated phenomenon,” said Dipankar Saharia, adding that these changes reflect deeper climatic shifts combined with human-induced environmental pressures.
Dikshu C. Kukreja emphasised the need for environmentally sensitive infrastructure planning in the Himalayan region.
“The Himalayas demand a fundamentally different approach to development. Architecture and infrastructure must be designed with a deep understanding of topography, climate patterns and ecological balance,” he said.
Participants also discussed concerns around unregulated tourism, deforestation and rapid urbanisation in hill towns, which they said are contributing to landslides, flash floods and environmental degradation in northern India.
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Experts noted that increasing tourist traffic during peak seasons has added pressure on mountain infrastructure and led to rising vehicular emissions and congestion in popular hill destinations.
They also emphasised that the Himalayas play a critical role in supporting rivers, biodiversity and water security for millions across South Asia.
According to the organisers, insights from the discussion will be compiled into a White Paper outlining recommendations and strategies for sustainable Himalayan development.
The document is expected to be released in the coming weeks.
