Mountains and Biodiversity : International Mountain Day 2020

International Mountain Day is being celebrated the world over today especially by the Darjeeling Himalayan Initiative (DHI) and The Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI). This year's theme is 'Biodiversity of Sikkim Himalaya' and a broad range of issues was discussed by the expert panelists. 

The major question or questions were "How do we mainstream/ bring discussion on Biodiversity in our day to day lives? Where and when did our disconnect with nature happen?"

The panelists provided really great insights on the role of education, media, and social media in bringing back this connection.

I think there is no easy and quick answers to these really difficult questions. Maybe there is a greater need for reflection and analysis.

That wedge of disconnect with nature is growing into a gorge. Who is to be blamed? What is to be blamed? Or is blaming enough? Are there any solutions and would they work?

The disconnect is there in how we live, what we eat and what we grow...

Dr. Sunitha Pradhan threw light in the increase of zoonotic diseases such as scrub typhus and Covid 19.

Dr. Rinzi Lama rightly refrained from putting too much burden on traditions.

Mr. Pema Dorjee  spoke about the limitations of media and viewership in  enlarging theseathese typeshtypes of stories. His storytelling  was amazing to listen to in this webinar.

These conversations need to happen more, and in different places and spheres of our lives; around the chulllah (cookstoves), around dining tables, in everyday routines and conversations of our lives.

Paddy Field in Sikkim

Just leaving some snapshots of rural life to look and think deeper. Perhaps with a longing, nostalgia and sadness of the things that have been lost.

And also with the hope that maybe some day they will be found before it's too late.

PS: I blogged this from my hospital bed. So I am feeling the real-time disconnect between the air quality and my lungs.

This post is part of ‘Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter'

Paddy fields overlooking Gangtok city

Millet Fields - A disappearing crop.  (Neora Valley)

Traditional Dairy Farming (Neora Valley)

Goat Farming (Neora Valley)