Birla Calls Van Panchayats Backbone of Sustainable Democracy
Lok Sabha Speaker urges grassroots-led conservation model in Uttarakhand to combat climate change
- Om Birla addresses Van Panchayat representatives in Nainital
- Calls for community-led sustainable conservation
- Highlights indigenous knowledge and grassroots governance
- Positions Uttarakhand as global model for ecological stewardship
GG News Bureau
Nainital, 29th April: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday called for a coordinated national approach to environmental sustainability, emphasizing that local communities, Van Panchayats and grassroots institutions are central to India’s ecological future.
Addressing representatives of Van Panchayats, Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies in Nainital, Birla described Uttarakhand’s community-led forest governance model as one of India’s strongest democratic and environmental frameworks.
He said that empowering local communities and integrating traditional knowledge systems are essential for biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and sustainable development.
Birla stressed the interconnected importance of water, forests and land, asserting that conservation is both an ecological necessity and a collective democratic responsibility.
Praising Uttarakhand’s environmental legacy, he highlighted its role in preserving harmonious human-nature coexistence and called for expanded use of medicinal plants, Ayurveda and indigenous expertise.
He also underscored the critical role of women and local populations in forest conservation and climate adaptation strategies.
Referring to climate change as a global challenge, Birla said Uttarakhand’s Van Panchayat model could serve as an international example of sustainable governance rooted in community participation.
He assured local representatives that concerns related to forest fires, institutional strengthening and technical support would be elevated to the national policy level.
