The IUCN World Conservation Congress which started on 5th October in Barcelona and leads decision making in sustainable development to debate, share, network, learn, commit, vote and decide would also see Sanjeeva Pandey, the Executive Director of Department of Sustainable Practices, Himalayan Ski Village as an expert of Pheasant Specialist Group at Species Specialist Commission Pavilion.
Sanjeeva would be meeting the visitors and telling them about pheasants particularly about the Western Tragopan and its conservation efforts in Himachal Pradesh. Sanjeeva explained “the world distribution of Western Tragopan, is confined to the western Himalayas, occurring from Himachal Pradesh, west through Kashmir and Kohistan and possibly Uttaranchal, north-west India. I emphasized the point of resolving socio-economic issues on priority for effective contribution to the Western Tragopan (biological diversity) conservation. This required help people achieve better life quality through biodiversity conservation. For example, the community’s programmes at the Great Himalayan National Park inevitably involved a number of other agencies from the highest level (the Chief Minister of the state) to World Pheasant Association. Similar things can be undertaken under the Corporate Social Responsibility at the Himalayan Ski Village which is my current work responsibility at Manali. ”
He further adds, “However, Economic Empowerment would not to lead to conservation. It needs to incorporate a back-up of- effective policy and legislation, socio-political and spiritual empowerment, conservation education programme, and collaborative management.”
The conference would end on 14th October.
