Dehradun: A 13-year-old environmentalist from Uttarakhand Riddhima Pandey has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video message to cancel the de-notification of Shivalik Elephant Reserve to preserve the climate and environment. The child activist has been leading a revolutionary fight against the climate crisis and its damage and has questioned the government over its inabilities and its failure to protect the environment.
Pandey appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Uttarakhand State Wildlife Board has decided to denotify the Shivalik Elephant Reserve to pave the path for the expansion of the Jolly Grant Airport. The decision to de-notify Shivalik Elephant Reserve was taken at the 16th meeting of the board chaired by Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat last month.
Condemning the Uttarakhand government's decision, the activist said the government should consider the wildlife and animals in Uttarakhand, pointing out the de-notification is against the laws of the Forest Protection Act.
Pandey added that the Covid-19 pandemic has shown the world how mankind is paying for disrupting the environmental balance.
READ: Uttarakhand village boasts daughters' name on house plaques
Backing the Uttarakhand government's efforts in tackling the climate crisis, Pandey appealed to Prime Minister Modi to take action against the environmental damage. She also urged the people of Uttarakhand to raise their voices to protect the Shivalik Elephant Reserve.
Pandey recently featured in the BBC’s list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2020. She was also a part of the UN Climate Change Summit in New York along with 16 children, including Greta Thunberg.
Last year, Pandey had started an online campaign urging the PM to talk about the alarming air pollution situation in India in his Mann Ki Baat and declare it as a public health emergency. She has been very vocal on environmental issues and also filed a complaint to protest the lack of government action on the climate change crisis.
The withdrawal of the 2002 notification on Shivalik Elephant Reserve will pave the way for increased development activities in an area spread over 5405 square km including the expansion of Dehradun’s Jolly Grant airport, Chief Wildlife Warden, J S Suhag had said.
READ: UP, Uttarakhand farmers plan to return if govt does not offer talks
