Dr. VK Bahuguna

  Climate Change Meet at Cop29 : Ends in usual rhetorics By: Dr VK Bahuguna (The writer is the former Director-General ICFRE in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India)   The Conference of Parties (CoP 29) organized by the United Nation Framework Convention Climate Change was held in Baku, Azerbaijan in the month of November 2024 and proclaimed success in many spheres and the President of the Cop 29 Mr Mukthar Babayev, while making his opening speech exhorted the delegates to “ enhance ambition and enable action ”. He in a very subtle manner in these words explained the inaction by the world community and called upon delegates to show leadership and move forward in solidarity and go to work to save the tomorrow by listening to all voices. As it is well known by climate change experts that since 2009 in all the CoPs the declaration has been routinely recommending to the developed countries to financing the developing countries particu...

  Ravaging Forest Fires –who is accounatble? By: Dr VK Bahuguna (The author was Director-General of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and Chancellor FRI University)   This year like previous years the forest fires are raging the forests of India specially the situation is very grim in Uttarakhand where thousands of hectares of forests are burning. The fires have been raging all over Uttarakhand and this year the situation has become very critical with some insane anti-social and anti-national elements have been indulging in making video reels and watching with vicarious pleasures, unfortunately enough, coupled with local people also putting up with their annual rituals of burning the civil soyam and reserve forests to fire to get fresh grasses for their cattle. A few such hoodlums were arrested in Uttarakhand. It is well known to all in the society as well as in the government that the forest fires in India occurs during November to June months and adeq...

  Seeds of clean and non-discriminatory politics germinate in Uttarakhand By: Dr VK Bahuguna (The writer is former Director-General in the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change)   India is the largest democracy of the world and in modern era barring a few exceptions the rule by democratically elected rulers is the norm in the civilized world. However, the degree of fairness, egalitarism and equality in democratically elected governments is different in different countries depending upon how mature is the society and political leaders are in following the principles of fairness. India is the first nation to spread head the freedom movement from the colonial rulers of British under the leadership of great freedom fighters led by Mahatma Gandhi. After India attained independence in 1947, the new era of freedom movement started world over and all colonial powers British, French, Holland etc left the countries they ruled. Among the galaxy of nations Indian de...

  India’s Quest for combating water crisis: Problems and Prospects By Dr VK Bahuguna (The author is former Director-general of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education)   Water is fundamental for sustaining life on planet Earth both for the plant as well as animal kingdoms. The animal bodies constitute about 70% water and liquid and in case of plant the water constitute up to about 90% depending upon the type of plant species.   This year the theme of International water day on 22 nd March 2024 is “ Leveraging water for peace ” . It has aptly come at a time when the world is facing wars between Russia and Ukraine as also between Hamas and Israel. Word need peace and the water is one resource which may lead to wars between communities and countries.     Without water there is no life but in today’s world of increasing population, climatic vagaries humanity is facing severe water shortage all over the world. Due to mismanagement of water resource...