The Chief Minister Of Sikkim Mr. Pawan Chamling is the first r of the Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Lifetime Achiev Service 28 june.indd 1 10/08/17 5:07 pm er Of Sikkim Mr. Pawan Chamling is the first recipient on Singh Shekhawat Lifetime Achievement Award in Public Service 28 june.indd 2 10/08/17 5:07 pm 28 june.indd 3 10/08/17 5:07 pm Printed By: The Prism, © Khangchendzonga Falls, West Sikkim by, Aita bdr. Gurung Deorali, Gangtok 28 june.indd 4 10/08/17 5:07 pm From The Editor’s Desk he second issue of Sikkim Today is a testimony of the continued combined effort of our team at the Information and Public TRelations Department. Therefore, it ills me with delight and gratiication both in bringing out this issue. The focus of the magazine for this month is the environment and the natural marvels that Sikkim has been abundantly blessed with. It is a serious and a signiicant topic because there is an absolute need for everyone to fathom how every action and activity of ours has a direct impact on the environment. We need to acknowledge and accept that the damage that we cause to nature is a damage we cause to ourselves. The month of June is especially signiicant for a biodiversity rich State like Sikkim, as numerous environment sustaining activities conceptualized by our environmentally cognizant Hon’ble Chief Minister, Mr. Pawan Chamling, is held and actively participated in by the people of the State. Sikkim, guided by the Hon’ble Chief Minister is becoming both clairvoyant and cautious. The State Government is actively working towards development in every sector, yet, Mother Nature is held with utmost regard and for the Sikkimese people, the sanctity of the land is close to heart. Therefore, while the State evolves, the gravity of nature and environment remains intact. We have also tried to put together stories of conscious citizens who work diligently in fulilling their responsibilities. We hope their stories inspire you as much it has inspired us and we hope that with every issue that we bring out, you ind inspiration while we derive inspiration from your response. Lastly, I, on behalf of the Information and Public Relations Department would like to express my gratitude to the oficers and staff of FE&WMD, UD & HD, Roads and Bridges, and Buildings and Housing Department for their guidance and support. Tenzing Pema Bhutia, Editor. 28 june.indd 5 10/08/17 5:08 pm 7-10 Green Governance Sanctuaries of Sikkim 12-19 Khangchendzonga National Park- A 20-23 Capsulization 28-33 Green Crusaders 34 State Green Award PRINCIPAL SECRETARY Govind Mohan (IAS) SPECIAL SECRETARY Namrata Thapa EDITOR Tenzing Pema Bhutia PROOF READER Karma T. Dolma SCRIPTWRITER Smita Thapa COVER DESIGN & PHOTO BY Aita bdr. Gurung LAYOUT DESIGN Chetan Pradhan CONTRIBUTORS FE&WMD, Sonam Goparma, Simon Subba, Bhumika Pradhan Raj Kumar Sharma, Avvantika Rajalim, Aaron E. Lepcha, Anula Gurung, Manisha Nepal, Manjeeta Adhikari, Megna Basnett, Sandeep Kr. Rai, Chandra Psd. Sharma, Sonam Norbu Bhutia, Chetnath Sharma, Adarsh Gurung, Keshap Chettri, Samdup Lepcha, Phurba Tamang. Conceptualised, Designed &Published By : Department of Information & Public Relations, Government of Sikkim [email protected] [email protected] 28 june.indd 6 10/08/17 5:08 pm JUNE 2017 “GREEN GOVERNANCE” Riding The Green Wave -Sonam Goparma PRO / Siliguri John James Audubon, an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter once said… “A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children”. oday, besides terrorism, the ecological crisis for his outstanding contribution towards nature is doing what no other crisis in history has conservation. Tever done- challenging us to a realization of The work done by the Sikkim Government in a new humanity. conserving forest and protecting ecological The hallmark of the present government led balance yielded the increase in wildlife protected by the Chief Minister, Mr. Pawan Chamling for area by 30.77% of the total geographical area over two decades has been the overall and which is a benchmark in the country. sustainable development of the State without What really captured the imagination of the disturbing the eco system, which is a rarity. There country and truly put Sikkim on the global map is a high degree of interconnection between was Sikkim going “Organic” . The policy for economic, social and environmental relations adoption of organic farming was brought in when in sustainable development and that is what no other state of India had thought about it. the State Government has always focused on. It took Sikkim 13 grueling years to achieve this Despite having multiple dificulties in aligning historic target. On 18th January 2016, when the these spheres towards attaining sustainable Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi declared Sikkim development, the government has never derailed as an Organic farming State, a major milestone from the green path. of the Chief Ministers dream of going green was The co-ordination is too complex for all aspects achieved. This endeavour was facilitated by to be drawn together with ease. Fragility of the Prime Minister who played the role of Brand consensus and dificulties in coordinating restrict Ambassador of Organic Sikkim and applauded joint action, making the path towards sustainability the initiative taken by the Government of Sikkim frequently impracticable. The relentless effort and in his speeches within and outside the country. determination exhibited by the Chief Minister, Bollywood actor, Aamir Khan too gave a great Mr. Pawan Chamling has been the reason for impetus to the organic farming initiative of the Sikkim achieving the unique recognition and his Government of Sikkim by telecasting it in his TV environmental friendly polices has also won him series “Satyamev Jayate” . accolades, both at the national and international Today,Sikkim is on its course towards achieving level. remarkable horizons of progress in green In the year 1994 when the present government governance. This fantastic green policy success came into power; the very irst thing they did was story has been led by the dynamic Chief Minister declare 1995-96 as “Harit Kranti” year for greening Mr. Pawan Chamling who despite stiff initial Sikkim through people’s participation and also opposition, moved ahead persistently. His untiring adopted the ten- year period from 2000-2010 efforts have held the attention of the world which as “Harit Kranti Dashak”. Little over four years is grappling with the hazardous effects of climate since he took ofice, Mr. Chamling was awarded change and our beloved State Sikkim, today the Greenest Chief Minister of India (1998) by stands tall as the paragon State in terms of pro- Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, environment policies and achievements. SIKKIM TODAY 7 28 june.indd 7 10/08/17 5:08 pm JUNE 2017 8 SIKKIM TODAY 28 june.indd 8 10/08/17 5:08 pm JUNE 2017 SIKKIM TODAY 9 28 june.indd 9 10/08/17 5:08 pm JUNE 2017 WHAT SETS US APART Compiled by Smita Thapa / Scriptwriter THE SIKKIM STATE GREEN MISSION unique and absolutely pro-environment programme, the State Green Mission aims to further reinforce wide spread recognition of Sikkim being a Green State through A increasing avenue plantations along the roads and beautification of all vacant and waste lands. Formally launched by the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Mr. Pawan Chamling on the 27th of February 2006, the major objective of this programme is to create green belts and avenues for meeting the aesthetic recreational needs of the people and beautify the areas for tourist attraction. The State Government has taken noteworthy initiatives that has generated massive scale avenue plantations by using all the man power in various departments in the Government, and other nature lovers from the governmental and non-governmental organisations including different eco clubs and self help groups. While transforming Sikkim into a garden State, the mission also works with the objective of promoting tourism as a sustainable and eco-friendly activity in the State. The programme which has already completed its 11th phase of implementation also aims to generate awareness on environment and forests and usher in a sense of participation and ownership amongst the people in the whole process. PARYAVARAN MAHOTSAV he Chief Minister of Sikkim , Mr. Pawan Chamling declared June 15th -30th as Paryavaran Mahotsav fortnight in Sikkim on the 15th of June 2013 in order to keep up with the Tvision of developing Sikkim into a model green State. Paryavaran Mahotsav or the “Environmental Festival” is a people’s programme celebrated throughout the State from 15th to 30th June every year. It has set up a holistic platform duly integrating the State’s flagship programmes viz. The State Green Mission and, the Ten Minutes to Earth which have now become the integral part of Paryavaran Mahotsav celebrated every year by the State of Sikkim. Mass Plantation drives, Greenathons, Signature Campaigns, Activities for students and Mass Cleanliness drives mark this people’s programme. TEN MINUTES TO EARTH he Ten Minutes to Earth is a groundbreaking and ingenious programme conceptualized and initiated by the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Mr. Pawan Chamling in 2009 in which the T25th of June every year is observed by every citizen of the State as an annual ritual by dedicating ten minutes of their time in plantation, protection and conservation of Mother Earth. During the first year of its implementation in 2009, a total of 6,10,694 saplings were planted in a record 10 minutes time . As the clock ticked 10:30, thousands of people stopped all other activities to pledge themselves to Mother Earth for 10 minutes.