DANG, Jan 12: Concerned about the rampant excavation in the Chure range, former president Dr Ram Baran Yadav has urged the government to stop the "ongoing destruction in the name of development."

Speaking at a function organized on the premises of Shantisudha Secondary School of Ghorahi on Saturday, former president Yadav said, "We must carry out development activities but not at the cost of our natural resources." He appealed to all tiers of government to co-operate with each other for the protection and conservation of the environment.

According to him, efforts must be made to stop the rampant extraction of resources in the Chure region as that is leading to the drying of water sources. "We can import petrol but how will we import water if our sources dry out?" he asked. He urged everyone to take efforts for the conservation of forest, wildlife and water resources, which will enhance tourism in the country and ultimately contribute to the economy.

So as to make students understand the importance of Chure conservation, he said it is very important to include this issue in the course book. "Most students these days want to be doctors or engineers but if I was a student, I would have rather preferred to be an environment conservationist," he said.

 
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