Mountain states to come together under IMI Pan Himalayan Legislators’ Forum
Correspondent
KOHIMA, SEPTEMBER 26
IN a historic step towards development of the mountainous states of the country, the legislators and parliamentarians of the 11 mountain states of India have come together to find legislative solutions to the challenges posed by climate change and for sustainable development.Holding the first ever meeting after coming together in the Sustainable Mountain Development Summit –III, the 51 elected representatives of the mountain states on the second day of the summit held a threadbare closed door discussion on the developmental issues concerning the mountain states.
Addressing a hurriedly called press conference at Nagaland Assembly Secretariat here tonight, NLA Speaker Chotisuh Sazo announced the four-point resolution adopted during the meeting.
He said, after much deliberation by all elected members present from many Indian Mountain states at the 1st Indian Himalayan Legislators Meet here, the mountain states resolved to come together under the banner of Indian Mountain Initiative (IMI) Pan Himalayan Legislators’ Forum.
To take this forward, the speakers of Nagaland Chotisuh Sazo and Sikkim Karma Tempo Namgyal Gyaltsen will jointly write to all the speakers of all mountain states of India for action within their own legislative assemblies.
“This effort will be facilitated by IMI in collaboration with GLOBE India,” Sazo said while announcing the draft resolutions at the press conference.
The resolution stated that efforts will be directed towards addressing the environment related policies and legislation needed to address the growing concerns as articulated by organizations like IMI.
The meet in the form of resolution also welcomed the Kohima declaration presented by Indian Himalayan States Youth Summit 2013.
All the legislators and elected members present at the meeting expressed their solidarity with the thoughts, concerns, expectations and suggestions detailed out in the declaration.
It was further resolved that the legislators, in groups and in their own states, would seriously examine all the issues and come back in the next summit with concrete policies, programmes and solutions.
The meet also fully supported the IMI and SDFN activities and their process and outcomes.
It further assured to fully help by way of better and more effective way in future so that the youth and the people of the mountain states are fully benefited through sustainable development.
All the legislators of Nagaland under the chairmanship of Speaker Sazo resolved to immediately come together to form the Nagaland Chapter of GLOBE India. To initiate the process of integration with GLOBE India, they have nominated Mmhonlumo Kikon, MLA and chairman MARCOFED, to complete this process within the next three months.
Lok Sabha MP from Sikkim and IMI convenor PD Rai, secretary general GLOBE and MP Bhubaneshwar Kalita, Sikkim Assembly Speaker KT Gyaltsen and MLA Mmhonlumo Kikon were also present at the press conference held at the committee room of Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
