Farm production in Himalayan states affected due to climate

NEW DELHI: Farm production in Himalayan states have drastically come down due to climate change, policy makers from the region today said as they sought immediate attention of government to address issues related to global warming in the ecologically-sensitive region.

"If apple orchards have moved upwards in height and there is an increase of 4-5 degrees temperature, the reason must be seen in population increase and climate change," BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur said.

Chairman of Ladakh Autonomous Council, Rigzin Spalbar, said that his region was not as cold as it used to be.

The temperature had come down from -30 degrees Celsius to -16 degrees Celsius. The unintended effect was Lakadh had become an apple-growing region.

They were speaking at a regional consultation organised by GLOBE-India, a forum of parliamentarians committed to finding legislative solutions to the challenges posed by climate change, in association with IELO (Indian Environment Law Offices) and IMI (Integrated Mountain Initiative).

Speaking at the programme, a representative from Sikkim said that cardamom production had gone down drastically due to climate change.

GLOBE-India President Bhubaneswar Kalita and Board Member Vandana Chavan, both members of the Rajya Sabha, briefed the meeting about their observations on UN Climate Conference in Lima in Peru. Both of them attended the Lima conference for two days on December 7 and 8.

Kalita lauded the announcement made by Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar at Lima that the Indian government was committed to bring a climate change legislation soon.