New Delhi, Apr 23 (FN Agency) Climate warrior and youth icon Bhumi Pednekar is setting herself on a massive mission to clean the Himalayas.On the occasion of World Earth Day, on Saturday, Bhumi has announced that she has become the Goodwill Ambassador of non-profit, ‘Healing Himalayas’, that does extensive and exemplary work towards preservation of ecology in the mountain range.Bhumi, who is also the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ambassador, will be traveling to these mountainous regions and participate in cleanliness drives aimed at keeping the Himalayas clean. ‘Healing Himalayas’ foundation is a seven year old organisation formed to address the problem of garbage in a rather unique way – they are committed to restoring the pristine natural environment of the Himalayas. The organisation has taken over the onerous task of cleaning out trash from the picturesque Himalayas.
Their primary mission being – to dissolve the problem of waste management by collecting tons of non-biodegradable items discarded by the trekkers or pilgrims and disposing it properly at the base town/city where it can also be recycled. To handle the collected waste through their cleanup campaigns and multiple panchayats which are a part of our Zero waste villages, they have built five material recovery facilities at locations (Mansari- Kullu district, Rakcham & Pooh village in Kinnaur, Tabo in Spiti & Narkanda in Shimla district) where tourist footfall is quite substantial. All the five facilities are operational and since last year they have collected four-five tonnes of non-biodegradable waste daily which is approximately 550 tonnes.Speaking about this association, Bhumi said, “I believe that each one of us must realise our responsibility towards the planet and actively strive to reduce the impact of pollution and global warming. The time to act is now! This campaign gives me a chance to speak on the urgent need to preserve The Himalayas and its delicate yet essential ecosystem.
I will do my absolute best to visit as many sites as possible during my tenure and also participate in raising awareness about this important cause.” Pradeep Sangwan, the founder and promoter of the Healing Himalayas Foundation added, “Bhumi Pednekar has persistently and relentlessly advocated against climate change and pollution. She is an aware individual who is followed by the youth of the country. So, having her as a part of this campaign enables us to raise more awareness towards keeping our mountains clean and how preserving its eco-system is an absolute necessity. We are sure that we will do good work together to keep The Himalayas clean.” As a climate change advocate, Bhumi has been speaking up constantly through her social media platforms and has regularly drawn attention to the work of climate activists at the grassroots level. She has also spoken at the prestigious Harvard University on the need to protect our planet.