The world-famous Valley of Flowers in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand received visitors on Sunday. The entrance gate was opened for tourists, where forest department staff greeted the visitors on their first day. There are 62 registered tourists in June until now. This valley has over 300 species of Himalayan flowers.
The Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is famous for its over 500 plant species. It is open for tourists every year from June to October. The valley is situated in the Garhwal Himalayas, next to Nanda Devi National Park, and is known for its serene, picturesque beauty.
The chief minister announced on Saturday that the Uttarakhand government is ready to take a step toward scientific, safe, and environmentally responsible medicine disposal in the state. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has started work towards implementing the guidelines issued by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in the state. A release said this decision is not just an administrative process but a transformative initiative to make Uttarakhand a model state of a “green health system” across the country.
Health Secretary and Commissioner of the FDA, Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar, said that till now, there has been a lack of a clear and consistent system for the disposal of expired and unused medicines.”This challenge becomes more serious in an environmentally sensitive state like Uttarakhand. Now we are moving towards controlling it under a well-planned system,” Kumar said.
He informed that in these guidelines, the process has been decided keeping in mind every stage of the life cycle of medicines from production to consumption and then proper disposal. Kumar further said that under the “Healthy Citizen, Clean Uttarakhand” mission announced by the Chief Minister, this initiative will take the state towards a green and sustainable healthcare model.
With this decision, the possibility of establishing the state as a leading state in the field of environmental responsibility and health security at the national and international levels has also become stronger. Only the active participation of all the parties involved in this entire process, policymakers, business organisations and common citizens, can make this mission successful. Uttarakhand is moving towards becoming an example in this direction.
Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar informed that as per the plan of the Health Department, “Drug Take-Back Sites” will be set up in a phased manner in urban, semi-urban and hilly areas of Uttarakhand. Here, common citizens will be able to deposit unused, expired or spoiled medicines lying in their homes. Medicines from these centres will be collected scientifically and disposed of in specially approved processing units.
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