Activities and projects carried out by the Environment and Development Desk in the year 1996


Report By Ngawang Gyaltsen Tsona


8th Jan, Mr. Ngawang Gyaltsen, Project Manager of EDD, Mr. Dawa Tsering, Tibetan Welfare Officer, Dharamsala and Mr. Tenzin Phuntsok, then Coordinator, Clean Upper Dharamsala Recycling Project attended a one day workshop on Solid Waste Management at Shimla, the capital city of the state of Himachal Pradesh which was organized by the State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, Government of Himachal Pradesh. Report of the workshop was submitted to the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Cabinet Office of CTA.

17th Jan, EDD submitted a review of resolution 1995/14, entitled "Human Rights and the Environment" prepared for the United Nations Economic and Social Council Commission on Human Rights to Hon. Ibrahim Fall, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, United Nations Organization.

18th Jan, Mr. Tsultrim Palden, Executive Head of the EDD, attended a meeting in Dharamsala on Himachal Pradesh Non-Biogradable Garbage Control Bill 1995. The meeting was attended by various Tibetan and Indian NGOs in Dharamsala. On behalf of the attending members, minutes of the meeting and a separate report of suggestion from EDD to the state government was submitted to the State Council for Science, Technology and Environment of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.

1st to 9th March, EDD organized clean-up and environmental awareness raising activities with assistance from the various monasteries and nunneries in Dharamsala during the Monlam Festival (Great Prayer) and Religious Teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala.

7th April, World Health Day, then staff of EDD Mr. Tenzin Norbu gave a talk to the public on the degradation of Tibet's environment at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, Dharamsala. The talk was illustrated with a slide show. The day was called 'Multicultural Earth Awareness Celebration' organized by Solution in Action (SIA), a NGO for Environment and Cultural preservation with EDD and other NGOs in Dharamsala. There was an environment skit show from lower TCV school on the occasion. About 800 people participated in the event.

22nd April, the Earth Day was marked by the cleaning of Dharamsala by both Tibetan and Indian communities and organizing a series of exhibitions on paper recycling and books on the environment by Tibetan Welfare Office and Environment and Development Desk respectively. The Deputy Commissioner of Kangra District and Dr. Lobsang from Delek Hospital delivered speeches on the day.

30th May to 14th July, Mr. Tenzin P. Atisha then head of Environment & Development Desk, attended the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlement (HABITAT II) at the NGO forum in which about 20,000 delegates from over 2,000 NGOs took part. During the conference a report entitled 'Urban Fate of Lhasa: Destruction of an ancient habitat' of EDD was released.

5th June, The World Environment day was celebrated with a cleanliness drive and environmental awareness raising program in Dharamsala. Mr. Tsultrim Palden, Executive Head of EDD, gave a talk and presented slide show to the public on Tibet's environment. A small stall was set up to educate local people as well as tourists on environmental issues.

In mid August, Mr. Ngawang Gyaltsen of the EDD attended a two month forestry training course in Canada and a two month training on remote sensing principles and interpretation in France at the University of Joseph Fourier.

In September, Mr. Tsultrim Palden, of EDD, attended an international conference on Tibet's environment titled: Endangered Tibet in Australia (from the 21st to the 28th of September). The conference was organized by the Wilderness Society of Australia and co-convened by Australia Tibet Council. The conference was successful in that many individuals and NGOs committed their support to conserve the Tibetan environment.

In October, Mr. Tsultrim Palden delivered a talk on Tibet's environment during Tibet Awareness Week which was organized by the Department of Information and International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration at Yongling Creche, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala.

7th December, The Desk submitted an extensive report entitled: Environmental Crisis on the Roof of the World to the International Commission of Jurists through its representative Mr. Reed Brody during his visit here in Dharamsala. Mr. Brody was also presented with a recent video footage of deforestation in Tibet and other essential information on Tibet's environment and development.

10th-12th December:

To commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Human Rights Day, the EDD organized a photo exhibition for three days from 10th-12th December in Dharamsala, on Tibet's Environment and His Holiness the Dalai Lama with world leaders.

Publications brought out by EDD in 1996:

  • His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Environment (Tibetan). Pgs.123
  • Endangered Species of Tibet Vol. 2 (Tibetan). Pgs. 96
  • Green Tibet Annual Newsletter 1996 (English). Pgs. 40
  • The Urban Fate of Lhasa: Destruction of an Ancient Habitat (English). Pgs. 36
  • Five different post cards on endangered species of Tibet and a card on Lord Buddha

    Forthcoming Projects:

  • Environmental Education Workshop for 50 Teachers from TCV School, April 21-26, 1997.
  • International Seminar on Militarisation of Tibet and its effects in New Delhi in Oct. 1997.
  • Dharamsala Environmental Education Project (DEEP) from May-August, 1997.
  • Four month Agroforestry & Environmental Training Dec-April 1998.

    Forthcoming publication:

  • Green Tibet Annual Newsletter, 1997 (English).
  • Endangered Species of Tibet (French).
  • Barefoot Environment Guide. (English).
  • Tibet's endangered species calendar for the year 1998.<
  • Brochure on Tibet's environment and EDD.

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    Last updated: 15-Sept-1997