Protect S Asian water resources

Terming the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region 'hot spot for climate change', the south Asian delegates at the conference in Kathmandu declared their visions saying immediate actions are required to protect the water sources that the climate change mostly affect.
Uday Raj Sharma, secretary of Nepal's ministry of Environment, read out the visions at the end of the two-day conference on 'Climate Change' focusing the Himalayas.
Though the government and non-government delegations discussed about the cooperation and setting common agenda for south Asia, the representatives could not come up with any official 'Kathmandu declaration' as Indian delegation left Nepal on Monday, the first day of the conference, and Bhutan did not join the conference.
"The Indian environment secretary Vijay Sharma left on the first day. This indicates that Indian delegation did not want to sign any declaration," said an official present at the meeting.
Though China is a part of Hindu Kush-Himalayas region and it has to play a key role in management of the region, it did not join the conference as observer, said the official seeking anonymity.
The 10 visions for addressing the climate change say the regional players must come together to generate an improved database for climate change responses and adaptation at all levels.
The visions also include the countries of south Asia to address the challenges of climate change through collaborative actions at enhanced capacity regarding data collection, and sharing and research on impact of climate change through SAARC and other organisations.
It also says that eco-friendly technologies should be made available with a view to promoting green development.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, chief of the all-party parliamentary group on climate change, Bangladesh chaired a session in the morning of the last day of the conference. Lawmaker Saber Hossain and the youngest lawmaker of Bangladesh Zunaid Ahmed Palak delivered their speech as panel discussants of south Asian parliamentarians group.
Environment Minister of Nepal Thakur Prasad Sharma chaired the closing session of the conference in the afternoon.
The conference was attended by Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Kyrgyz Republic was present as observer.
Kyrgyz Republic will hold a global ministerial conference of the mountain countries in 2010 to discuss on issues of cooperation in the post-Copenhagen period.