By Pallavi Priya

Meet Ms. Jyotsna Sitling, a remarkable IFS officer with a tribal background and recipient of the prestigious Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar. Devoting her life to the restoration of our ecosystem, she played a pivotal role in saving the Nanda Devi Biosphere from the threat of garbage and plastic pollution. Thanks to her relentless efforts, the Valley of Flowers was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Appointed as the Director of Nanda Devi National Park (NDNP) in 2002, Ms. Sitling faced the daunting task of managing accumulated waste, eliminating unorganized shops, and addressing the irresponsible behavior of tourists. The Valley is close to two prominent shrines – Badrinath temple and Hemkund Sahib in A Uttarakhand. This results in unbridled footfall of tourists.

Despite the enormity of the challenge, she rallied public support and meticulously sorted and recycled tons of plastic without resorting to shortcuts like burning or burying. She also successfully persuaded local shop owners to dismantle their establishments, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable environment.

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