Gangtok, Sikkim | 18 June 2025 — A multi-stakeholder consultation hosted by the Forest and Environment Department, Government of Sikkim, has laid the groundwork for strengthening Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) mechanisms in the state, with a special focus on conserving spring sources and upper catchments around Gangtok.
The consultation brought together key legal, technical, and community voices to assess the feasibility of PES as a long-term solution to reverse degradation in tourism-impacted catchments that serve as vital drinking water sources for Gangtok and support downstream pharmaceutical industries.
Senior officials, including Dr. Pradeep Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force (HoFF), were pivotal in highlighting Sikkim’s leadership in implementing PES, particularly around community-managed water systems. His vision and field experience served as a strong foundation for discussions on how PES can further evolve in the state.
Also present was Piyush Dogra, Senior Environmental Specialist, who provided insights into national and global PES trends and shared learnings from other Indian states, reinforcing the potential for scaling high-integrity PES systems rooted in local realities.
During the session, Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) shared field observations on the degradation of upper catchments and expressed interest in piloting PES models for ecological restoration. Discussions also focused on identifying critical springsheds and community-governed water systems as promising sites for intervention.
The team was further enriched by an interaction with Mr. P.D. Rai, former Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and member of the Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI), who presented successful examples of community-led conservation of springs in Sikkim.
With guidance from Ms. Madhu Verma, Chief Economist at IORA Ecological Solutions, the dialogue explored frameworks for ensuring fair, transparent, and performance-based PES mechanisms that reward communities for maintaining ecosystem services.
This consultation marks a major step forward in designing scalable PES interventions in Himalayan states, positioning Sikkim as a model for ecological stewardship and water security through natural capital approaches.