The 31st Prakash Human Rights Award by INSEC, was held on August 1 in Lalitpur. Former Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission and Human Rights Centenary Figure Dr. Gauri Shankar Lal Das presented the award to Sunil Kumar Yadav. He was honored with a certificate of appreciation, a cash prize of Rs 50,000, and a symbolic token of INSEC by Dr. Das.
While addressing the program, Dr. Das stated that the excessive exploitation of the Chure has brought environmental impacts in the Madhesh. He mentioned that due to severe environmental degradation caused by overexploitation, the government had to declare Terai as a crisis-affected area. He also urged the government through the National Human Rights Commission to ensure the voting rights of more than 50,00,000 Nepalis currently living abroad for foreign employment.
Sunil Kumar Yadav, the recipient of the award, recalled that the Chure Conservation Campaign was launched in 2017 with the foresight that the Madhesh might face climate impacts and water scarcity in the future. He expressed that the support from his family and community, along with the courage shown by thousands of people from Madhesh Province in the effort to protect the environment, had made it possible for him to be honored with the award. Yadav expressed his gratitude to INSEC for the recognition and announced that he would be launching an environmental conservation campaign by distributing lemon plants worth Rs 5,100.