Ex-bureaucrats propose 'green bonus' for Himalayan states

Imagine India's tall mountains, like the Himalayas, are super important for everyone.

They give us clean water, help control the weather, and store carbon to keep the air clean.

But these mountains are facing many problems, like floods and landslides, which are getting worse.

A group of retired government officials wrote a letter to a special government committee that decides how money is shared across India.

They said that these mountain areas need more money because they are protecting us all.

They also think that when deciding how to share money, the committee should give more importance to how much forest and nature a place has.

Right now, they feel it's not enough, and the way they measure the 'forest area' leaves out important parts like snowy mountains and pastures above the trees.

By changing these rules, they hope the mountain states will get the support they need to protect themselves and continue to help everyone else.