Shenaz Treasurywala Highlights Sikkim’s Environmental Success Story As Development Model For India
The state banned plastic bags in 1998 and achieved 100% organic farming status by 2016
Jehangir Irroni is a filmmaker and creative director with over 18 years of experience in directing ad films, corporate videos, web series, and television shows. As assistant vice president - Videos at IncNut Digital, Jehangir is involved in producing and directing videos and infomercials.
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In a thought-provoking Instagram post, actress and travel enthusiast Shenaz Treasurywala has spotlighted Sikkim as a model for sustainable development in India, highlighting the northeastern state’s impressive environmental achievements alongside an interesting financial benefit for its residents.
“Also Sikkim is the only state where residents are exempt from Income Tax. (just learnt),” Treasurywala shared with her followers, before detailing how Sikkim has charted a different development path compared to the rest of the country.
Sikkim’s Green Development Journey
According to Treasurywala’s post, Sikkim has implemented several pioneering environmental initiatives:
– Banned plastic bags way back in 1998
– Turned 100% organic by 2016
– Won the UN’s Future Policy Gold Award in 2018
The actress emphasized the state’s commitment to clean living with the caption: “No pesticides. No chemicals. No drama. Just clean soil, clean air, and cleaner hearts.” She described Sikkim as “The tiny state that showed the whole world — real progress is green.”
Treasurywala’s post challenges conventional notions of development, asking when the rest of India will catch up to Sikkim’s eco-friendly model. She pointedly contrasted the air quality situations, noting: “While we battle smog, Sikkim is breathing pure mountain air.”
Her post concludes with a provocative question to her followers: “Time to rethink what ‘development’ really means? Now, which is the DIRTIEST STATE (toxic air and polluted rivers) in India?”
Part of a Larger Environmental Advocacy Campaign
This post is the latest in Treasurywala’s ongoing social media campaign highlighting environmental issues across India. Her recent Instagram activity shows a pattern of environmental advocacy:
Just days before the Sikkim post, she shared information about Paris removing cars and creating more green spaces, contrasting it with India’s approach: “Paris is banning cars. India is banning trees.” She highlighted how Paris aims to become Europe’s first 100% cycling-friendly capital while questioning India’s focus on building highways and malls at the expense of forests.
In another recent post, Treasurywala brought attention to the controversial Metro Depot construction at Aarey Colony in Mumbai, which proceeded despite protests from environmental activists. She expressed concerns about the destruction of forest land and floodplains, writing: “India is one of the most polluted countries in the world. We’re battling deadly heatwaves, flash floods, and filthy air. And yet—we’re still cutting down trees.”
She also shared a post celebrating student protesters in Hyderabad who successfully fought against forest clearing: “Today the students of Hyderabad showed us that if you stand up and protest, you can get your voice heard. Let’s not take things lying down anymore. Speak up for what matters!! Don’t let them take away our trees and forests and biodiversity!!!!”
About Shenaz Treasurywala
Shenaz Treasurywala rose to prominence as an MTV VJ in the late 1990s and early 2000s and later transitioned to acting, appearing in films like “Ishq Vishk” and “Delhi Belly.”
In recent years, Treasurywala has reinvented herself as a travel content creator and environmental advocate, using her platform to raise awareness about ecological issues. Her social media now regularly features posts about environmental concerns, sustainable tourism, and the celebration of India’s natural and cultural diversity.
Sikkim’s Environmental Leadership
Sikkim’s environmental achievements, highlighted by Treasurywala, are indeed noteworthy. Other eco-friendly measures in Sikkim include strict waste management policies and conservation efforts that have helped maintain its biodiversity and forest cover.
As India continues to grapple with environmental challenges, including air pollution, water contamination, and deforestation, Treasurywala’s highlighting of Sikkim’s alternative development model offers food for thought on balancing progress with sustainability.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DImA39WKDpu/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenaz_Treasury
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