Dehradun: Uttarakhand’s iconic Valley of Flowers reopened to tourists on Sunday, with forest department staff greeting the season’s first batch of visitors at the main gate. So far, 62 tourists have registered for entry in June.

The valley, nestled in the Garhwal Himalayas and adjacent to Nanda Devi National Park, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its stunning alpine meadows and over 500 plant species, including more than 300 varieties of Himalayan flowers.

The Valley remains open to tourists annually from June to October and is celebrated for its serene beauty and rich biodiversity.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced a major step towards making Uttarakhand a leader in sustainable healthcare and environmental responsibility. The state government has begun implementing the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation’s (CDSCO) guidelines on safe and scientific disposal of medicines, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

“This is more than just an administrative measure—it’s a transformative move to establish Uttarakhand as a model of a green health system,” said the Chief Minister.

Dr R. Rajesh Kumar, Health Secretary and Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, noted that the absence of a standardised system for disposing of expired or unused medicines poses a significant environmental threat, particularly in a sensitive ecosystem like Uttarakhand.

The new guidelines cover the full lifecycle of a medicine—from production and consumption to environmentally responsible disposal. As part of the "Healthy Citizen, Clean Uttarakhand" mission, the Health Department plans to establish “Drug Take-Back Sites” across urban, semi-urban, and hilly areas of the state. These centres will allow citizens to safely deposit expired or unused medicines, which will then be collected and disposed of at certified facilities.

Dr Kumar added that this initiative could position Uttarakhand as a national and global leader in health and environmental safety—but only with the active involvement of government bodies, businesses, and citizens.