NEW DELHI, Sept 6:
The deteriorating air quality is not just an environmental issue but also impacts the health of citizens, Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said Thursday, asserting that droughts and floods should be taken as a “forewarning of future”.
Saying that the government’s focus remains the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), he said all stakeholders in India have joined hands to combat climate change.
The minister said economy and ecology must go together for India’s sustainable development.
Highlighting India’s affirmative action in embracing a sustainable lifestyle by aligning “5Ps” – People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership, he said, “As a nation, we are progressing towards a sustainable India.”
“We have launched a national clear air action plan for it. We need to realise that protection of environment is not a technical issue but a responsibility that we have towards our children,” he said at an event of the Confederation of Indian Industry.
Acknowledging that the deteriorating quality of air is not just an environmental issue but also impacts the health of people, Vardhan said droughts and floods in various parts of the country should ben taken as a “forewarning of future”.
The minister said environmental challenges necessitate coordinated action from all sections of society.
According to the Forest Survey of India, he said, India has registered a 1 per cent growth in its forest and tree cover.
He said human beings have put immense pressure on the systems of nature, which has resulted in the emergence of global challenges such as melting of glaciers, loss of biodiversity, poverty and growing inequity.
Emphasising that a circular economy and resource efficiency can provide solutions to the challenges, the minister stressed the need for corporate participation to achieve that.
He referred to the implementation of PARIVESH- a single window clearance system in the spheres of environment, forest, wildlife and coastal regulation zone. (PTI)
He pointed out that the automated system will help applicants track application status and help in improving environmental compliance.
Vardhan also alluded to the development of strategies for proper segregation of municipal solid waste and utilisation of plastic waste for recycling and recovery.
“We have engaged with various municipal authorities and state pollution control boards to facilitate better understanding of regulatory frameworks to ensure an efficient waste collection and disposal system,” he said.
The minister invited industry representatives to join hands with the government to control air pollution and better waste management and river conservation efforts. (PTI)
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