Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 15: Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment, Bali Bhagat has described the climate change and global warming as greatest challenges confronting mankind that necessitates collective action to reverse its negative impact.
Addressing students, researchers, media-persons and environmental experts at a daylong workshop titled ‘media orientation on climate change reporting’ organised by Centre for Environment Education (CCE) Ahmedabad in collaboration with Centre for Environment Education & Training (CEET), at Press Club Jammu, here today, the minister said that world is witnessing abnormal behavior of nature including untimely and heavy rains, severe and prolonged droughts and other environmental hazards which have clearly been linked to climate change. He said the global warming has put every country in great anxiety, forcing them to come together on a single platform to discuss the vital issue and seek solutions to meet the challenge collectively.
While highlighting the role of media in educating the masses, Mr Bhagat said that media impacts minds of people and due to its large reach, media can certainly help in disseminating information about environment issues to a wider audience through its routine reporting. He said, environment is such a subject which is connected with the life of every one, rich or poor, hence it is obligatory on the part of every individual to contribute towards this sacred cause and also educate others to help in promoting the environment to secure future generations.
Elaborating about the initiatives of the Government in conserving natural resources, the minister said that during the past eight months over 21000 kanals of forest land has been retrieved from illegal possession of people in different parts of the State. He said the Government has decided to free every inch of encroached land and to undertake a massive plantation drive across the State to rejuvenate the degraded forest areas.
Lauding the Press Club Jammu, CEE Ahmedabad and CEET J&K for organizing such a programme, the minister assured full support from the Government.
Director Environment, Ecology and Remote Sensing, O P Sharma, eminent environmentalist and former senior IFS officer Dr C M Seth, Prof Anil Raina from JU, senior journalists Sanjeet Sharma, Abdesh Gangwar -Programme Director CEE, Ahmedabad and Dinesh Manhotra also addressed the gathering and shared their insight on the subject.
On the occasion, Forest & Environment Minister along with these NGOs felicitated senior journalist from Daily Excelsior- Gopal Sharma, Sanjeet Khajuria- Asstt Director News, Doordarshan Jammu and senior correspondent Guldev Raj from Dainik Jagran, for their outstanding contribution in the field of environment and ecology and highlighting various issues on the subject in the J&K State.
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