Guwahati: Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Javadker said as the world grapples with severe climatic upheavals, India’s three per cent contribution to carbon emissions demand urgent action. The brunt of climate change falls on the poor and as a responsible nation, it is “incumbent for us to lead the change”, the former Union minister for environment, forest and climate change said at the National Movement of U75: Net Zero Workshop for NE Region at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IITG), here on Tuesday. He said,
With the rise of electric vehicles, infrastructure, and energy efficiency, India is making strides in reducing carbon emissions and achieving G20 targets.
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As custodians of the environment, the MP urged everyone to prioritise watershed development, advocating the mantra, ‘save water, generate water; save electricity, generate electricity.’ He praised initiatives such as the climate-tracking app for universities and the net-zero workshop as demonstrations of collective commitment to green action and a sustainable future.
The workshop, organised by IITG in collaboration with the Green Terre Foundation (GTF), focused on empowering universities and colleges to achieve carbon neutrality under the U75 initiative, which stands for ‘Universities for carbon neutrality during the Amrit Kal after 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.’ The one-day workshop showcased insightful presentations by distinguished speakers from across the country.
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NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
