Gorakhpur: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday (June 5) expressed deep concern over the impact of pollution on the environment and appealed to people to join the government’s ongoing efforts to control pollution and protect the environment at their own level to mitigate the side effects of pollution. On the occasion of World Environment Day, Chief Minister addressed the conference on ‘Race for Life: Circular Economy and Local Climate Action’ organized by the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change.
The Chief Minister said that the celebration of World Environment Day on June 5 for the last 51 years bears testimony to the global concern over the environmental crisis, which has increased significantly over the years. UP CM Yogi said,
It is concerning where the environment has been neglected in the 51-year journey of economic development. Earth, water, air, trees, and plants work together to form the environment. We have all also been created around the five elements. Although there is a connection between our life cycle and that of the rest of creation, we pollute the water, air, and other natural resources. We have to bear the brunt of this in the form of various diseases. The cost of treating these diseases consumes a significant portion of people’s incomes
He further stated that the consequences of tampering with the environment are visible in the form of untimely floods of September-October in some parts of the state or smog in November-December in Delhi. CM Yogi further added,
People in Delhi are struggling to breathe and open their eyes due to the severe crisis there. Industries have to be closed. Food crises can occur for a variety of reasons, including drought and excessive rainfall
Emphasising that the government is promoting environment-friendly energy by reducing carbon emissions, CM Yogi said,
For this, LED lights are being arranged not only in the cities but also in the villages. LED is becoming a means of reducing carbon emissions. Similarly, solar power is also being promoted
Also Read: Plastic Has Emerged As A Serious Threat: National Human Rights Commission On World Environment Day
Citing the example of the Namami Gange project in the field of environmental protection, CM Yogi said that today the water of River Ganga has become clean and uninterrupted in Prayagraj, Kashi. People are happily visiting and bathing in it. Whereas earlier people could not take baths in Prayagraj Kumbh.
The Chief Minister stated that Amrit Sarovars are being constructed in every village as part of the Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav under the direction of Prime Minister Modi for the purpose of water conservation. He also urged the village leaders to protect the ponds by planting trees nearby.
Referring to encephalitis, a disease that killed 50,000 innocent people in eastern Uttar Pradesh in four decades, CM Yogi said,
Pollution and filth were the reasons for this. Everyone must work to stop it from spreading again by being aware of the environment and cleanliness
He also mentioned that pollution generated by plastic is harmful to the environment.
This year the theme of World Environment Day is Solution for Plastic Pollution, the CM said, adding, “It was banned in the state in 2018 itself. Single-use plastic consumption is equivalent to sin as a cow might die after consuming it. Being an indestructible thing, plastic also affects the health of mother earth.”
On the occasion, Chief Minister also gave the mantra of the Six R’s– Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Refabricate, and Repair– to protect the environment from plastic.
The Chief Minister also informed about the ‘Van Mahotsav’ to be organized in the first week of July and said that the state government has decided to plant 35 crore saplings. He said that,
At least one thousand saplings should be planted in all the gram panchayats of the state. If all gram panchayats and municipal bodies adopt this target, then they will only plant six crore saplings. Priority should be given to traditional trees like Peepal, Banyan, Pakad, Neem, Jamun, and Desi Mango in plantation
Also Read: Plastic Garbage Becoming “Threat” In Himalayan Regions: Environment Scientist
On the occasion of World Environment Day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath administered LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) pledge to all 58000-gram panchayats and 762 municipal bodies of the state through an online medium.
During the program, CM Yogi released booklets, folders and animation films of the Forest Department focused on environmental protection.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. 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 wake of the current 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 wellbeing, 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.
