Inaugurates north zone environment workshop
The Newz Radar, Shimla
Himachal Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla stressed the need for protected and balanced development in the direction of environmental conservation.
The Governor was speaking as the chief guest at the ‘north zone environment workshop’ organised by Arogya Bharti Himachal Pradesh in association with National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur at NIT, on Sunday.
He that Himachal Pradesh has good environmental conditions and that there is a need to preserve the green cover. He said that for a healthy life, everyone has to adopt chemical-free agricultural practices and go back to millets.
He said that today climate change has emerged as a matter of global concern which also directly affects us. He said that due to rapid urbanisation, industrialisation, population growth and uncontrolled human activities in the northern region, the environmental balance was being affected in a big way. He said that air pollution has become the biggest concern in this area. Industrial emissions, vehicular pollution etc. were contributing factors to this problem, he said. To end this, he advocated strict regulations to promote sustainable development, and adopt cleaner technologies.
He said that water scarcity was another important factor today which needs our attention. He added that the water sources of the major rivers of the northern region were under threat of pollution, overuse and encroachment. He said that rainwater harvesting, wastewater treatment, and community awareness campaigns could go a long way in ensuring sustainable water supply for future generations. He also stressed on safeguarding the fragile ecosystems and biodiversity of the northern region and said that conservation of habitats of endangered species of wildlife should be given priority and activities like deforestation, illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction should be discouraged.
The Governor said that climate change was an impending threat and the Himalayan region is particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming. Hence, there is a need to raise awareness about climate change, promote sustainable practices and support renewable energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, he added. He said that it was important to develop adaptation strategies and build resilience in the face of a changing climate and with our collective efforts we could ensure a greener, cleaner and healthier future for the generations to come.
Earlier, the Governor also planted a sapling of Indian gooseberry on the NIT campus.
Arogya Bharti national president Dr Rakesh Pandit welcomed the Governor and said that environment has great importance in our lives and it has a direct impact. “Our culture and tradition make us more aware of environmental protection, however, one-sided development has turned us away from it”, he said. He said that everyone needs to be sensitive towards environmental protection.
NIT director Prof Hiralal Murlidhar Suryavanshi welcomed the Governor to the Institute and gave detailed information about various activities of the institute particularly towards environmental protection. He highlighted the importance of waste management and informed about the efforts of all the institutions associated with Unnat Bharat Abhiyan of the Institute. He called upon all the participants to work towards environmental protection.
Arogya Bharti national secretary Dr Ashok Kumar said that it is an organisation serving society, and associated with the protection of the health of the people. He said that 20,000 arogya mitras associated with the organization were working in rural areas.
