“India of the 21st century is moving forward with a very clear roadmap for climate change and environmental protection,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while addressing the nation on World Environment Day.
Underlining the theme of this year’s Environment Day, the campaign to get rid of single-use plastic, PM Modi expressed happiness that India has been working continuously in this direction for the past 4-5 years. He said, “On the one hand, we have banned single-use plastic while on the other hand, plastic waste processing has been made mandatory”. The Prime Minister further informed that there has been a compulsory recycling of about 30 lakh tonnes of plastic packaging in India which is 75 percent of the total annual plastic waste produced in India.
Stating that India has created a balance of present requirements and future vision, PM Modi said solar power and LED bulbs have helped in saving people’s money as well as contributing towards protecting the environment.
PM Modi also noted in his speech that the number of wetlands and Ramsar sites in India has increased almost 3 times as compared to earlier. In addition, he also announced two more schemes, namely ‘Amrit Dharohar Yojana’ and ‘Mishti Yojana’ that have been launched today to further the campaign of Green Future, Green Economy.
‘Amrit Dharohar Yojana’ will ensure the conservation of these Ramsar sites through public participation, making them the center of eco-tourism and a source of green jobs for thousands of people. The ‘Mishti Yojana’ will help in reviving as well as protecting the mangrove ecosystem of the country. Additionally, the PM informed that mangrove cover will be restored in 9 states of the country and help in mitigating the threat to lives and livelihoods in coastal areas from disasters like cyclones.
“In the thousands of years old culture of India, there is nature as well as progress”, the Prime Minister remarked as he credited its inspiration to India’s attention to ecology and economy. He said that as India is investing unprecedentedly in its infrastructure, it is focussing equally on the environment. He further added that while India built 4 crore houses for the poor, there has been a record increase in the number of Wildlife Sanctuaries as well as wildlife in India.
PM Modi also highlighted India becoming the 5th largest economy in the world and also joining the top 5 countries in renewable energy, increasing agricultural exports, and also running a campaign for blending 20 percent ethanol in petrol.
Adding to his speech, PM Modi recalled making a request to the world community on Environment Day last year where he had asked to share innovative solutions to bring climate-friendly behavioral change in individuals and communities. “This consciousness towards climate change is not limited to India only, the global support for the initiative is increasing all over the world,” the PM said.
