In his latest “Mann Ki Baat”, a monthly radio address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Central Government along with state governments and municipal representatives of cities have decided to launch a massive and important campaign of waste management. “On the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5, there are going to be litter bins made available to collect solid waste and liquid waste in 4000 towns of the country,” he said.
Addressing the nation, Modi said that this year the United Nations (UN) has chosen the theme ‘Connecting People to Nature’, in other words, UN wants us to go back to basics. “Connecting with nature means nurturing a better planet. And, who can explain this in a better way than Mahatma Gandhi? Mahatma Gandhi often used to say, “One must care about a world one will not see”. This means that it is our duty to be concerned about the world which we shall not see and to care for that,” he said.
Narendra Modi also congratulated Afroz Shah for his efforts which led to the massive clean-up of Mumbai’s Versova Beach. “United Nations Environment Programme or UNEP awarded ‘Champion of the Earth’ Award to Afroz Shah, and thus he has become the first Indian to achieve this distinction. I congratulate Afroz Shah, and felicitate this people’s movement. The manner in which Afroz Shah gathered the people of the area into a people’s collective and gave it the shape of a People’s movement in itself is an inspiring example,” he said.
To curb pollution and fight climate change India has launched many initiatives over the years. Swachh Bharat Mission, National Clean Energy Fund, National Mission for a Green India and many more initiatives are trying to make a cleaner, greener, and energy-efficient India.
As per the Paris climate agreement, India has submitted an action plan to the UN where it aims to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels and plans to have 40 percent of the total installed power generation capacity from non-fossil based energy resources, mainly renewable power. In order to achieve these Herculean targets, the government is trying its best to leave no stone unturned. According to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the total renewable capacity including solar, wind, bio-mass and small hydro grew by around 11.2 GW in FY17, at par with thermal capacity addition, which registered a decline of 50 percent in the year.
