Need to protect environment for the future: Kerala CM on World Environment Day

PTI, Jun 5, 2022, 2:53 PM IST

In the wake of climate change, biodiversity loss, increase in environmental pollution, and rising mountains of waste world-over, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said there is a need to ensure the environment is kept safe for the future generations.

Speaking at an event on the occasion of World Environment Day, Vijayan said that it should not be seen as a one-day event, rather it should be seen as a way to ensure that the environment is protected and kept safe for the future.

Talking about the steps taken by the state government to ensure a stable and clean environment, the CM said various garbage collection, segregation, and disposal methods were being implemented, crores of saplings have been planted in the last five years and various awareness campaigns have been held across the state.

The Chief Minister also welcomed the Supreme Court’s direction that each protected forest, including national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, must have an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of one kilometer and ban mining activities within such parks across the nation.

Vijayan said that the state has always taken a stand that forests need to be protected and their coverage increased by planting more trees.

He said that people living or working close to protected forests might be apprehensive about what would happen to them after the apex court direction.

To allay their fears, he said that while forests need to be protected while implementing the direction of the apex court, the interests of the people living or working in those areas would also be taken into account.

Regarding the natural disasters faced by the state in the last few years, the Chief Minister said these were due to the climate change taking place across the world.

He said that steps are being taken to put in place infrastructure and basic facilities which would not be harmed by such natural disasters.