The Hindu : National : ``People's participation needed for protecting environment''

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 06, 2004

National

National

``People's participation needed for protecting environment''

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 5. Expressing concern over the coastal areas becoming a dump for wastes, the Union Environment Minister, A. Raja, today called for the people's active participation and cooperation to protect the environment.

Speaking at a function here to mark the World Environment Day and the 26th anniversary of the National Museum of Natural History, Mr. Raja said the coastal and oceanic ecosystems had linkages even with landlocked States through the river system and climate and thus with food security, availability of water and other economic activities. Hence the need to protect the water bodies from pollution.

Mr. Raja said the programmes for the restoration and sustainable use of the world's seas and oceans would not succeed without the active support of all sections of society. "While the Government is doing its best to conserve and protect the natural resources in the country and tackling the problem at political, legal, administrative and technical levels, nothing much can be achieved without the active participation and cooperation of the people."

Pointing out that public participation and involvement held the key to the success of any environmental improvement programme, the Minister said that the Government, industry and community organisations had to work together as partners so that the endeavour to protect the environment and to ensure better quality of life for the present and future generations could be met with success.

The Minister of State for Environment, Namo Narain Meena, said the Government had adopted a number of regulatory and promotional measures to conserve the marine and coastal eco-systems in the country.

This year's World Environment Day theme is, `Wanted! Seas and Oceans: Dead or Alive?'

Meanwhile speaking after presenting the TERI Corporate Environment Awards, Mr. Meena said the corporate sector was a critical player in the development process of the country. "In the new set of operating conditions and expectations, the role of corporates is much more than just enhancing the nation's GDP," he said adding that business houses had now realised that cleaner and efficient ways of doing business was more profitable and sustainable. The awards were presented to the Reliance Industries, the Indian Oil Corporation and the Tata Sponge Iron Ltd.

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