The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : CII urged to have mechanism to protect environment

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Friday, Dec 21, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

CII urged to have mechanism to protect environment

Special Correspondent

Official seeks its support to government’s efforts

“Unless we have ethics, we cannot achieve sustainability”
“CII should have a pro-active approach to job creation”

— Photo: R. Ragu

ALL SMILES: (From left) R. Rajagopal, Secretary, Environment and Forest Department; Gopal Srinivasan, chairman, CII, Tamil Nadu; R. Seshasayee, MD, Ashok Leyland; and M. Rajeev Gowda, Professor of Economics and Social Science, IIM, Bangalore, at a meeting in Chennai on Thursday.

CHENNAI: Environment and Forest Department Secretary R. Rajagopal has urged the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Tamil Nadu, to have a workable self-regulatory mechanism to sustain the efforts at safeguarding the environment.

Speaking on the “Sustaining the environment” at a CII membership fellowship meeting held here on Thursday, he appealed to the CII to work together with the Government and its agencies to achieve the desired goal. “Unless we have ethics, we cannot achieve sustainability,” he said, seeking the support and cooperation of the CII and its members to the Government’s efforts at achieving a pollution-free environment.

Speaking on sustainability and social inclusiveness, M.V. Rajeev Gowda, Professor in Economics and Social Sciences, IIM, Bangalore, appealed to the CII to adopt a pro-active approach to creating more jobs, especially for the disadvantaged sections. “We need to bridge the rural and urban divide and take the fruits of the booming economy to those disadvantaged sections of society.”

R. Seshasayee, immediate past president, CII, and Managing Director of Ashok Leyland, who spoke on sustaining the enterprise, said the need of the hour was to focus attention on small and medium enterprises. “We need to redirect our efforts towards extending a helping hand to the SMEs to make the sustainable development path a meaningful one.”

He also listed the CII’s initiatives at the national and regional level.

Gopal Srinivasan, chairman, CII, Tamil Nadu, said the region mobilised over 1,000 members and achieved the second largest membership status by starting new branches in Karur, Tuticorin and Erode.

B.V.R. Mohan Reddy, deputy chairman, CII, Southern Region, said a new chapter had been opened in the CII with the creation of district-level wings.

G.R.K. Reddy, vice-chairman, Chennai Zone, CII Tamil Nadu, introduced the speakers.

Manikam Ramaswami, vice-chairman, CII, Tamil Nadu, said the membership fellowship interactive meeting facilitated better networking.

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