“Let’s plant 1-crore saplings as part Government’s ‘Connect-to-Nature’ and ‘Waste-to-Energy’ initiatives for ‘clean air, clean water and clean energy’” – Vijay Rupani
Ahmedabad, June 5, 2017: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani e-launched the Rs.67-crore Urban Health Centre and e-rickshaws, unveiled ‘Green Calendar’, and distributed 50,000 green-and-blue litterbins in Ahmedabad in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel on the occasion of the state-level World Environment Day celebration today.
Speaking on the occasion, he asked the voluntary organizations and environmentalist groups to plant one crore saplings in the state, minimum 1,000 saplings in each locality, in collaboration with Local-Self Government Organizations, right from village panchayats to municipal corporations, as part of the state government’s ‘Connect-to-Nature’ initiative for ‘clean air, clean water and clean energy’.
Even as the planet is endowed with diverse natural resources like the sun, wind and jungles, he said that preservation of the nature has been part of our culture since the time of Gautam Buddha and it must be continued.
The Chief Minister mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent call to the people for the preservation of the nature in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme. He exhorted householders to keep their surroundings clean like their homes and workplaces and drop the wastes the green or blue litterbins to segregate wet and dry garbage, so that the bio wastes could be processed into vermin culture compost, to increase humous content in the soil.
He asked the civic bodies to study and implement various criteria for Smart Cities. He said the state government is evolving an effective mechanism to ensure less wastes reached the dumping site and also to covert ‘Waste-to-Energy’ initiative in eight municipal corporations and 167 municipalities. He warned the citizens against our cities going the dangerous level as in Delhi. It is time the youth join the national and state level preservation of the environment drives.
Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel said it is as much the responsibility of the public as the government to preserve the environment. India cannot lag behind in facing the grave challenges of Global Warming. He is contemplating instituting prizes for cleanest cities down to the housing societies.
Ahmedabad Mayor Gautam Shah invited the citizens to join ‘Green Gujarat and Clean Gujarat’ campaign and also participate in various competitions being organized. Entries could be registered online with Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation website between June 5 and 16, 2017.
Others present on the occasion included Ministers of State Vallabhbhai Kakadiya and Nirmalaben Wadhwani, MP Kiritbhai Solanki, Deputy Mayor Pramodaben, MLAs, officers and corporators.
Source : Gujarat Information Bureau
Source: Information Department, Gujarat