"We have a saying in Tamil that it is the mridangam (a musical instrument) which can be beaten on both sides. And I very much feel like that mridangam standing in front of you," the Minister said bringing on peals of laughter from the audience at a function organised by a Green NGO ahead of the World Environment Day tomorrow.
Elaborating, the minister said the industry is blaming that environment is the "single reason why the country has not been progressing at all."
At the same time, environmentalists are questioning "why I am not doing enough."
".....But I would like to say that I am on the side of the engine. I am the environment minister and it is a personal commitment and the commitment of the government to ensure that our environment is protected at all costs," she said.
Asking industry to demonstrate it can be responsible with environment management, the Minister said, "If growth happens in the way industry is operating today ..Then clearly we have a problem."
"We know that degradation of environment is not sustainable. So it is very very clear that the degradation of environment creates tensions and also destorys our life support system.
"This, friends, is simply not acceptable," Natarajan said after releasing the green rating of the steel and iron industry done by the Centre for Science and Environment.