NGT chief exhorts youth to protect environment

Dubbing the existing development model as not in sync with the Nature, National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar today exhorted the youth to take the lead in protecting environment and play a pro-active role in sensitising the countrymen about ill-effects of air and water pollution.
He appealed to the policy makers and planners to abandon the current development model which was causing "irreversible loss to nature and its environs".
The NGT Chairperson criticised the prevailing development model which, he said, was not in sync with natural environment and thus emphasised the need to have a balanced approach in terms of sustainable development.

He said "if we allow cutting of trees recklessly in for the sake of development, then why these could not be transplanted to keep the ecological balance intact?"
Expressing deep concern over the shrinking forest cover, resulting in enhanced levels of water and air pollution, he asked the governments and authorities concerned to keep a strict vigil on deforestation, besides showing zero tolerance towards this "anti-nature" stance.
Referring to the problem of municipal solid waste, he underscored the need for developing an eco-friendly technology for its quick transportation and scientific disposal as it was a potent health hazard.

Presiding over an event to launch the 'Save Me' campaign, organised by Punjab Pollution Control Board and NGO Dialogue Highway on Chandigarh University campus here, Justice Kumar said "our generation did hardly anything tangible to save the environment but now we are eagerly looking at the younger generation to contribute immensely for this noble cause."

"It is ironical that an individual who was enjoying the bounties of nature on the earth was hell bent upon destroying it through his callous attitude and avarice," he said.
Justice Kumar sought cooperation from NGOs and religious and social organisations for this cause, saying they were "instrumental in playing a vanguard role to keep our earth planet ever clean and green".
He said judicial intervention to check pollution was limited to some extent and people should come forward to protect environment.