Facing flak from environmentalists over the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's mega event on Yamuna flood plains, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today said his Ministry will assess the post event cleaning process of the area in the coming days.
"It is not that for first time in the world that a programme of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has taken place on flood plains of river, it is not that. Many such programmes happen but there is cleanliness there is no environmental loss there. When NGT had asked us, we had given an affidavit to NGT. We said that as per present laws, for such programmes, environmental clearance is not required.
"We had also said that our three-member team had gone there. How the disposal (of waste) will be done and what needs to be done after the programme, how to do it, we had told the NGT. This work (of cleaning) will go on for some time now. After that we will definitely see," Javadekar said.
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Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's mega event was mired in controversy for allegedly violating green norms.
The event here has been embroiled in controversy after environmentalists alleged that its preparations have damaged the ecology of Yamuna flood plains and demanded that it be stopped.
The NGT had imposed a fine of Rs five crore on AOL as environmental compensation while clearing the decks for its three-day cultural extravaganza.
Javadekar said innovation is required to strengthen the
economy and create new jobs.
"But how innovations will happen? The seeds of higher learning are the basis for good innovations and research," he said.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's approach to higher learning, he said Modi is "committed to improving higher learning centres and convert them into centres of excellence and centres for innovation and research."
He talked about the Centre's 'Uchchatar Avishkar Yojana' (UAY) that aims at better industry-academia interaction.
"Now industry has given their customised requirements and IIT faculty and students will work out those ideas and come out with solution. More than 100 ideas are being worked out, more than Rs 260 crore have been earmarked for that," he said.
He said the government is laying special emphasis on start-ups, incubation centres and appealing to Indian talent based abroad to come back and innovate under the Centre's 'Make In India' programme.
"When PM says 'Make in India', he says come and innovate. He is calling back innovators, Indian minds and talent, come here, innovate here, we will provide all facilities," he said.
Javadekar said the country now has a global research interactive network in which students will be provided scholarship and opportunity to work with top-end foreign laboratories and again come back to India and continue with their research.
He said higher educational entities are being provided finances with thrust on improving research infrastructure in the next three years so that Indian talent can be retained.
"They will get money, research facilities and freedom. So when (PM) says Make in India, he is asking come, innovate, and also asking investors to come innovate," he said.
