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Time of India

‘Protecting Nature Is Not Optional, It's Urgent'

1 2 3 Nagpur: Development without ecology is not development it is devastation in disguise, remarked, environmentalist and member of the State Board for Wildlife Shrikant Tekade while addressing a World Environment Day programme organised by RTO Nagpur in collaboration with the Institute of Environment, Ecology, Health & Management (IEEHM). Speaking on this year's theme 'Beat Plastic Pollution and Deforestation', Tekade painted a grim picture of plastic misuse and its growing impact on both urban and forest ecosystems. He pointed out that Nagpur generates over 1,100 tonnes of municipal waste daily, of which nearly 90 tonnes is plastic, much of it non-recyclable. He cited disturbing examples of plastic being found in the stomachs of cows and wildlife deaths due to plastic ingestion. "We have turned our cities into plastic jungles," he said, urging people to change their habits before nature reaches a point of no return. He also warned against burning plastic, which emits harmful toxins linked to cancer and respiratory diseases. On air pollution, Tekade shared a sobering statistic over 12 lakh deaths occur annually in India due to air pollution. He also stressed the importance of trees, calling them 'silent soldiers' that provide oxygen and preserve ecological balance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Retraités : si votre mutuelle vous coute + de 69€/mois, essayez ceci maintenant ! Meilleures Mutuelles En savoir plus Undo Regional Transport Officer Kiran Bidkar emphasised that environmental protection is a key part of transport governance. "The RTO is not just about registrations and licences it's about ensuring public health and safety," he said. He encouraged citizens to adopt electric vehicles and treat environmental rules as responsibilities, not just formalities. The programmee concluded with a tree plantation drive and pledge from all present to carry the spirit of World Environment Day into their daily lives, not just for a day, but for the future of the planet. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !