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Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CM cites Sanatan traditions to emphasise environ conservation
Lucknow: Underscoring the importance of collective responsibility and public participation in environmental conservation, Chief Minister on Thursday urged the people to live in harmony with nature, drawing upon India's Vedic philosophy and Sanatan traditions, which underscore the deep cultural reverence for the environment. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Inaugurating the national seminar–2025 on International Biodiversity Day, the CM highlighted the theme 'Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development' and said that safeguarding the environment is a shared duty and not of the govt alone. He cited the Vedic Shanti Path, saying every auspicious ritual in Sanatan Dharma begins with prayers for the well-being of the earth, water, sky and all living beings, underscoring humanity's deep-rooted connection with nature and biodiversity. Citing Atharva Veda, he referred to a verse that reveres the earth as a mother and humans as her children, bound by duty to protect her. Reaffirming India's global commitment to biodiversity conservation, an issue that gained international attention in 1992, CM Yogi emphasised that achieving the goal of net-zero emissions by 2070 requires active participation from every individual, as resolved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Govt efforts alone are not enough... Sustainable development will only be possible when society works harmoniously with nature," he said. Reflecting on India's self-reliant rural traditions, the CM recalled how villages once had barns, pasture lands, ponds and compost pits, all contributing significantly to environmental sustainability. Solid waste was turned into compost, ponds ensured hygiene, and pasture lands supported livestock. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, these time-tested practices were neglected in pursuing modernity, leading to ecological imbalance and the rise of disease. He warned that practices like converting ponds into drainage outlets and encroaching on pasture lands are short-sighted and self-destructive. Highlighting Uttar Pradesh's commitment to environmental protection, the chief minister said that the State Biodiversity Board is spearheading new campaigns to realise the vision of 'Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development'. Over the past eight years, the forest department has significantly expanded the state's green cover by planting over 210 crore trees. He further noted that under the Namami Gange initiative, substantial progress was made in restoring the cleanliness and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga, especially in Kanpur, once considered one of the most polluted stretches. He said, "Today, the Ganga flows clean and vibrant in that region, reflecting the success of these focused efforts". Yogi also stressed the importance of traditional knowledge and local customs in biodiversity conservation. He referred to Sanatan Dharma, where flora and fauna are deeply integrated with spiritual beliefs, trees like peepal, banyan, and jamun are revered, and animals are considered sacred. Recalling age-old practices, he mentioned how, in earlier times, even ants were not harmed but gently removed by offering flour and sugar, an example of coexistence and ecological compassion. The CM said that excessive mechanisation, whether in drainage systems or industrial processes, is detrimental to the environment. He advocated a return to natural and indigenous methods, such as traditional water purification systems once prevalent in rural areas. He raised concerns over the declining population of ecologically significant species like the Jatayu, which once played a vital role in nature's purification cycle. Harmful side-effects of chemical fertilisers and pharmaceutical residues brought such species to extinction. Calling for a collective awakening, he said that biodiversity conservation must become a 'Jan Andolan'. CM honours environ efforts Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited a biodiversity-themed exhibition during the seminar, engaging directly with stall owners to learn about their showcased products. He released the Green Budget and a Biodiversity booklet, recognizing efforts toward environmental conservation. He also honoured students who demonstrated talent and environmental awareness by awarding winners of painting, essay, and debate competitions. Furthermore, he provided Rs 10,000 incentives to individuals recognized for their outstanding contributions to carbon credit initiatives and presented certificates of appreciation to NGO-affiliated farmers.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
UP CM says safeguarding environment a shared duty, not govt's alone
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that safeguarding the environment is a duty shared by the general public and is not of the government's alone. Inaugurating the National Seminar–2025 on International Biodiversity Day, in Lucknow, the CM said every auspicious ritual in Sanatan Dharma begins with prayers for the well-being of the earth, water, sky, and all living beings. In the Atharva Veda, there is a verse that reveres the earth as mother and humans as her children, bound by the duty to protect her, he added. Citing the Vedic Shanti Path (Vedic peace tradition), the CM said the State Biodiversity Board is spearheading new campaigns to realise the vision of 'harmony with nature and sustainable development. The Forest Department has significantly expanded the state's green cover by planting over 210 crore trees in the past eight years, he claimed. Under the Namami Gange initiative, substantial progress has been made in restoring the cleanliness and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga, especially in Kanpur, once considered one of the most polluted stretches, he noted. 'Today, the Ganga flows clean in that region, reflecting the success of these focused efforts,' he claimed. In Sanatan Dharma, trees like peepal, banyan and jamun are worshiped and animals are considered sacred, the CM said. In earlier times, even ants were not harmed but gently removed by offering flour and sugar, an example of coexistence and ecological compassion, he added. He raised concerns over the declining population of ecologically significant species like vulture, which once played a vital role in nature's purification cycle. Harmful side-effects of chemical fertilisers and pharmaceutical residues have brought such species to extinction. Adityanath urged people to recognise these creatures' importance and express gratitude towards the wisdom embedded in traditional practices. During the seminar, the CM visited the biodiversity-themed exhibition and released the Green Budget and a Biodiversity Booklet. He also provided Rs 10,000 incentives to individuals recognised for outstanding work in carbon credit initiatives.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Biodiversity conservation collective responsibility: Yogi
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday emphasised the need for collective responsibility and participation in conserving the environment. 'It is not the responsibility of the government alone but requires active involvement from all sections of society,' he said while inaugurating a national seminar-2025 organised at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan here on the occasion of the International Biodiversity Day . 'Biodiversity conservation gained international attention in 1992. PM Narendra Modi assured the world that India will achieve the goal of net-zero by 2070. But this target is not alone the responsibility of government but our collective responsibility,' the CM said. 'The development model adopted is becoming self-destructive. Don't know who gave order to cut trees of mango and jamun. If you cannot plant saplings, don't cut trees,' Yogi added. Highlighting the theme 'Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development', he urged people to live in harmony with nature, drawing upon India's Vedic philosophy and Sanatan traditions which underscore the deep cultural reverence for the environment. Reflecting on India's self-reliant rural traditions, he recalled how villages once had barns, pasture lands, ponds and compost pits, all contributing significantly to environmental sustainability. Solid waste was turned into compost, ponds ensured hygiene, and pasture lands supported livestock, the CM said. 'However, these time-tested practices have been neglected in pursuing modernity, leading to ecological imbalance and rise of disease,' he added. Yogi warned that practices like converting ponds into drainage outlets and encroaching on pasture lands are short-sighted and self-destructive. Highlighting UP's commitment to environmental protection, the CM said the State Biodiversity Board is spearheading new campaigns. Over the past eight years, the forest department has significantly expanded the state's green cover by planting over 210 crore trees. 'Under the Namami Gange initiative, substantial progress has been made in restoring the cleanliness and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga, especially in Kanpur, once considered one of the most polluted stretches. Today, the Ganga flows clean and vibrant in that region, reflecting the success of these focused efforts,' Yogi said. He also referred to Sanatan Dharma, where flora and fauna are deeply integrated with spiritual beliefs, trees like Peepal, Banyan, and Jamun are revered, and animals. The CM also stressed the importance of traditional knowledge and local customs in biodiversity conservation. Recalling age-old practices, he mentioned how, in earlier times, even ants were not harmed but gently removed by offering flour and sugar, an example of coexistence and ecological compassion. Yogi warned that excessive mechanisation, whether in drainage systems or industrial processes, is detrimental to the environment and advocated a return to natural and indigenous methods, such as traditional water purification systems once prevalent in rural areas. He raised concerns over the declining populations of ecologically significant species like vulture. 'The vultures are not dying on their own but use of chemical by us is the reason. We have to make conservation centre for them,' he said. During the event, Yogi provided ₹10,000 incentives to individuals recognised for outstanding work in carbon credit initiatives and honoured NGO-affiliated farmers.
