New Delhi, Jan 23 (Representative) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that India is a fast-developing country, but its development needs to be inclusive, equitable, ecologically sustainable and morally desirable without compromising the planet’s health.Speaking at an event organised to mark the 90th birth anniversary celebrations of noted writer and environmentalist Sugathakumari in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, he asserted that the country’s consumption should be need-based and not greed-based, stressing that behaviours need to change to ensure sustainability.There is a need to do away with the ‘use-and-dispose’ economy, an official statement said.He described Sugathakumari as not just a poet but a conscience-keeper of the society as her work, imbued with emotional empathy, humanist sensitivity, and moral alertness became a vehicle to address societal and environmental concerns.Singh pointed out that India’s constitutional makers were aware of the great ancestors’ thoughts and deep respect for nature, which is why a directive to protect, improve and safeguard the environment was established.
Throwing light upon the idea of climate justice, he highlighted that with ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas’, the government is working towards the green initiatives and the target of Viksit Bharat by 2047 will only be achieved when these goals are accomplished. He said that this will ensure Aatmanirbharta through clean energy and serve as an inspiration for the global Clean Energy Transition.“Despite our developmental needs and contributing minimally to global warming historically, we remain committed to a sustainable and climate-resilient future. Our commitment to save the environment has started yielding positive results. The ‘India State of Forest Report’ which was released last year in December, showed that the total forest and tree cover of the country has been continuously increasing,” he said.
The Defence Minister highlighted the significant statistical figures achieved by India’s current climate policies, terming it as an achievement considering that India is now the fifth-largest economy in the world, a fast-developing South Asian country.He underscored the fact that while developed countries are bickering over semantics, India as a responsible power is taking swift action to fight climate change.He mentioned that the world is facing the challenge of Global Warming, the increased frequency of heatwaves, floods, droughts and incessant rains is affecting a large number of people in the country.The recent floods in states such as Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim are glaring examples of extreme weather events resulting from climate change, he added.He prioritised making both strategy changes at a corporate level and behavioural changes at an individual level for the benefit of the environment.He mentioned that the right to a healthy environment and to be free from the adverse effects of climate change are fundamental rights, failure to take measures to adapt and mitigate climate change would lead to catastrophic results.