It is our duty to give back clean, green environment to next generation

New Delhi, February 4: Union Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said that it is not merely a technical issue, but a moral responsibility to restore and return the clean and green environment to the next generation.

He appealed to the teaching community to join the “Green Good Deeds” campaign, launched by the Ministry to sensitise the peopleand students, in particular, about climate change and global warming.

“The whole world is concerned about the dangers of global warming and climate change. People in Delhi are already facing air pollution. Environment and its effects on the life of human beings are now on the agenda at every global forum. Everyone is looking up to India with expectation because they think that Indians have the DNA to protect the environment.”

“Our ancestors had made protection of environment an integral part of their lifestyle. It was a ‘part-n-parcel’ of our culture – our ancestors worshipped the rivers, air, trees or forests and earth andexisted in harmony with the land,” Harsh Vardhan said.

The Minister reminded the teachers of their “Green Social Responsibility” (GSR), similar to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Referring to the crucial role played by “Polio Sainiks” from municipal corporation schools in the Pulse Polio campaign, he underlined the need for “Green Sainiks” to broad-base the Green Good Deeds movement and to take it down to the grassroots level successfully.

With this objective in mind, the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has launched a people-oriented campaign named “Green Good Deeds.” He said that the plan is to broad-base it with the involvement of teachers, students and other voluntary organisations.