Shillong, July 25: In his first public gathering after assuming office as the Governor of Meghalaya Dr KK Paul has pointed out that there has been an enormous destruction of the environment with the increasing number of developmental works being carried out.
“Traditionally our society in rural areas have depended on nature in a sustainable manner without over exploiting the natural resources but due to the impact of modernization and modern technologies most of the valuable insights of traditional wisdom died off,” Dr Paul said.
While giving the inaugural address at the first ever Citizens’s Conference on Environmental Governance (CCOEG) conducted by the ICARE in collaboration with the Meghalaya Institute of Governance, Government of Meghalaya here on Thursday Dr Paul said that there has always been a conflict between development and environment.
Pointing out that development is must have for the benefit of human kind, the Governer stressed on the need that there is a need to also maintain the environment as it is also as important as development. “Development should not be divorce from environment and ecological concern and both of them must go hand in hand,” he said.
Emphasizing that environment and ecological balance should be maintained the Governor said that the need of the hour would be instead of pursuing overly exploited route to industrialization or economic development, environmentally sustainable, socially just and financially inclusive economic models should be chosen.
Besides, he also called upon the industries put in place mechanisms and have a broad vision as far as environmen is concern and that they should also share responsibility for the environment.
“Development has to be environment inclusive,” Dr Paul maintained.Raising concern over pollution and global warming, the governor encouraged the use of eco-friendly technologies as an alternate sources of energy which do not release green house gases by using them more effectively and efficiently.
Highlighting on the current state of affairs as per environment is concern in the country Dr Paul said that it is a sad state of affair as the country’s rate of growth of pollution and environmental degradation remain dismal and continue to escalate.
Pointing out on the need to preserve, conserve and restore nature’s balance Dr Paul called upon having a joint effort of the common man, resource planners, developers, environmentalist and the local administrative authorities. “It is in the collective efforts of the society that we work together in this direction,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, the Governor also lay emphasis on the need to tap natural resources judiciously and scientifically.Besides, he also lay emphasis on the need to address the major problems of climate change such as deficiency of rainfall affecting the north eastern region whereby he draw the attention to start rain water harvesting.
It may be mentioned here that the CCOEG was conducted in order to highlight and create awareness of the alarming rate of environmental degradation.
It is also being conducted with an aimed to engage government, stakeholders and civil society in constructive debate over the impact of poor environmental governance on holistic and sustainable development for Meghalaya.
Besides, it is also aimed at bringing to the fore, policy loopholes that encourage the exploitation of Land, Labour and Natural Resources.
Further, it is also aimed to enlist support from government, NGO’s, Social Organisations, the Student Community and the Public on a range of issues that affect and impact the environment and water resources as well as to develop action plans to tackle environmental issues.(SP News)
