*Chief Minister inaugurated Chhattisgarh Green Summit*
*Under the Ek Ped Maa Abhiyan, Chhattisgarh has achieved the target of planting 4 lakh crore trees*
*Chhattisgarh is making significant strides in addressing climate change.*
Raipur,// Underlining the global challenge of climate change, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai stated that the environmental crisis and climate change have become urgent national concerns. In recent years, climate change has emerged as the greatest challenge facing the world. He emphasized the need for collective participation to tackle this issue.
Chief Minister was addressing the launch program of the first edition of Chhattisgarh Green Summit organized at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in the capital Raipur on Thursday. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also released a synopsis based on environmental research.
Highlighting the effects of global warming, Chief Minister said that this the summers had broken all previous records, temperatures across the country reached unprecedented levels, with the capital, Delhi, hitting a scorching 52.3 degrees. Climate change has knocked not only in India but all over the world. Due to excessive rain in a desert area like Dubai, the entire city was hit by floods. Amidst challenge of climate change, Indian had represented the challenge and warned effects of global warming in global summits under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.
Expressing his concern to conserve Chhattisgarh’s flora and fauna, Chief Minister said, “State’s 44 percent of land area is forested and we are dedicatedly working to Conserve it. We have completed the target of planting 4 crore trees as per the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign.”
Recently, state government have taken the initiative to make Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla a tiger reserve. Through this, there will be a big help in the conservation of wildlife and promotion of the environment and it will be the third largest tiger reserve in the country. He said that we are also continuously working towards renewable energy in the state, he added.
India is producing 200 gigawatt renewable energy and there is a plan to increase it to 500 GW by the year 2030, the state will also participate in achieving this target.
Chhattisgarh has initiated several programs to deal with climate change. “To promote tree plantation, we are implementing Kisan Vriksha Mitra Yojana, Green Credit Yojana. We have started the ‘Peepal for People’ campaign in Nava Raipur, under which thousands of Peepal trees have been planted”, said Chief Minister.
Shri Sai expressed hope that by organizing such conferences, work will move forward rapidly in the direction of environmental protection and with the help of subject experts, we will be successful in achieving the goal of clean environment.
While addressing the program, Forest Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap, said, “In age of modernization, the civilizations have detached from nature, hence, we need to adopt measures to conserve it. The state government is dedicated to promote environmental protection through various programs.”
All India Convenor of Pragya Pravah Mr J Nandkumar said that Indian culture has been called Aranyak culture. The ideal form of Indian culture is seen in the life of forest dwellers. Many beautiful examples of the relationship between nature and man are seen in our folk life and folk traditions. He said that in the coming years, the motto of Green Summit should be to live together i.e. co-exist.
National Coordinator of Environment Conservation Activity Mr Gopal Arya said that Chhattisgarh Green Summit will play an important role for the rich biodiversity of Chhattisgarh and awareness towards the environment.
Forest Force Chief Shri V Srinivas Rao delivered the welcome address in the program. Amity University Vice Chancellor Shri Piyushkant Pandey expressed his gratitude. Botanical Survey of India Director Dr Asiso Mao, NIT Raipur Director Shri N V Ramanna Rao, Padma Shri Jageshwar Yadav, Amity Water Woman of India Ms. Kshipra Pathak and other dignitaries were present in the program
