India can lead the world in climate change, says PM Modi

India can lead the world in climate change, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that India was ready to take the lead in environmental protection but it does not get the required nuclear fuel for producing clean energy.

Inaugurating a two-day conference of state environment and forest ministers at Vigyan Bhavan here, Modi said that India was ready to take lead in environment protection but "people who lecture us on environment and the use of cleaner energy don't give us nuclear fuel". "These are double standards," he said, adding that India has to take lead in thinking of ways to protect the environment. "We must think of traditional methods to tackle environmental issues. There can be green solutions in our age-old traditions", he said.

The prime minister also sought to clear the "wrong impression" of India that it was not serious on environmental issues, saying that the country had a culture in which the environment is equal to the divine. "We have grown up in those traditions where nature is worshipped and where conserving nature is very important," he said, adding that we have no right to exploit nature.

"This is not a part of our culture," he said. The prime minister also said that India was one of the most sensitive countries about nature. "Per person carbon emission in India is very low." Modi urged urban bodies to focus on solid waste management with programmes to generate wealth from it. "If we make fertilisers and send them to the villages, then good quality, affordable vegetables can come to the cities," he said.

He said that urban bodies could recycle waste water and send it to farmers, who in turn would make use of it and provide other services like growing organic vegetables, which would make life easier for all.He also said that India has practiced the concepts of recycling and re-using for a long time. "We have not borrowed it from outside."



Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that it was essential to maintain environmental balance.

"Our mandate is to save the nature using the best of the technologies," he said.

He also said:

- We are not ready to change our lifestyle and till the time we don't focus on it, we will not succeed.
- We have been brought up in a nation where environment protection is connected with human sentiments,and nature is considered next to god.
- World is tackling with the challenge of Global Warming, but they still haven't been able to find a way.
- Until we actually bring a change in our lifestyles, all the other efforts will go in vain.
- Recycling of products was a part of lifestyle of our ancestors.
- Conserving nature very important.
- World thinks India not concerned.
- Global warming is a challenge.
- Lowering carbon emission crucial.
- There should be an environment in our schools that encourages nature conservation.
- We have grown up in those traditions where Nature is worshipped and where conserving nature is very important.
- Am told the tiger population has increased. I am happy to know this.
- We have taken major initiatives in solar energy, wind energy.
- Efforts to mislead people on tribal, forest land; such campaign must end.

Source: Indiatoday