Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said there should be a right balance between development and environment. A practical development strategy should be devised that environmental concerns are properly addressed.
Chouhan was addressing the inaugural function of National Green Tribunal here on Sunday. Union Minister of State for Forests & Environment Jayanti Natarajan was also present on the occasion.
Chouhan said that awareness towards environment is intrinsic to Indian culture. Indians are nature-lovers. The cycle of nature is changing these days as a result of neglect of environmental issues. The world too is facing problems of global warming.
He said the State had 33 per cent forest cover and the State government was committed to maintaining this. At the same time, development must go on. Irrigation and road projects, besides generation of adequate power is a sine qua non of development.
We will have to move in this direction by adopting a positive frame of mind. He suggested that workshops of national and international environmentalists should be held in the State. The State Government would extend possible cooperation to the National Green Tribunal, he said.
Union Minister of State Jayanti Natarajan said that development at any cost was not acceptable. Environmental interests must be kept in view. Development could be environment-friendly. Setting up of a National Green Tribunal branch at Bhopal was a significant initiative, she said.
Our commitment is to take environmental justice to common people. Clean and pollution-free environment is the right of common people. The country needs development, but judicious use of natural resources is also necessary. India would emerge as a major economic power, but it will also ensure environment-friendly development. A common person can move the Tribunal for justice and decisions would be taken keeping the long-term effects on environment in view, Natrajan said.
At the function, Madhya Pradesh High Court's administrative judge, Justice KK lahoti said this bench of National Green Tribunal would benefit the people of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Environmental-related cases pending in the High Court would now be transferred to this bench.
In the welcome address, chairman of National Green Tribunal, Justice Swantanter Kumar said it was a welcome initiative in the environmental justice sector. National Green Tribunal Act was implemented in 2010. Benches of the tribunal would also be opened in Pune and Kolkata. The objective of administering environmental justice to common people would be fulfilled through this bench, he said.
At the function, report of National Green Tribunal was also released. After inauguration, Chief Minister Chouhan and Union Minister of State Jayanti Natarajan also inspected the National Green Tribunal's building. Madhya Pradesh Bar Council president Shivendra Upadhyay, Chief Secretary R Parasuram, senior judges, advocates and administrative officers were present on the occasion. Justice P Jyotirmani proposed a vote of thanks.