Governor Shri Mangubhai Patel has said that special attention should be paid to the efforts to prevent pollution. Neglecting the environment for economic interests should not be tolerated. Along with this, the areas and institutions prone to pollution should be closely monitored. It is essential to understand that a secure, prosperous environment is more important than economic prosperity for a secure future. In view of this, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has started a global ‘Mission Life’ campaign with collective participation for environmental challenges. Governor Shri Patel was presiding over the 12th General Assembly of Environmental Planning and Coordination Organization (EPCO) at Sandipani Auditorium of Raj Bhavan.Small efforts of public participation lead to big changes
Governor Shri Patel said that for environmental consciousness in the society, emphasis is must on coordinated efforts for public awareness, encouragement and control regarding energy, saving water, reducing garbage, e-waste, stopping single use plastic, adopting sustainable food systems and healthy lifestyle. With the participation of children in schools, plantation and environmental protection work will have to be done. Referring to his tenure as Forest Minister in the Gujarat Cabinet under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi, he said that initial efforts however small bring big changes. He informed about a teacher couple getting small children plant 1500 saplings in the desert of Kutch, planting of saplings by newly married couples in Puneet Van and Ambaji fair with the inspiration of Prime Minister Shri Modi, innovations of tree plantation and planting of big plants with public participation in Rashi Van, Navagraha Van, Nakshatra Van. He inspired efforts for tree plantation on a campaign level in the state. He emphasized the need to inform and educate children regarding food habits.Setting goals for environmental protection activities
Governor Shri Patel said that targets should be fixed for environmental protection activities. Create a project to achieve goals. Efforts should be made by preparing an annual action plan for the goals of the project. By working in the same way, 100 percent plantation can be done in all universities, colleges and schools. Only two to three year old saplings should be planted. He instructed the Forest Department to provide big saplings. He stated the need to strengthen the role of EPCO in research, training and coordination for project construction on environmental issues. Instructions were given to hold the general body meeting every year, a fortnight from the World Environment Day. He told about the need to get information about the survival of the plants planted in Ankur Abhiyan and to replant the dead plants. He congratulated the state government on the identification of Sirpur, Yashwant Sagar and Sankhya Sagar ponds of Shivpuri in Indore as Ramsar sites by the central government. By marking the area of pollution of rivers on the basis of the quality standards of the Central Pollution Control Board, he told to get the environmental-protection works done for the Khan, Shipra, Betwa and Son rivers.‘Mission Life’ book released
Governor Shri Patel released the book ‘Mission Life’ prepared for the training of individual and collective efforts towards environment friendly lifestyle. Director General EPCO Shri Gulshan Bamra threw light on the formation, activities and achievements of EPCO. Executive Director Shri Mujibur Rahman Khan presented the agenda point-wise, Chief Secretary Shri Iqbal Singh Bains, Additional Chief Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development Shri Malay Srivastava, Principal Secretary Urban Development and Housing Shri Neeraj Mandloi, Principal Secretary to the Governor Shri D.P. Ahuja and other members of the general body were present.