Amarinder calls for 'collective efforts' to protect environment

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh Wednesday called for "collective efforts" by every citizen to protect the environment from pollution.

Speaking at a state-level function to mark the World Environment Day, he also stressed on the need to ensure that industries adhere to the environmental standards to curb pollution.

The occassion coincided with the first anniversary of the government's flagship health project, 'Mission Tandarust Punjab', aimed at providing clean drinking water, improving air quality as well as physical and mental health of people in the state.

"The government can make policies and implement them, but there must be realisation about the need for personal efforts by one and all," he said.

"Stricter observance of environmental norms by industry, is equally important to achieve sustainability goals," he added.

He said that this year's World Environment Day coincided with the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, who always advocated environment protection.

Amarinder Singh also said a project for cleaning of 'Buddah Nullah'-a drain of polluting effluents in Ludhiana, will start by this year end.

He recalled his own experience while flying to Amritsar, when he saw a clean Beas river contrasted with a dirty Sutlej river, whose water was brackish due to pollution from nearby cities, towns and industries.

The state pollution control board was doing its best to reverse the situation but the people of Punjab needed to pitch in with their efforts, said Amarinder Singh.