Environment protection must be taken up as movement: Vardhan

Asserting that environment protection must be taken up as a movement, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan today said his ministry is preparing a "databank of doables" to enhance awareness in this regard.
Noting that the threat of climate change and global warming has risen as people do not "pay attention to their ancestors' wisdom", the environment minister said his ministry is drawing up programmes for a pollution-free environment.
"The ministry has taken a decision that all works related to environment protection must be taken up as a movement all over the country," the minister said at a plantation drive which was a part of 'Van Mahotsav' celebrations.

He said the ministry is preparing a "databank of doables", which everyone -- from children to senior citizens -- can take up.
"The databank will be presented before the people to enhance awareness and also to educate people on environment- related issues, and create an environmentally sensitive society," Vardhan said.
Noting that environment protection is in the people's DNA, the minister referred to the tradition of feeding ants and birds, and said protection of flora and fauna was inherent in Indian culture.

"Unfortunately, we did not pay much attention to whatever our ancestors told us. That is why today threats of climate change and global warming have arisen," he said.

The minister said he was happy that different organisations had participated in the plantation drive and would develop environment protection as a new movement.
"The plantation drive is a token programme. In the days to come, we are drawing up several programmes that will make our environment pollution-free," Vardhan said.
The minister will lead a similar plantation drive tomorrow at Paschim Vihar.
"We're nature lovers by ancestry. Environment conservation is sort of 'in our genes'. In our country we give flour to ants, grains to birds," he said on Twitter.
"Advised everyone to plant native trees as they readily adapt to local climate, integrate into the eco-system and have a high survival rate," Vardhan tweeted.

In a tweet, he urged everyone to become 'Green Ambassadors' and "participate actively in plantation drives, specially during the period of monsoon".