Javadekar calls for people's movement to protect environment

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today stressed on the need to involve people in protecting the environment and said his ministry's objective was to work towards clean water, air and energy.

"The Ministry's mandate is to strike a balance between the five elements of nature. The Ministry's mission is directed towards clean water, air, energy, environment and more green.

"To achieve this, a people's movement and the participation of people is needed," Javadekar said during an event in the Ministry to mark the World Environment Day.

Two books titled 'Plant Discoveries' brought out by the Botanical Survey of India and "Animal Discoveries" brought out by the Zoological Survey of India were also released on the occasion.

An MoU was signed between the Environment Ministry and Noida for the development of Botanic Garden of Indian Republic (BGIR) in Noida.

Minister of State, Zoological Gardens, Uttar Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Yadav said the botanical garden would act as a centre for botanical research and help scholars to carry out studies on rare species of plants.

Union Environment secretary Ashok Lavasa also hoped that a large number of trees would also be planted throughout the country.

Javadekar also presented environment-related awards on the occasion. The Young Environmentalist of the Year award was given to Satabti Debadulari, a student of DAV School, Chander Shekharpur (Bhubneshwar) in Odisha.

The E K Janaki Ammal National Award in animal taxonomy for 2015 was given to Dr Waikhom Vishwanath for his contribution in the field of fish taxonomy, especially the fish resources of the Himalayan region.

The Janaki Ammal National Award in plant taxonomy was given to Dalip Kumar Upreti for his work over the last three decades.

Earlier, artists from AIR presented a 'Prakriti Vandana' as a tribute to the nature.