Sustainable development key to tackling climate threats: V-P Dhankhar

Sustainable development is the only way to deal with the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and resource depletion, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Saturday.

Addressing scientists, faculty and students of CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dhankhar said collaborative solutions were needed to address the challenges that threatened "our very existence".

"The challenges of today demand bold action and an institution like CSIR-IIP can serve as an effective platform for researching effective technologies that can help grapple with the challenges," Dhankhar said.

The vice-president criticised people who were at one time in positions of authority and governance for "subserving partisan interests and floating anti-national narratives".

Dhankhar also condemned the observation that what was happening in the neighbouring country (Bangladesh) could happen in India as well.

"How can anyone who has faith in the vibrant and robust democracy of the country subscribe to such a view?" he asked.

He called upon youngsters not to let themselves be taken in by the false narrative and come forward to neutralise, rebuff and expose such forces.

Earlier, the vice-president was received by Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh, Cabinet ministers Subodh Uniyal and Premchand Aggarwal, and Haridwar MP Trivendra Singh Rawat as he arrived to the state with his wife Sudesh Dhankhar on a two-day visit.

The vice-president and his wife also planted saplings in the memory of their respective mothers Kasari Devi and Bhagwati Devi on the CSIR-IIP campus.