‘Protecting environment is in our DNA’

New Delhi: On Saturday, Union minister Harsh Vardhan asked the teaching community of Delhi to join a campaign to sensitise everyone about the climatic changes and global warming, which he termed was a matter of “concern” for the world.

“The whole world is concerned about the dangers of global warming and climate change.  Everyone is looking up to India with expectation because they think that Indians have the DNA to protect the environment. Our ancestors had made protection of environment an integral part of their lifestyle,” the minister said. He also said that the department of science and technology would launch a mission on cyber-physical systems (CPS) to support the setting up of centres of excellence in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, big data analysis, quantum communication, and the internet. Referring to the crucial role played by ‘Polio Sainiks’ from the municipal corporation-run schools in the Pulse Polio campaign, the Union environment minister underlined the need for ‘Green Sainiks’ to broaden the ‘Green Good Deeds’ campaign and take it to the grassroots level.

Addressing around 700 principals of all government schools from the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), he said: “The whole world is concerned about the dangers of global warming and climate change. People in Delhi are already facing air pollution. Environment and its effects on the life of human beings are now on the agenda at every global forum.” Mr Vardhan reminded the teachers of their ‘green social responsibility,’ which is similar to their corporate social responsibility. Asserting that it was not impossible to restore the environment to its clean and green state, the minister said, “It is not merely a technical issue, but a moral responsibility to restore and give back a clean and green environment to the next generation.”

A mobile application named ‘Dr Harsh Vardhan,’ developed to reach out to people across India, has also been launched recently for the campaign.