What Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee said.............

Speaking at a function to mark the World Environment Day, Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee cautioned that if the rich nations continued to put unrelenting pressure on our planet's limited and non-renewable resources, and if the present glaring imbalances in global economic growth continued, it would be difficult to prevent the damages to the environment on a universal scale.

He regretted that ironically it is the poor who have to pay a heavier price for the guilt of the rich. He called for radical changes in the international financial and trading systems, so as to bridge the gulf between the developing and the developed nations, and to halt the worsening condition of want and suffering in developing nations, which are not only a source of social discord but also of environmental degradation. Stressing that there was no basic conflict between development and environmental protection, the Prime Minister called for broadening and deepening the sweep of environmental protection as a people's movement.

He called WED a day "to focus our attention on our collective failure to protect the environment, which has endangered sustainable development for the human race". He said, "conservation and protection of the environment have been the cornerstone of Indian ethos and culture." He added, "in spite of this cultural tradition, the state of the environment in India today ought to be a cause of deep concern to all of us. Many of our cities are among the most polluted in the world. Our rivers at many places - including in Delhi- have become highly dirty. Our forest cover is rapidly depleting." He pointed out that soil erosion and degradation had become a major problem and was adversely affecting our agriculture. He said, "The amenities for safe drinking water and sanitation are so inadequate for the poor in cities and in villages that they are harming their health and happiness. Already the water table is dropping so fast in many places that we may not have enough water for all our needs in the coming decades."

Advising the industry he said, "I make a fervent appeal today. Don't wait for either the Government or the judiciary to enforce environmental laws. Voluntary and speedy compliance is good for both industry and society.

Do not think of investment in environment- friendly technologies as a burden you can shirk. It is a moral, social, and legal obligation you must fulfil. Moreover, it makes good business sense in the medium and long term. Wherever possible - and it is possible in many cases - we should also implement low cost green technologies that are appropriate to our needs and conditions."