Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu urges people to become warriors to protect environment

Hyderabad: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said that everyone must become a warrior in the movement to protect the environment in the light of the climate crisis the world is going through. "From panchayat to Parliament, all stakeholders must act proactively in protecting the environment", he added.

Naidu also stressed the need to act stringently with violators of pollution laws and consider strict enforcement of the 'Polluter Pays' principle.

Interacting with the trainees at Swarna Bharat Trust, here, he said, "In the light of these worrisome trends, it is imperative for us to co-exist harmoniously with nature and protect the environment to ensure the well-being of all."

Going forward, the VP suggested that it is extremely important to balance our developmental needs with environmental protection. It cannot be business as usual.

Recalling the importance given to nature in Indian civilisation, he said, "We should act as 'trustees' to our natural environment, as Gandhiji advised. He noted the country's commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, leadership in forging the International Solar Alliance and called for even greater substantive global efforts towards mitigating climate change."

The VP also underscored how the environment and health are deeply intertwined. "Studies have revealed that spending time in nature lowers blood pressure, reduces stress and enhances emotional well-being. Being close to nature leaves us rejuvenated", he noted. He called for creating awareness from a young age on the need to live in harmony with nature. "It was also found that children who received outdoor training were more satisfied and emotionally well-balanced. Every school should make outdoor activities, like gardening and trekking, an integral part of the curriculum", he emphasised.

Naidu expressed concern about increasing cases of myopia among children. He referred to his interaction with experts at the L V Prasad Eye Institute and cautioned that, according to experts, 64 million children living in urban areas in the country are likely to have myopia by 2050 if no anti-myopia measures are initiated soon.

G N Rao, founder of LV Prasad Eye Institute, Dr. Prashant Garg, senior ophthalmologist from the institute, Chigurupati Krishna Prasad, president of the trust, Bhadra Reddy, treasurer, Mallareddy Educational Institutions, students undergoing training at Swarna Bharat Trust were among those present.