Text of Vice-President’s address at National Energy Conservation Day Function, 2024, New Delhi (Excerpts)
The climate change, the crisis. The threatening problem obliterate social barriers. rich or poor, urban or rural. We either act together or we perish together. When we faced COVID, I reflected that COVID is a non-discriminatory challenge. It affected all rich, high, and mighty, as also ordinary people like me. But the challenge had to be met in unison, in tandem, in togetherness.
We need immediate, decisive and corrective action, government mandates industrial transformation and radical citizen commitment.
We have civilisational ethos of thousands of years, our Vedas, Puranas, our epics Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Gita’s wisdom, if we look into that gold mine, we get real inspiration that conservation had always been a key factor, a facet of life.
Our ancient wisdom foresaw this crisis, the Shanti Paths in the shape of a plea, for environment harmony, is no longer a philosophy it has to be translated into action. Our desperate cry for survival is encapsulated in ‘द्यौः शान्ति:, पृथ्वी शांति:’
We need peace in sky, we need peace on earth and we cannot have peace or harmony or tranquility unless there is eco system that is affirmative for existence.
Our civilisational wisdom is a heritage, and I would say, in a sense, survival manual, encyclopaedic, for this climate emergency.
Bhartiya Sanskriti’s sacred view of nature is a way of life will prevent environmental collapse. Look at our religious functions, Look at our Shloks,
Look at our method of worship. We invariably nurture nature, worship nature. We ensure by these activities that nature is nurtured and blossomed.
And the Prime Minister therefore in such a situation gave a clarion call that has become Jan Andolan ‘Ek ped Maa ke Naam.’ It is started as a modest way, I can tell you it is Janandolan. It is on this day we must take a pledge. Each one of us at least will have ‘Ek ped for Maa ke Naam’.
Our fiscal strength, our fiduciary power, cannot be a determining factor for utilisation of natural resources, for utilisation of energy. If people think I can afford. I want them to revisit their thoughts, this is not yours.
It is a collective to the entire humanity and therefore, an obligation on us that there has to be optimal utilisation of resources, optimal utilisation of energy.
Our resources on the planet are not infinite, they are limited. If we engage in reckless exploitation then we are depriving our future generations what is their to due. Thankfully, innovation and research have made available to us alternative sources, renewal sources. In G20, the nation took great initiative, and the initiative was Energy Front also but before that also, we could galvanize, catalyze International Solar Alliance. It is headquartered in National Capital Region, countries more than 100 are its members. Now I find accessibility and adaptability of renewable energy in villages.
Constitution has given us fundamental rights, but also fundamental duties and when there is a challenge in the family, in society, in a group, or before the nation, we relegate our rights and give precedence to duties.
I invite your attention in particular to Article 51A. It is just not constitutional guidance. It has to be a way of life with us. If we focus on those duties, energy conservation will be one of them. Equitable growth will be another and these things, these duties are to be performed. They only require a positive mindset and an attitude.
The International Solar Alliance $1 trillion US dollar goal isn’t just investment. It is life insurance for us. It’s assurance of a dignified life.
Quite often I wonder and so I spoke to faculty and students of IIT Kanpur that the National Capital suffers every year on account of hazardous environmental situations arising out of burning Parali.
We must get into innovation mode, find a systemic solution it should not be left to individuals. The system must come of age. I’ve been assured by the director IIT Kanpur that he’ll look into the matter. Just imagine our lack of attention, our negligence is putting us in jeopardy in several ways.
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One, our health.
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Second, loss of hours of work.
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Third, disruption of normal life. and;
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Fourth, we need to take care of our children.
We are giving them a heavy dose. You can’t go to school on this day because pollution is very high and therefore everyone must converge to contribute what he or she can.
The national biofuel policy is now much beyond a policy document. Its emergency response to petroleum addiction
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JK/RC/SM
