The Hindu : `Bring back traditional ways of conservation'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 03, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

`Bring back traditional ways of conservation'

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE May 2. The Foundry and Forge Division of the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., which is a source of waste and effluent that can pose an environmental hazard if not managed properly, has been applying appropriate technology wherever required, in an effort to follow the ``polluter pays'' principle.

To this end, to share ideas and compare notes with industry, it has sponsored "Parisara-2002", a two-day workshop, organised by the Foundation for Advanced Materials. The Governor, V.S.Rama Devi, inaugurated the workshop here on Thursday.

The Governor said now that pollution had touched ever facet of life, it was time to return to the traditional practices of conservation and protection, whose logic and rationale were all the more relevant today.

Expressing concern over falling standards in public health management, Ms. Rama Devi said non-government organisations and women's groups should promote citizens' participation in maintaining the hygiene of their neighbourhoods, apart from managing waste disposal.

She welcomed the decision of the Government to phase out old vehicles whose emission levels exceeded permissible levels, as air pollution had become a major cause for concern in cities such as Bangalore. She suggested that noise pollution should also be covered under the pollution laws, so that measures may be taken to minimise this additional cause of many lifestyle afflictions of the city-dwellers.

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board Chairman, Upendra Tripathy, said although there was an adequate number of laws governing issues such as pollution, protection or conservation, the decades of following the principle of "pollute and clean'' as a form of repentance had taken its toll on the environment.

Prevention, he felt, was the better option and both the laws and their implementation should reflect this need. And in all efforts, it was vital to have the voluntary participation of the citizens, Mr. Tripathy said.

The former Chairman of HAL, C.G.Krishnadas Nair, who is the Chairman of the conference, spoke.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Floriculture centre to come up in City

Nine arrested for two murders

`Bring back traditional ways of conservation'

Mango price up as arrivals are delayed