Policies must ensure growth does not compromise environment: Minister

Environmental action groups must move from the 3Rs of reduce, reuse and recycle to that of reflect, rethink and request others to practise sustainability, said Information Technology Minister Poongothai Aladi Aruna.

Though India's economic growth is galloping, she said government agencies at various levels must evolve policies to ensure that growth takes place without compromising the environment.

Identifying population to be one of the key problems, the Minister said women have to make better choices. “They must have in mind that they along with other marginalised communities face the brunt of any climate-related catastrophe. India cannot sustain 18 per cent of the world's population on 2.5 per cent of the earth's land surface.”

She was speaking at the inauguration of a ‘Change Climate Change' Coalition (CCCC) organised at Stella Maris College by Exnora International and the Tamil Nadu Girls NCC as part of World Environment Day celebrations.

‘5 tens light out' campaign

The coalition will be spearheading various environmental activities in the run up to the ‘5 tens light out' campaign, which will urge people to switch off lights for 10 minutes at 10 p.m. on October 10.

“The ‘lights out' campaign has to move beyond symbolism,” said M.B. Nirmal, founder of Exnora International.

“This time we have been urging participants to cut their carbon emissions by 10 per cent before October 10. A monthly reduction in the unit consumption of electricity, water and vehicle fuel is part of the campaign.”

Principal of Stella Maris College, Jesintha Quadras, said that words are no longer sufficient. “What we need now are goodwill and action. ”

Participants at the event planted a sapling each inside the college campus and took a pledge to preserve the environment.