Protect environment, says minister to industries

New Delhi, Jun 5: The Union Minister of Environment and Forests A Raja today expressed his displeasure on industries like pesticides, dye and dye immediates, distillery and pharmaceuticals for not giving much attention for environmental protection and asked them to make quicker efforts.

The minister was addressing the gathering on a 'Colloquim on Corporate Responsibility in Environmental Protection' organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.

''A review of the implementation of the Charter on Corporate Responsibility for Environmental Protection (CREP) shows that there has been a mixed response from the industry. While some of the industries like alluminium, cement, thermal power and plants have responded very positively, industries like pesticides, dye and dye intermediates, distillery, pharmaceuticals etc need to make quicker efforts,'' Mr Raja said.

The National Environment Policy which was approved by the Cabinet on May 18,2006 is the first initiative in strategy-formulaiton for environmental protection, he said. NEP recognises the relevant fiscal, tariffs and sectoral policies need to take explicit account of their unintentional impacts on land degradation so that land which is the fundamental basis of livelihood for the majority of the population is not damaged, the minister added.

The minister also said the government is planning to set up a National Rainfed Area Authority for a co-ordinated expertise-backed delivery system at Jodhpur. The city already has two national level institutes namely, Arid Forest Research Institute (AFRI) and Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI).

UNI