Vandana harps on need to cultivate conservation culture

Pune, Apr 22 (UNI) Well-known environmentalist Dr Vandana Shiva has advocated need to cultivate conservation culture in the country.

In her key-note address at a day-long conference 'Climate Change India 2008', organised by the Pune-based World Institute of sustainable energy (WISE), she said soil, water and forest conservation is the need of an hour. 'Water is not a commodity but life', she said.

Dr Vandana, founder of Navdanya, New Delhi, said 'Unfortunately our government is not at all taking proactive measures to tackle the problem of climate change. In fact, it is more involved in promoting cricket. Remedies to solve the problem of climate change are essential to unite a society in short run and to save the species in long run.'' ''We must not rely upon bio-fuels beyond certain limit. Bio-Fuel cannot fulfil all our requirements. It leads to increase in food prices, thus food crops should not be diverted for making bio-fuel. Our first priority should be to produce food crops from the soil and production of fuel crops should be on the second number in our priority list'', she added.

Environmental experts felt that climate change in India, would severely affect the country's agriculture, food security, water resources and health. While there is considerable data and scientific literature emerging on the topic of global climate change, there is comparatively little work-taking place.

Comprehensively looking at the problems and solutions specific to India, should result in the development of a roadmap for addressing climate change from the grassroots, regional and corporate level, to the national level.

Speakers included Dr G Srinivasan, Director, Climate Cell, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), New Delhi, and Dr M Rajeevan, Director, National Climate Centre, IMD, Pune.

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