Jairam Ramesh says India working with china on climate change

Mansar (J-K), Feb 3 (ANI): Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh has said India continues to work with China on climate change.

"In spite of all the border problems with China we want to continue to work closely with China. We are proposing a major programme of partnership in environment and pollution control, in forestry management and we are also looking at a joint programme on monitoring glaciers," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function at Mansar in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir.

On the fierce opposition from environmentalists and farmers to the impending commercial use of Genetically Modified Bt Brinjal crop in India, Ramesh said a decision would be taken soon.

"We are going through a process of public consultations. Six public consultations have been held, seventh will be held in Bangalore on February 6 and by February 10, I will take the final decision on the commercialisation of Bt brinjal," he added.

He further said that Jammu and Kashmir is a place of rich biodiversity and the Union Government at the Centre is seriously concerned for its protection.

"The wetland ecology of the State needs proper and timely attention for its conservation and both the Centre and the State Governments are taking the necessary initiatives in this direction.

He also announced a grant of Rs. three crore for the development of the Mansar Lake and establishing the Mahatma Gandhi Chair for Ecology and Environment at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri district of the State.

He further informed that the first Wetland Atlas of Jammu and Kashmir - a work by the experts of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) shall be released within next three months. (ANI)