Biodiversity conservation collective responsibility: Yogi

Hindustan Times

22-05-2025

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday emphasised the need for collective responsibility and participation in conserving the environment.
'It is not the responsibility of the government alone but requires active involvement from all sections of society,' he said while inaugurating a national seminar-2025 organised at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan here on the occasion of the International Biodiversity Day .
'Biodiversity conservation gained international attention in 1992. PM Narendra Modi assured the world that India will achieve the goal of net-zero by 2070. But this target is not alone the responsibility of government but our collective responsibility,' the CM said.
'The development model adopted is becoming self-destructive. Don't know who gave order to cut trees of mango and jamun. If you cannot plant saplings, don't cut trees,' Yogi added.
Highlighting the theme 'Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development', he urged people to live in harmony with nature, drawing upon India's Vedic philosophy and Sanatan traditions which underscore the deep cultural reverence for the environment.
Reflecting on India's self-reliant rural traditions, he recalled how villages once had barns, pasture lands, ponds and compost pits, all contributing significantly to environmental sustainability. Solid waste was turned into compost, ponds ensured hygiene, and pasture lands supported livestock, the CM said.
'However, these time-tested practices have been neglected in pursuing modernity, leading to ecological imbalance and rise of disease,' he added. Yogi warned that practices like converting ponds into drainage outlets and encroaching on pasture lands are short-sighted and self-destructive.
Highlighting UP's commitment to environmental protection, the CM said the State Biodiversity Board is spearheading new campaigns. Over the past eight years, the forest department has significantly expanded the state's green cover by planting over 210 crore trees.
'Under the Namami Gange initiative, substantial progress has been made in restoring the cleanliness and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga, especially in Kanpur, once considered one of the most polluted stretches. Today, the Ganga flows clean and vibrant in that region, reflecting the success of these focused efforts,' Yogi said.
He also referred to Sanatan Dharma, where flora and fauna are deeply integrated with spiritual beliefs, trees like Peepal, Banyan, and Jamun are revered, and animals. The CM also stressed the importance of traditional knowledge and local customs in biodiversity conservation.
Recalling age-old practices, he mentioned how, in earlier times, even ants were not harmed but gently removed by offering flour and sugar, an example of coexistence and ecological compassion.
Yogi warned that excessive mechanisation, whether in drainage systems or industrial processes, is detrimental to the environment and advocated a return to natural and indigenous methods, such as traditional water purification systems once prevalent in rural areas.
He raised concerns over the declining populations of ecologically significant species like vulture. 'The vultures are not dying on their own but use of chemical by us is the reason. We have to make conservation centre for them,' he said. During the event, Yogi provided ₹10,000 incentives to individuals recognised for outstanding work in carbon credit initiatives and honoured NGO-affiliated farmers.