Maharashtra’s Four-Point Program Can Be Replicated Across India: Environment Minister Thackeray

Maharashtra environment minister Aaditya Thackeray advocated effective waste management and the need to develop renewable energy projects for sustainable urbanization

New Delhi:  With India reeling under poor air quality putting human health at risk, Maharashtra’s Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray claimed that a four-point program, devised for his state, can help combat pollution in the entire nation as well.

Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue of 2020 in New Delhi, the young minister advocated time-bound intervention programs to effectively resolve the poor air quality. “Time is essential, we must act now. Thus, we (Maharashtra Government) have set a four-point target program in our state, for all our municipal corporations in the last two months, which I believe can be replicated everywhere,” Thackeray said, addressing a round-table session on ‘Right to Breathe: The Battle for Clean Air’

The environment minister stated that under his government’s four-point targeted program, they are working on road designs and urban management, followed by making streets pedestrian friendly, transit-oriented development and incentives for eco-homes.  

“These are small interventions, small steps that we can take which can actually give larger, collective impacts,” he added while calling upon other state governments to develop effective waste management and renewable energy projects for urban sustainability. 

Click to Watch: Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray Address at Raisina Dialogue 2020

The environment minister underlined the rapid urbanization of spaces in the country and advocated effective waste management and the need to develop renewable energy projects. 

Contractors, Politicians Earn Money From Concretization: Minister Aaditya Thackeray

The young minister in the address, opined that the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), needs to utilize 66 open land spaces in the island city.

Speaking on his plan to develop urban forests in Mumbai, the minister said, “In the last three months, we have taken up the concept of urban forests in Mumbai. We got 66 land parcels in Mumbai, which were just as they were, not being used for anything by the municipal corporation and we have taken it from them.” The cabinet minister now has directed the BMC to plant 4,00,000 trees in those areas and raise urban forests. 

The minister also said that the 66 urban forests will not have any feature of concretization as it allows contractors and politicians to earn money from such projects. 

“With concretization, the contractor can earn money and of course the politicians out of it, but going beyond that, we need to look where we can reduce concrete areas to bring forth urban forests,” Thackeray said. 

Migration in Maharashtra Due To Pollution elsewhere

The environment minister in his opening remarks argued that migration in Maharashtra was due to rising pollution levels elsewhere.

“There are so many places, in Maharashtra, so many regions, I see and it’s not just Maharashtra, looking at global perspectives as well…people are migrating from one place to another, taking their cultures from one place to another, because those places… be it because of air pollution, water pollution, droughts, floods, rising water levels,” Thackeray claimed.

However, while outlining sustainable eco-system ideas, the young minister raised few eyebrows in the crowds, when he claimed that people in Maharashtra are migrating due to rising pollution.

Maharashtra environment minister Aaditya Thackeray advocated effective waste management and the need to develop renewable energy projects for sustainable urbanization

New Delhi:  With India reeling under poor air quality putting human health at risk, Maharashtra’s Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray claimed that a four-point program, devised for his state, can help combat pollution in the entire nation as well.

Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue of 2020 in New Delhi, the young minister advocated time-bound intervention programs to effectively resolve the poor air quality. “Time is essential, we must act now. Thus, we (Maharashtra Government) have set a four-point target program in our state, for all our municipal corporations in the last two months, which I believe can be replicated everywhere,” Thackeray said, addressing a round-table session on ‘Right to Breathe: The Battle for Clean Air’

The environment minister stated that under his government’s four-point targeted program, they are working on road designs and urban management, followed by making streets pedestrian friendly, transit-oriented development and incentives for eco-homes.  

“These are small interventions, small steps that we can take which can actually give larger, collective impacts,” he added while calling upon other state governments to develop effective waste management and renewable energy projects for urban sustainability. 

Click to Watch: Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray Address at Raisina Dialogue 2020

The environment minister underlined the rapid urbanization of spaces in the country and advocated effective waste management and the need to develop renewable energy projects. 

Contractors, Politicians Earn Money From Concretization: Minister Aaditya Thackeray

The young minister in the address, opined that the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), needs to utilize 66 open land spaces in the island city.

Speaking on his plan to develop urban forests in Mumbai, the minister said, “In the last three months, we have taken up the concept of urban forests in Mumbai. We got 66 land parcels in Mumbai, which were just as they were, not being used for anything by the municipal corporation and we have taken it from them.” The cabinet minister now has directed the BMC to plant 4,00,000 trees in those areas and raise urban forests. 

The minister also said that the 66 urban forests will not have any feature of concretization as it allows contractors and politicians to earn money from such projects. 

“With concretization, the contractor can earn money and of course the politicians out of it, but going beyond that, we need to look where we can reduce concrete areas to bring forth urban forests,” Thackeray said. 

Migration in Maharashtra Due To Pollution elsewhere

The environment minister in his opening remarks argued that migration in Maharashtra was due to rising pollution levels elsewhere.

“There are so many places, in Maharashtra, so many regions, I see and it’s not just Maharashtra, looking at global perspectives as well…people are migrating from one place to another, taking their cultures from one place to another, because those places… be it because of air pollution, water pollution, droughts, floods, rising water levels,” Thackeray claimed.

However, while outlining sustainable eco-system ideas, the young minister raised few eyebrows in the crowds, when he claimed that people in Maharashtra are migrating due to rising pollution.