Stubble Burning: Dhankhar Urges Systemic Solution

New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday emphasised the need for a systemic solution to stubble burning, stating that our negligence endangers people's lives.

Addressing the National Energy Conservation Day function, Dhankhar said the national capital suffers every year due to hazardous environmental conditions arising out of stubble burning.

Society needs to embrace innovation and seek a systemic solution rather than leaving it to individuals, he added.

"The system must come of age...Just imagine our lack of attention. Our negligence is putting us in jeopardy in several ways. One is our health. Second, loss of hours of work. Third, disruption of normal life. And fourth, we need to take care of our children.

"You can't go to school on this day because pollution is very high, and therefore, everyone must converge to contribute," Dhankhar stated.

He also called for finding a systemic solution to stubble burning, saying it should not be left to individuals.

"Climate change, the crisis...The threatening problem obliterates social barriers. Rich or poor, urban or rural. We must act together, or we perish together," he noted.

Referring to ethos and traditional wisdom, Dhankhar said, "Our civilisational wisdom is a heritage, and I would say, in a sense, survival manual, encyclopaedic, for this climate emergency. We have the civilisational ethos of thousands of years, our Vedas, Puranas, our epics Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Gita's wisdom. If we look into that gold mine, we get real inspiration that conservation had always been a key factor, a facet of life".

Highlighting the fundamental duty outlined in the Constitution regarding environmental conservation, Dhankhar said, "I invite your attention in particular to Article 51A. It is just not constitutional guidance. It has to be a way of life with us".

Underlining the importance of responsible consumption, the Vice President stated, "This is not yours. It is a collective to the entire humanity, and therefore, an obligation on us that there has to be optimal utilisation of resources, optimal utilisation of energy".

Minister of State for Power Shripad Yesso Naik was also present on the occasion.