Responsible Consumerism Need of the Hour, Echoes Dr. Harsh Vardhan

Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and Vice-President of CSIR, Dr. Harsh Vardhan addressing at the dedication ceremony of the Apex Metrology Laboratory to the Nation, at CSIR-National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi on March 27, 2015. The Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Science, Shri Y.S. Chowdary and the Director, CSIR-NPL, Dr. A. Sen Gupta are also seen.

On the occasion of World Environment Day 2015, the Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan has called for the creation of a culture of responsible consumerism.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan has urged the citizens of India to transform themselves as responsible consumers. And instead of chasing instant and junk foods, they should bear in mind their real needs. Further, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has called for creating a consciousness of public transportation and ethical purchases.

“We must join the growing world community of safety and environment conscious consumers who are aware of the cradle to grave implications of the production of whatever they buy. We must also conserve with a view to tomorrow – spare enough for the coming generations,” he said.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan also informed that while waste management is one of the key priorities of the Narendra Modi government’s environment policy, the long-term goal is to become a recycling society that uses waste as a resource. “Multitudes of the processes are available for utilization of waste for bio-fuels,” he added.

The Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Minister was at the at the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI: a wing of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) in Nagpur on World Environment Day where he noted that air pollution in India’s metropolitan cities is recognized as a major threat to the future generations. Keeping in mind the need for effective monitoring and corrective measures, he asked CSIR-NEERI to deploy its mobile units on a nationwide scale over the next year.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan also flagged off a Mobile Emission Monitoring and Control Laboratory (MEMCL), which will subsequently be taken to all the major cities of the country. After year-long surveys and observations, CSIR-NEERI would be in a position to propose effective solutions for adoption on a war footing.