Don’t wait for apocalypse, start making Earth green now: Yogi

Mahakumbh Nagar: Chief Minister Adityanath Das stressed adopting the spirit of Vedas and Upanishads in everyday living for an ecologically friendly lifestyle to maintain Mother Earth's health and to prevent environmental degradation.

On Sunday, the Chief Minister inaugurated a climate conference on ‘Faith of Kumbh and Climate Change’.

He recalled how the Vedic and scriptural lore had enshrined that all are children of Mother Earth. That humans are not the only living beings in this universe and that our existence is intricately linked to that of animals and other living beings. If animal life is endangered, human existence will also be threatened. "We should not wait for an apocalypse; we need to make the earth green starting now. This is also the message of Kumbh. We all have a responsibility to take action against climate change while considering our faith in the process of change," he stressed.

During this speech, CM Yogi expressed condolences for the Delhi Railway station stampede incident and paid his respects to the lives lost.

The CM said that everyone blames one another, expressing concern for the environment. This is also seen during the Kumbh. "In today’s world, conversations about climate change often devolve into blame. We see a similar situation at the Maha Kumbh. His aerial survey shows that parking areas are largely empty. Many people park their vehicles on the road and walk to the Sangam for a ritual bath.

If each could park in designated spaces, they might have to walk an additional 100 metres, but this would prevent traffic jams and allow for a smoother pilgrimage experience.

He urged all devotees to play their part of responsibility in combating climate change and to incorporate that awareness into the fabric of the Maha Kumbh.

He said that from January 13 to February 16, 52 crore devotees have taken a holy dip in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. This influx is possible due to the uninterrupted flow of water from these rivers, a blessing from the divine. "As devotees share their spiritual experiences in their communities, more people continue to arrive, contributing to its success making it the largest human congregation on the earth. However, "We must recognise that carbon emissions and environmental pollution are the causes of climate change. This change is leading to the drying of our rivers, which should flow freely like the arteries of Mother Earth. Can we imagine the impact on our bodies if our blood vessels were to dry up? The same applies to the arteries of our planet."

Rolling out details of his government's initiatives for green earth, he said single-use plastic is banned and in the past eight years, 210 crore saplings were planted, out of them 70 to 80 per cent planted by the forest department. About 60 to 70 per cent planted by other organisations found healthy. The government has prioritised electric buses over diesel-powered ones, implementing new policies and expanding initiatives. Efforts are being made to revive dead rivers. This progress has allowed millions to partake in holy baths at Sangam each day, particularly during peak times like Mauni Amavasya.

"The rivers have been channelised. We have expanded the area around Sangam, ensuring a consistent flow of 10,000 to 11,000 cubic feet of water," he added.

He questioned "Can we prevent the encroachment and pollution of rivers, show compassion towards wildlife, and stress that just as humans have their own life cycle, Mother Earth has her’s. If we align our efforts with the natural world, we can ensure the survival of our planet." For this, he asked everyone to plant a sapling in the name of mother and faith.