Aug. 3: Rajya Sabha expressed concern over depletion of forest resources and wildlife besides issues like global warming. Initiating a discussion on the working of the ministry of environment and forests, AIADMK member V. Maitreyan said there was a perception that the ministry acts only at the behest of the judiciary and pointed out this was not a healthy trend. He said the issue affects and touches the life of each creature on this earth as global warming and climate change with melting of ice sheets, extreme weather conditions, rising level of sea and gradual reduction of winter season are a reality and not a myth.
The AIADMK member said care and concern for nature and development has to go side by side and raised issues of noise pollution, pollution in rivers Yamuna and Ganga, and the big gap between generation of effluent and capacity for treatment.
AIADMK member also sought greater involvement of the fishing community in managing coastal environment.
Disapproving ministry’s proposal to bring cheetahs from Africa, DMK member Kanimozhi said, "There are many species which are endangered in the country." She felt that bringing something from outside will not help in its breeding in the country.
The DMK member also demanded creation of a Forest Protection Force on the lines of Railway Protection Force and suggested that helicopters can also be used for forest surveillance.
Congress member Shantaram Naik said the government must amend its environment policy and table it in the Parliament before making it final.
Alleging that the empowered committee, appointed by the Supreme Court, is functioning like a parallel department, Mr Naik said the government must take note of the issue seriously.
BJP member and former Uttarakhand chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiari spoke about cultural and spiritual aspects of environment and said destruction of forest is the main cause of all ills.
