The trade and industry, taking it as a part of their social responsibility, should come forward to create public awareness about the consequences of climate change. The message should go to the village and hamlet levels so that people join the efforts being taken by the Government on minimising the impact of climate change, he said.

Mr. Gehlot was addressing a national conference on “Business action on climate change” organised here jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Rajasthan, and the State Pollution Control Board. The impact of climate change would be more in a desert State like Rajasthan but going by a recent study by NASA there was reason for concern for the States in the neighbourhood such as Delhi, Punjab and Haryana as well where ground water position had become alarmingly critical, he said.

“The whole world is concerned about the impact of climate change. The situation emerging out of climate change would have a bearing on social aspects as well as scarcity conditions leading to conflicts and law and order issues,” Mr. Gehlot said, recollectimg the violent conflict over water in the State in the recent past which had led to deaths in police firing in Gharsana and Raola. The geographical conditions of Rajasthan are different and the State usually faces drought and famine. It was keeping in view the impact of climate change that the State Government launched its ambitious greening programme, “Harit Rajasthan”, he pointed out.

Mr. Gehlot said the water level was depleting fast in the State even as its quality too was deteriorating.

Water mining

In several parts of the State water mining is still on while 200 blocks out of a total of 248 have already turned into dark zones, he said. The Government had been making efforts for increasing power generation from non-conventional energy sources as well, he added.

Rajasthan presently has a 1000-MW capacity in wind energy while efforts were on in setting up generation units using bio mass and solar energy as well, he said. The Chief Minister hailed the CII decision to open a water institute in Rajasthan and assured all support.

Keynote speaker V. S .Singh, Principal Secretary (Environment and Forests) and CMD, Rajasthan Pollution Control Board, said natural resources are being depleted at a greater speed than ever in the past and the effects are visible in the form of climate change.

Anil Sinha , Regional Head – Advisory Services, International Finance Corporation, noted that carbon dioxide and green house gases were the main cause behind the climate change. To get to the solutions, the Government and the private sector would have to work together, he said.

CII Rajasthan State Council chairman Rohit Saboo mentioned the initiatives being taken by the industry such as rainwater harvesting, solar energy harnessing and other measures to check pollution and reduce energy consumption.