GOPESHWAR: Eminent environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt on Monday said the world suffers from an environmental imbalance because of the "mindless exploitation" of its natural resources in the name of development.
A pioneer of the 'Chipko movement', Bhatt addressed people at a forest and environment promotion camp held at Bachher village on the occasion of World Environment Day.
"The whole world is suffering from an environmental imbalance.
Mindless and indiscriminate exploitation of resources is being done in the name of so-called development due to which life on earth is in danger," Bhatt said Bhatt who was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2005 underlined the need for collective efforts for saving the environment.
Due to environmental imbalance, natural calamities are on the rise and there has been a change in the weather pattern affecting the livelihood of families dependent on agriculture, he said.
Basic facilities should be made available to everyone, but alongside this, we should also focus on protecting our environment, Bhatt said.
Women from the village, Van Panchayat sarpanches and social workers participated in the meeting chaired by green activist Manoj Tiwari.