THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the state’s policy is sustainable and environment friendly development. He was speaking after presenting the Paristhithi Mithram awards here on Thursday. Pinarayi also inaugurated a campaign to promote healthy lifestyle by reducing the use of plastics.
The chief minister said the government is laying focus on environment conservation and waste management. Importance is given to renewable energy production and use of electric vehicles.
Forest Minister A K Saseendran inaugurated the department’s celebrations. “Development at the cost of environment will take humans backward. Every year different programmes are conducted on this day. But we could not achieve desirable effects through them,” he said. Untimely rain and landslides are posing a threat to all lives,” he added.
The minister said the forest department is taking strong steps to reduce man-animal conflicts, he said. He released an e-governance digital suite of the department. He also released a book on the department’s achievements, special edition of ‘Aranyam’ magazine brought out by the department and a handbook on solar fencing.
Power Minister K Krishnankutty inaugurated the celebrations of Energy Management Centre. Additional Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar delivered the keynote address. The minister announced that the EMC will launch a Carbon Credit Facilitation Centre. The new centre will provide assistance to institutions which wish to secure carbon credit. MLA Kadakampally Surendran presided over the function.The Kudumbashree, as part of the nationwide ‘Women for Trees’ campaign, planted saplings.