The Green Action for National Dandi Heritage Initiative (Gandhi) memorial project was launched in Dandi, some 50 km off Surat, in coastal areas of Navsari district on Wednesday by Union minister of forest and environment Jairam Ramesh at Dandi.
The project worth Rs 25 crore has been taken up by Societies of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM), an agency working under the Union environment ministry in collaboration with Gujarat Vidyapith in Ahmedabad and Gujarat Ecology Commission.
While inaugurating the project, Ramesh said, “Guiding principals of Mahatma Gandhi hold great significance even today in every sphere including economic, social and environmental development. This new project will go a long way in conserving environment sustainably with overall development of the society.”
Gopal Krishna Gandhi, chairman Dandi Memorial Committee, said, “Gandhiji was unconsciously an environmentalist. His guiding principals will help in making this project a success.”
S K Nanda, principal secretary, department of forest and environment in Gujarat, said, “The project will focus on four main tools — conservation of coast and coastal resources, adopting nature-based development of resources, encouraging integrated village and community development, promoting eco-tourism and Dandi as an environment positive tourist destination.”
This project is likely to be completed in two years’ time and its funding will be done through World Bank assisted Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project implemented by SICOM. Under the project, mangrove forestation, promotion of non-conventional energy sources, conservation of water, waste management, establishing carbon neutral villages, improvement in livelihood of the locals, village development, and promotion of Gandhian values will take place.
by : times network
No comments:
Post a Comment