NatConnect Foundation

Hon’ble Prime Minister - Here is one from us, nature lovers - FreeNature.

Thank you for inviting ideas for your Independence Day speech.

Here is one from us, nature lovers - #FreeNature.

We have been paying the price of interfering with Nature and the environment. Landslides, floods, droughts have all become a commonly regular phenomenon across the country. There is not a single element of Nature – from hills, rivers, wetlands, mangroves, to forests – which are not endangered due to human greed, avarice and neglect.

Here are a few pointers to begin with and shall update them as we move on with the drive:

1. Make environment protection an inclusive subject. Take all stake holders into confidence.
2. Ensure that government departments, organisations, agencies, and above all, the elected representatives stick to and follow the environmental laws. Not by just taking pledges, but walking-the-talk.
3. Empower the respective agencies in-charge of environment – from the hills to forests to rivers and the sea – to be strict with every violator. Simply put, rule is rule, rule for one and all. Crime against Mother Nature is worse than crime against mother.
4. Encourage whistle blower culture. Alert citizens are a must for a healthy democracy.
5. Inculcate Environment Studies – from primary school to Universities. Environment First – Development Next. #FreeNature must be part of all Urban and infrastructure planning.
6. Let there be environmental accountability at all government departments, private enterprises. Those who draw fat salaries from tax-payers’ money must be made accountable for what they do and don’t.
7. Respect Court rulings. There should not be any need for any one of us to move courts for environmental issues or contempt petitions (which has become the order of the day, unfortunately).
8. Scrupulously follow Respect global conventions such as Paris and Ramsar and let the culture flow from Parliament to Panchayat.
9. Let us unfurl the flag of #FreeNature on August 15 and forever.
10. Every day is nature’s day, Naturally.

Yours sincerely,

B N Kumar

Director- NatConnect Foundation.

Pic credit:  Flamingos at DPS Lake Pic by Dharmesh Barai, Environment Life