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| By Bijender Sharma |
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Saturday, June 06, 2009 (09:16:03) |
| Tags : Himachal Pradesh, Environment, World Environment Day |
Himachal Pradesh all set to go green |
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| Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Government on Friday launches three ambitious schemes to mark the World Environment Day. These schemes include HIM-XGN (Extended Green Node), Ban on use of all Polythene bags and Community Assessment Awareness Advocacy and Action Programme about environment. Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal who presided over the function to mark the occasion launched all these three schemes.
HIM-XGN is a web enabled E-Governance Solutions for Consent and Environment Management and has been implemented from Friday.
Chief Minister gave approval by clicking a mouse of the computer to certain proposals of the entrepreneurs about pollution control. The complete ban on polythene bag will come into force from 15th August, 2009. Himachal Pradesh was the first State in the Country to ban use of recycled polythene bag earlier. Now all type of polythene bags will not be used in the State from 15th August. The Community Assessment Awareness Advocacy and Action Programme about Environment have also been effective from today itself.
Speaking on the occasion, Dhumal said that these three schemes would go a long way in maintaining the ecology of Himalayas and preserving the environment and efforts were afoot to put the State on the path of Carbon Neutrality. He said that the Government has taken a number of initiatives to make Carbon Neutrality and environment protection as common man's agenda. He said that this programme would not only take the State's Agenda of Carbon Neutrality to common people but will make them the leaders of the entire programme.
Chief Minister said that there was a need to respect the basic tenets of Corporate Social Responsibility and corporate governance as the fundamentals of business and enterprise were changing fast as never before and the technology and globalization were transforming the ways of working. He said in the present times the obsession with bottom line profit and shareholder value are getting outdated and no longer provide the stimuli for leadership, motivation, innovation or brand equity. He said building environment-friendly brands and not profits has become the focal point of an ideal corporate philosophy and the need today is for the industry to create green identity and brand equity for them and reduce their carbon prints.
Chief Minister said that the occasion was the initial step of green corporate governance and industry has to accordingly position itself in the market. He added that the spin-off effect of this endeavour would also help improving the Carbon Foot Prints by savings papers, fuel, lost otherwise in the existing procedures and lead us towards the cherished goal of carbon neutrality.
Dhumal went on to add that survival of human development and industries depends mainly on everyones contribution. He said that his Government was committed for the benefit of the common man and speedy development of the State.
J.P. Nadda, Forest and Environment Minister, Himachal Pradesh said that with the introduction of this system, the visits of industry to the State Board would be considerably reduced as entire management would be through e-talks and messages on the web portal. The industry would be able to login and submit application for both fresh cases and renewals and also be able to track the progress of its application. He highlighted the initiatives taken by the Government for environment protection and carbon neutrality.
Smt. Asha Swaroop, Chief Secretary said that need for this software was being felt with the huge expansion in the State Board's functional mandate both in terms of industries and environmental database. Further, she added that the current manual system of consent management could not cope up with the work load and efficiency aspects as the web enabled Consent Management System was not only transparent and efficient but also just, fair and equitable to both the regulator and the end users.
Mrs. Sarojini Ganju Thakur, Principal Secretary said that the complicated set of forms which were existing for last 30 years have been made much simpler by the team of officers of the State Board. She said that in this new system, the higher management in the State Board was unit heads, the Member Secretary and Chairperson would be able to see, advise and direct the regional offices and the scientists on any aspect of consent be it new on renewals. This would lead to increased efficiency and accountability.
Harish Advani, Technical Director, NIC, Gujarat made a technical presentation and explained the finer aspects of the software. He said that the State Pollution Control Board with the help of NIC Gujarat has customized Web-enable Consent Management XGN Software for Himachal Pradesh in a record time. This software for Himachal Pradesh was known as HIM-XGN. The HIM-XGN wherein XGN stands for Extended Green Node has been developed by a team of IT professionals led by Shri Harish Advani, Technical Director, NIC Gujarat.
Dr. Nagin Nanda, Member Secretary, State Pollution Control Board said that unlike the old system, which is manual and not so quick this virtual office would be led by professionals incluiding Scientists and Engineers. Out of 13 modules developed by NIC Gujarat, 10 modules have been frozen and largely cover area areas like Consent Management under Water and Air Acts, Authorization under Hazardous Waste Management Rules, Bio-medical Waste-Management, Cess-Management, Accounting, Legal, Administration etc.
While addressing the State level function organized at the Ridge, Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal stressed upon the participation of citizens towards environment protection and added that State Government was alive towards this sensitive issue. He said that children were "Guardians of Environment" and added that a mass campaign would be launched in the State with their participation in order to motivate people to cooperate with the Government to achieve the objective of making Himachal a Carbon- Free State.
Chief Minister also gave away prizes to students, safai karamcharis and winners of various competitions held on the occasion. 'Paryavaran Ikaiyon Ka Gaurav' award was conferred upon Govt. Middle School, Makredi, Jogindernagar, District Mandi whereas B.S.N. Chakkar Shimla and Govt. Senior Secondary School, Chhota Shimla bagged prizes for essay and slogan writing competitions respectively.
J.P. Nadda, Forest Minister while detailing out various programmes being implemented for environment protection said that the State has been declared first State of the country for making constructive efforts for protection of environment. He thanked the Chief Minister for his able guidance and cooperation for implementing programmes like Atal Bijli Bachat Yojna, preparation of Environment Master Plan, Carbon Credit project etc. and added that State had also received 'Diamond State Award' for its constructive contribution in this direction.
About 800 students of various schools and representatives of Non- Government Organizations and members of Mahila Mandals participated in the function. |
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