Jammu and Kashmir govt planted over 15 million trees last year: LG Manoj Sinha

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 12 (ANI): The Jammu and Kashmir government has planted more than 15 million trees in the previous financial year across the Union Territory, its Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said.

Speaking during the Youth-20 (Y20) consultation meet on climate change under India's G20 presidency, Sinha, as reported by news agency -- Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that Jammu and Kashmir is not famous only for snow-clad mountains but also for intellectual brilliance.

"In the past financial year only, we have planted more than 15 million trees across Jammu and Kashmir. I take pride in the fact that our natural resources are growing. The green cover has grown up in the past few years to 55 per cent," Sinha said as posted by Greater Kashmir.

He said that the message of the Y20 consultation conference signals the encouraging prospect for a new energy in a global partnership on environment, development and the collective effort to ensure equity, global prosperity and better quality of life.

He further said that the major challenges for the next 25 years are to protect the climate and promote sustainable development. "It means, as one family we need to nurture the earth that sustains life and sustainable development objectives should be translated into collective action to transform the lives of the common man," the LG said.

Sinha added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already decided to fight against every climate change challenge through a mass movement and promote an environment-conscious lifestyle.

"The fight against climate change has turned out to be the top priority for the young generation and I am confident that the youth will bring good solutions to it," he said.

He said the massive participation in this Y20 Consultation Conference signals the encouraging prospect of new energy in a global partnership on environment, development and our collective effort to ensure equity, global prosperity and better quality of life for all.

"Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji has called upon the global community to transform the effort of tackling climate challenge into a mass movement and promote an environmentally conscious lifestyle. I firmly believe under the leadership of Hon'ble PM, India will guide the world in building a sustainable society that will both be an economic powerhouse and a major contributor in restoring the delicate balance of Nature," the Lt Governor said.

By adopting 'Green Growth' as one of the seven key priorities (Saptarshi), the Prime Minister has shown the world that India stands firm on its resolve to achieve the goal of Zero Carbon Emission by 2070, he added, as reported by Greater Kashmir.

At the Y20 Consultation, the Lt Governor called upon the youth to ensure ideas to create productive harmony between nature and human are translated into action and contributes to a better world.

"Youth will lead the world in offering pragmatic solutions to climate & global challenges of the 21st century. I believe the young generation will synergise innovative ideas and actions to preserve natural resources and also become stakeholders in policymaking for sustainable development," the Lt Governor said.

The Lt Governor in his address also talked about the vision of India's G20 Presidency and the collective responsibility of the global community to nurture the nature for benefit of humanity. (ANI)