'India must change agri, industrial practices to save environment'

SME Times News Bureau | 28 Dec, 2013 President Pranab Mukherjee Friday said India needed to change its agricultural and industrial practices to reduce toxicity in food, water and environment. Speaking at the inaugural function of a five-day-long 37th Indian Social Science Congress-2013 at Aligarh Muslim University in Aligarh, Mukherjee stressed on seriously considering the conservation of bio-diversity and natural resources. "Our relations with nature should be guided by the principles of reciprocity, limitation, cooperation and sustainability. The fertility of our soil needs to be restored without further delay. We need to change agricultural and industrial practices in order to reduce the toxicity in food, water and environment," he said. "It is important that our country growsin harmony with nature. Conservation of bio-diversity and natural resources merits a serious consideration," he added. Emphasizing on the need to conserve water, Mukherjee said despite water on its surface, Earth has only one percent drinking water, a large quantity of which is polluted. Moreover, rivers are drying and ground water is being over-exploited. "So, we need to conserve and replenish our water resources," he said. The president further said that climate change was a threat but also a unique opportunity to work together. "As a developing country on the frontlines of climate vulnerability, India has a vital stake in the evolution of a successful, rule-based, equitable and multilateral response to climate change," he said.