KOCHI: Noted ecologist Mdahav Gadgil has expressed doubts about the sincerity of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in protecting and conserving the environment in the country.
Inaugurating a seminar on ‘Trends biodiversity’ in St. Teresa’s College here on Thursday, Gadgil has expressed apprehensions in this regard in view of the recent move by the union government in diluting the process of environmental clearances for mega projects.
Gadgil also said that the much publicised Swatch Bharat project of the government meeting its objective due to the neglect of the basic issues linked with ecology.
“It is good to know that persons like Sachin Tendulkar are taking part in the cleansing programme in a city like Mumbai. But, at the same time the degradation of creeks and rivulets in Mumbai goes on without any hindrance”, he pointed out.
Gadgil also said that out of the 1.048 bird species in the country 129 are facing threats of extinction. The birds belonging to larger size are facing the maximum threat, he said, and added that northeastern states are the worst hit by the threats.
