changeadminIn the 124th edition of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again highlighted important environmental issues, forest conservation, cleanliness and the use of technology to understand India’s avian biodiversity.
Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India’s folk songs, bhajans, and kirtans promote culture, diversity and also raise important issues, including creating awareness of forest fires.
The Prime Minister referred to a group named Radhakrishna Sankirtan Mandali in Keonjhar district of Odisha. He said, “Along with devotion, today, this group is also chanting the mantra of environmental protection.”
“The inspiration behind this initiative is Pramila Pradhan ji. To protect the forest and the environment, she has added new lyrics and new messages to traditional songs. Her troupe goes from village to village. Through songs, people were made to understand how much damage forest fires cause. This example reminds us that our folk traditions are not something of the past; they still have the power to give direction to society.“
In another example, he spoke about the use of technology to track avian biodiversity at Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Though the region is more famous for its Rhinos, for the first time, a Grassland Bird Census was conducted.
More than 40 bird species were identified in the census, using sound recording devices. Bird sounds were analysed on the computer leveraging AI. He said, “The birds were identified just by their sounds, that too without disturbing them. Imagine! When technology and sensitivity come together, understanding nature becomes so easy and deep. We should promote such efforts so that we can recognise our biodiversity and connect the next generation to it.“
He alluded to the recent Swachh Survey, which saw participation from 4,500 cities and 150 million people from across the country. As the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ is about to complete 11 years, it has set an example of promoting cleanliness through mass movement.
Cities and towns in India are employing waste management systems, as per their needs and surroundings. He added, “The people of Kirtinagar in Uttarakhand are setting a new example of waste management in the hills. Similarly, organic waste management is being done with the help of technology in Mangaluru.”
Prime Minister Modi spoke about the small city of Roing in Arunachal, where waste management was a challenge, impacting the health of the people. The people started the ‘Green Roing Initiative’, and an entire park was created from recycled waste.
Similarly, water management in Karad in Vijayawada and the cleanliness at the River Front in Ahmedabad are notable examples of positive steps taken by the public.
In Bhopal, ‘Sakaratmak Soch’ comprises 200 women who are not just cleaning public parks, they are also changing mindsets as they distribute cloth bags. Owing to such efforts, Bhopal has now come a long way in the Swachh Survey. In Lucknow, for the last 10 years, every Sunday, members of the Gomti River team have been tirelessly engaged in the cleanliness work.
In Bilha, Chhattisgarh, women trained in waste management have changed the face of the city. In Panaji, Goa, waste is segregated into 16 categories due to the efforts led by women.
Prime Minister Modi added, “Cleanliness is not a one-time, one-day task. Only when we accord priority to cleanliness every day, every moment of the year, will the country remain clean“.
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