NGT Is Nurturing Green For Tomorrow : Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar

 Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, recently underscored the significance of institutions like the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in upholding environmental justice in the Country. 

The Vice President was the Chief Guest at the valedictory ceremony of the National Conference on Environment 2025 organised by the National Green Tribunal held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Recalling the unfortunate Bhopal Gas Tragedy and the years of suffering of the local victims, the Vice President underlined how regulatory regimes like NGT could have prevented such instances in the past. He explained: 

"The Bhopal gas tragedy lesson is still unlearned. The Union Carbide Leakage of 1984. It was mega environmental negligence. Even after four decades, families suffered generation after generation, genetic disorders and groundwater contamination…..Just imagine how pathetic was the lack of awareness. We did not have an institution like NGT. We did not have a regulatory regime that could address the issue. Things would have been very different if there had been a regulatory regime of the current level then.

He added that institutions like NGT were indispensable for ensuring a secure future for the generations to come. 

"The way I look to NGT, N for nurturing, G for green and T for tomorrow. NGT for me is nurturing green for tomorrow. This is not just word play. It is vision of an institution that connects law, science and ethics to transform our relationship with nature. Let us grow from our very roots, wield cutting edge, tools and uphold climate justice with unwavering resolve.”

In his address, the Vice President expressed the need to blur international boundaries and join forces to universally save the planet. 

"Developed nations must transcend the political boundaries in environmental thinking. Adopting models where planetary health becomes foundational to human prosperity and well-being." 

He also emphasized how the traditional Indian ethos of worshipping the natural elements and nature was at the core  of sustainability to tackle the rising climate crisis: 

"Long before sustainability became a global buzzword, much long before….India lived it for centuries where every Banyan tree was a temple, every river a goddess and best an unknown concept in a civilisation that worshipped secularity. Our Vedic literature is goldmine for nurturing Mother Earth and propagating harmony between man and nature."

"India's DNA carries the only vaccine against ecological collapse conspicuous consumption. We only have to read what is there in our goldmine." 

He also spoke need to self-regulate our consumption of natural resources and foster a positive mindset towards a sustainable lifestyle. He said :

"There is a global need to evolve and believe in environmental ethics, this underscores humans' moral obligations to protect and preserve the environment…….we have to be aware the planet is not exclusive to us. We are not its owners. Flora and fauna must flourish and blossom alongside, and so must all other living beings. In such a scenario, man will have to learn to live in harmony with nature and other living beings. Are we doing it? No…..There will have to be an individual focus on optimal utilisation of resources of the nature. This has to be our habit. Our fiscal power, our fiscal capacity cannot determine the use of natural resources. The consumption has to be optimal."

"Both Ecological Extension and Conservation Ethics advocate harmonious human-nature relationship, and so easy to bring about. It doesn't call for anything but a positive mindset towards life. We have to focus on environmental preservation and prudent resource stewardship for generational sustainability”

Justice PS Narasimha, who was the Guest of Honour for the event stressed the importance of public platforms like the present National Conference as they helped (1) highlight the need to restore the Universe in its pristine position; (2) give rise to reviewing of the co-ordinated development by multiple stakeholders;  (3) to integrate the stakeholders on the common issues of concern; (4) promoting ideas and innovation to deal with the rising climate change. 

In the inaugural ceremony, on March 29, the President of India, Shrimati Droupadi Murmu, emphasized the moral responsibility of the citizens to ensure the future generations of a clean environment. 

The President stressed that all days related to the environment give the message that we should keep their objectives and programs in mind every day and make them a part of our daily life as far as possible. Environmental protection and promotion will be possible only through continuous activism based on awareness and everyone's participation.

Lauding the role of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in providing environmental justice, President Murmu said that the NGT played a decisive role in the field of environmental justice or climate justice. The historic decisions given by NGT have a wide impact on our lives, our health, and the future of our earth. She urged the institutions associated with the environmental management ecosystem and citizens to continuously strive for environmental protection and promotion.

The two-day long conference was spread over 4 Technical Sessions namely (1) Air Quality Monitoring and Management, was chaired by Justice Joymalya Bagchi; (2) Water Quality Management and River Rejuvenation was presided over by Justice Pratibha M. Singh of Delhi High Court; (3) Forest and Biodiversity Conservation", chaired by Justice Anand Pathak, Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court and (4) Reflections and Key Takeaways", provided a comprehensive review of the discussions held in technical sessions over the two days chaired by Justice P. S. Narsimha, and co-chaired by Hon'ble Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, Judicial Member, NGT. 

NGT's souvenir book 'Voice of Nature' and NGT e-Journal on landmark NGT cases were also released by Vice President Dhankhar.

Dr. (Smt.) Sudesh Dhankhar, Spouse of the Hon'ble Vice-President of India, Justice P.S Narsimha, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, National Green Tribunal, Shri Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India, Shri Tanmay Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and other dignitaries were present at the occasion.

Release of 'Voices of Nature' and e-Journal of NGT by Vice President Dhankhar