Rajendra Singh Calls for Sanatan Development Model to Address Environmental Challenges
Noted water conservationist and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh on Tuesday emphasized that a 'Sanatan model of development'—which seamlessly integrates economic progress with environmental protection—can help India reclaim its historical status as Vishwaguru, or world teacher.
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Challenges
Singh was addressing the inaugural session of a seminar titled 'Environmental Challenges with Development: Collective Efforts for Sustainable Growth,' organized jointly by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board and Mahayogi Gorakhnath University in Gorakhpur. He elaborated that India's ancient knowledge systems have long championed harmony between humans and nature.
"Sanatan means eternal and ever-renewing," Singh stated. "Ancient India's development was fundamentally rooted in sustainability. The Vedas and Upanishads articulated human duties towards nature centuries ago, and India must urgently revisit this holistic model to tackle today's pressing environmental issues."
Addressing the Global Water Crisis with Local Solutions
Highlighting the escalating water crisis, Singh described it as a global problem requiring localized solutions. He stressed the critical need for water literacy and maintaining a precise balance between water discharge and recharge to ensure long-term resource security.
"Unplanned and reckless development has severely compromised the purity and natural flow of our rivers," he warned. "Imposing Western dam designs on Indian river systems has disrupted delicate ecological balances. Currently, 365 districts across the country are experiencing significant water stress, underscoring the urgency of action."
Uttar Pradesh's Role and State Initiatives
Singh referred to Uttar Pradesh as "nature's favourite child" and urged the state to realign its agricultural cropping patterns with local rainfall data to prevent future water scarcity. The seminar also featured insights from other senior officials on the state's environmental efforts.
Former chief secretary and CEO of the state transformation commission, Manoj Kumar Singh, reinforced that environmental protection is a collective responsibility requiring concerted efforts from all sectors of society.
Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) Anil Kumar reported substantial progress in Uttar Pradesh's environmental initiatives:
- 95% of door-to-door waste collection is now being systematically processed.
- Approximately 2.5 billion saplings have been planted over the past eight years.
- This extensive plantation drive has increased the state's forest cover by about 500 square kilometers.
Balancing Development with Environmental Safeguards
Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board Chairman Ravindra Pratap Singh concluded by asserting that rapid development must proceed hand-in-hand with robust environmental safeguards. He echoed the seminar's core message that sustainable growth is not merely an option but an imperative for India's future.
The discussions collectively underscored a unified vision: leveraging India's ancient Sanatan principles to forge a development path that is economically vibrant, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible, positioning the nation as a global leader in holistic progress.
