“India Lived Sustainability for Centuries Before It Became a Buzzword” – VP Dhankhar

New Delhi: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar emphasized India’s deep-rooted commitment to sustainability, long before it became a global concern, during the valedictory session of the National Conference on Environment-2025 at Vigyan Bhawan on Sunday. He highlighted the country’s traditional reverence for nature, stating, “Every Banyan tree was a temple, every river a goddess.”

Calling for a global shift towards environmental ethics, Dhankhar urged developed nations to transcend political boundaries in their approach to sustainability. He also warned against excessive consumption, stating that India’s heritage holds solutions to ecological challenges.

Recalling the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, he described it as “mega environmental negligence” and lamented the lack of regulatory mechanisms at the time. He praised the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for bridging law, science, and ethics, dubbing it “Nurturing Green for Tomorrow”.

The event saw participation from Supreme Court Justice P.S. Narsimha, NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, among others.