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Uttar Pradesh has seen eight-fold increase in solar power generation capacity since 2017: Yogi Adityanath
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath addresses climate change conclave, says Uttar Pradesh has the best water resources in the world
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said Uttar Pradesh has brought its solar power generation capacity up to nearly 2000 megawatt (MW) from 250 MW in 2017, an almost eight-fold increase. He also stated that Uttar Pradesh now has the best water resources in the world.
“By March 2022, we are going to add another 1000 megawatt production (of solar power),” he said at the opening ceremony of the two-day “UP climate change conclave-2021.”
“We believe the earth is our mother. Hence, in every ritual, we pledge to save the earth, life on earth, and even the universe,” Yogi Adityanath said at the meet in Lucknow.
The climate change conclave has been organised to discuss measures for reducing carbon footprints. Experts from the field related to environment sciences are participating in the meet.
“Earlier, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) used to point out shortcomings, but our government took it seriously. Illegal slaughterhouses were stopped and after initial hurdles, people themselves came forward to stop them,” Yogi Adityanath said.
“In the past five years, we have planted 100 crore trees and now our capacity is such that we can plant 100 crore trees in one year. In all 16 lakh street lights have been replaced with LED ones,” the chief minister said, sharing his government’s efforts to reduce carbon emission.
He said community/public toilets are going to be constructed at each village in addition to the toilets built in individual houses in villages. A large pit for compost making has been made mandatory in every village.
“When our government took over, 256 development blocks were put in the dark zone but now UP has the world’s best water resources. Dolphins are visible in the Ganga in Varanasi and Kanpur, where they had not been seen for years together,” the CM said.
He said biofuel needs greater focus, pointing out that the season for stubble burning is nearing.
“Despite an increase in the number of tigers in the state, man-animal conflicts have gone down. This became possible after awareness, sensitisation and (imparting) training to people living in forests and rehabilitating them,” the chief minister said.
Three eco-tourism circuits were launched during the programme: the Agra-Chambal, Varanasi-Chandrakanta and Gorakhpur-Sonibarwa circuits.
