Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that of late common citizens have started seeing environment pollution as a challenge while launching ‘Go Green” bus service for members of parliament.
Road transport ministry gifted one retrofitted electric bus to ferry lawmakers at Parliament. Another such bus will be gifted soon and the ministry has approved plans to convert at least a dozen traditional city buses to battery-operated ones. India wants to mount a serious effort to manufacture high-powered batteries at affordable prices as at present only imported Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) batteries are used in such buses.
Flagging off the ‘Go Green’ bus that can accommodate about 15 members, Modi said, “MPs will benefit from it. New generation can come forward in ‘Start up India’ and ‘Stand up India and contribute to initiatives like making batteries,” he said. Transport minister Gadkari said his ministry has decided to convert at least a dozen city buses to electric ones and thereby take steps to check air pollution. He quoted statistics to underline how a diesel bus produces 300 kg carbon monoxide, 600 kg of nitrous oxide and 12 kg of particulate matter annually while electric bus is pollution free.
PM said that though discussions of environment have been taking for long, but for the last few years, its negative impact has been felt on normal human lives. “There is a challenge before the mankind to find a solution to this problem,” he said.
The PM also said there is a need to harness solar energy by countries that get enough sunlight in a year. Referring to the recent CoP-21 summit in Paris, Modi highlighted two significant initiatives — Mission Innovation launched jointly by the US, France and India, with the help of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, on development of green technologies and the creation of the International Solar Alliance of countries with abundant sunlight.
News Source : Times Of India
