He was known for his work towards conservation of the Narmada river
In an unfortunate incident, Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave passed away today morning. He was 60. The sudden demise of the minister shocked the entire political fraternity with Union Ministers and the Prime Minister expressing anguish on Twitter.
Anil Madhav Dave ji will be remembered as a devoted public servant. He was tremendously passionate towards conserving the environment.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 18, 2017
Dave, who was appointed as the Minister of State (MoS) independent charge of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on July 5, 2016, has recently been in the eye of storm for putting his weight behind the Ken-Betwa river linking project despite threats to India’s prime tiger habitats, the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
He had inherited a ministry that is being criticised for diluting environmental laws to facilitate quick industrial growth.
Had the privilege of working very closely with Anil Madhav Dave ji on several issues including cleaner fuels. We will miss him a lot.
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) May 18, 2017
Just a day before he passed away, the Union minister met a six-member delegation representing those protesting against the approval given for commercial use of genetically modified mustard. He assured them that their grievances would be addressed.
A river conservationist and environmentalist known for his work towards conservation of the Narmada, he recently urged people, especially those living in the region along the Narmada River, to take up organic farming. He has also been a strong voice against chemical fertilisers.
Last year, Down To Earth spoke to him on 25 years of liberalisation and its impact on environment.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
India Environment Portal Resources :
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.