Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu calls for enforcement of ‘polluter pays’ principle

HYDERABAD: Stressing on the need for strict enforcement of the ‘polluter pays’ principle, Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu, on Friday, said that there was a need to act against violators of pollution control laws. 

Addressing trainees at the Swarna Bharat Trust in Hyderabad, he highlighted recent disasters such as the flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, landslides in Uttarakhand and heat waves in Canada and the United States. 

He said that the frequency of extreme weather events due to global warming and climate change were on a rise. “These are the tell-tale signs that climate change is real and cannot be wished away,” he added. 

The Vice President said that in the light of these worrisome trends, it was imperative to protect the environment to ensure the well-being of all and to balance developmental needs with environmental protection.