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Integrate SDGs on Health, Water & Sanitation, Climate Change: Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Member of Parliament – Lok Sabha
May 31, 2017

“There is a need to shift from curative to preventive health”, said Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Member of Parliament – Lok Sabha, while stressing on the importance of human health as a key indicator for sustainable development of the country. She was speaking today at the CII Conference on Sustainable Development & Health Challenges in India.

Smt Lekhi emphasized that there is a need to enhance the quality of the life of people through adopting environment friendly approaches. The emerging human health problems, diseases and death are associated with various environmental aspects, including air pollution, water and sanitation, unplanned development, overdependence on pesticides in agriculture, and impact of climate change. Holistic planning for sustainable development becomes crucial to meet the challenges of a growing population along with healthy development, she added.

Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi released a paper on impact on health arising from climate change and air pollution as well as the health problems arising out of water and sanitation challenges.

Mr. Vijay Iyer, Managing Director, Rio Tinto, emphasized the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are linked to health.  In India, many health issues are directly or indirectly related to climate change, he noted. Various initiatives have been undertaken by the Government of India such as International Solar Alliance of over 100 countries to drive faster and dramatic change in the solar energy field. Other initiatives for sanitation have been taken like the Swachh Shakti 2017, Swachhta Action Plans (SAP), Swachh Sangrah (Knowledge Management Portal) etc.

Ms. Seema Arora, Deputy Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry, stressed that this is an existential crisis and there is an immediate need to look at things in a holistic manner.

The CII Conference on Sustainable Development & Health Challenges in India focused on some of the critical challenges, such as Health Impact of Climate Change; Urban Air Pollution and Human Health; and Water, Sanitation & Health. The Conference deliberated on the issues associated with environment and health and to focus on initiatives that will contribute towards saving the environment and protecting human health.

New Delhi

31 May 2017

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