GUWAHATI, April 10 � Union Minister of State for External Affairs Dr Shashi Tharoor today said that the failure on the part of industries to make significant inroads into Assam had made the State better-placed to ensure environment-friendly economic growth and show the way to the rest of the country.
�Assam�s environment has not been spoiled like it is the case with most of other States and that is what makes it a front-runner in developing its own economy with due regard to the environment,� said Dr Tharoor during a function organised to release two compilations of naturenomics (Naturenomics 2.0 and Naturenomics 3.0) The books compiled by Ranjit Barthakur were released by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
Dr Tharoor further said that though India�s contribution to carbon emission has not been less compared to China and United States, it can definitely do more to be a part of the solution and for that Assam can take the lead.
�If adequate steps are taken, today�s prime focus on environment-friendly economic growth would be the hallmark of Assam�s success and the country will follow,� he maintained.
�Of course, economic growth is a priority but it will have to be low-carbon growth,� asserted the former senior official of the United Nations.
He pinpointed Assam�s natural advantages like forestry and water resources as some of the unique treasures that can play a pivotal role in ensuring environment-friendly growth.
Chief Minister Gogoi, while speaking on the occasion, said, �There is no denying that we need to go in a big way to ensure economic growth but at what cost? We cannot compromise on the health and other similar issues connected with the welfare of mankind.�
�We, in Assam, are according top priority to nature-based industries and seek to strike a balance between economic growth and harmless environment,� Gogoi pointed out.
State Science and Technology Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also informed that with the able support from Ranjit Barthakur and his team, Assam Secretariat is going to be the country�s first green secretariat.
He applauded Barthakur for showing that development can be achieved even without compromising with nature.
Ranjit Barthakur said that the compilations on naturenomics strive to bring to the fore the fine tuning between nature and economics and also proposed to the State Government to declare Assam as the first carbon-free State.
