‘Now, focus is on promoting green fuel to reduce pollution’
   Date :20-Jan-2020

Now focus is on promoting
 Union Minister Nitin Gadkari releasing CD cover of a digital film on MSS during inauguration of centenary celebrations at Ranjan Sabhagruha. Dr Aruna Babhulkar, Dr Lata Deshmukh, Dr Vasanti Deshpande and others look on. (Right) Audience listening to guests at MSS function on Sunday. (Pics by Satish Raut)
 
Staff Reporter :
 
“Now that city’s infrastructure is upgraded, it’s time to tackle rising pollution and as CNG finds acceptance on mass scale in next five years, the target is to al least stop use of diesel as fuel by public vehicles. In fact, the initiative has been already taken by fitting bio-CNG engines in city buses of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) entailing savings of Rs 60 crore annually. Now, the model needs to be replicated across Eastern Vidarbha,” said Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister.
 
He was addressing the gathering at Ranjan Sabhagruha at Sitabuldi after inaugurating centenary celebrations of Matru Sewa Sangh (MSS) Sitabuldi maternity home, on Sunday. Pained at lack of awareness among masses about cleanliness and hygiene, Gadkari said, “Much more efforts are needed to stimulate society in direction of cutting down pollutants. In fact, it would have been much more welcome had the push for switching over to green fuel came from people instead of planners having to push it among reluctant civic machinery,” Dr Aruna Babhulkar, President, MSS, Dr Lata Deshmukh, Secretary, and Dr Vasanti Deshpande, Treasurer, also were seated on the dais.
 
Gadkari said, “India needs to lay more stress on research and innovation to meet the emerging challenges of environment. The stress has to be on conversion of waste into wealth as in expanding cities a major problem is tackling the waste. Civil society, too, needs to lay stress on health, hygiene, education and particularly health services has more responsibility on these fronts. On Government front, the view now is to go for preventive measures rather than cribbing about problem.” The Minister reiterated his desire to sail through Nag river saying the project of reviving the river has got going with partnership of JAIKA that has approved loan of Rs 1,500 crore. Switching over to Gandhi’s philosophy, the Minister talked about his plans to overhaul MSME sector with thrust on generation of jobs.
 
He announced a donation of Rs 11 lakh to MSS to upgrade its health network and keep providing Yeoman’s service to the society. At the onset, Dr Lata Deshmukh said, “A small sapling planted by Kamlatai Hospet about a century ago has now grown into a big tree. In the time of rising cost of material means, it needs much more patronage from the society.” During the centenary year, the society would plant 1,000 saplings in a bid to add to the greenery of the city, she added.
 
Dr Aruna Babhulkar said, “As MSS’ Sitabuldi maternity home steps into centenary year, a look at past when it served society with unflinching sincerity comes flashing by. The name earned by MSS for itself is testimony of efforts put by its founders and successive heads.” Later, Gadkari unveiled a film on MSS and released its CD. He also unveiled a MoU signed by the institution with Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Institute of Medical Sciences and Research and Human Resources.