Don’t wait for catastrophe, work towards greener earth: U.P. CM
Human survival depends on existence of all living beings, Yogi Adityanath says at climate change meet at Mahakumbh
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said climate change is drying up rivers and urged people to act urgently instead of engaging in a blame game over carbon dioxide emissions.
Addressing a conference on climate change, environment and faith after inaugurating it at sector 25 at Mahakumbh tent city, he said humanity’s survival is linked to well-being of all living things.
“If they thrive, we thrive; if they are in danger, so is our existence,” the CM added. Urging immediate action, Yogi said: “We must not wait for a catastrophe but work towards a greener earth now. This is also Mahakumbh’s message.”
He stressed integrating environmental consciousness with faith and taking concrete steps to address climate change. The CM highlighted that safeguarding nature and wildlife is essential to protect human civilisation. He said the UP government has worked to rejuvenate rivers in the state, which is why the Mahakumbh is witnessing such large crowds.
As per Yogi, the Ganga and the Yamuna were not as clean 10 years ago. “Because the river water is clean and arrangements are good, people are coming in large numbers to the Mahakumbh 2025,” he added. “Every time, 10,000 to 11,000 cusecs of water is released into the Ganga, ensuring the smooth conduct of the mela and making the grand spiritual event even more accessible and sustainable,” the CM said.
“Each devotee who bathes here experiences spiritual energy and shares this sacred connection in their villages, inspiring more people to participate and elevating the event to unprecedented success,” Yogi added. He called for collective responsibility in tackling climate change, urging attendees to implement sustainable practices daily as part of the Mahakumbh ethos.
On environmental concerns, Yogi stressed that climate change was a result of carbon emissions and environmental pollution. He likened rivers to the arteries of Mother Earth, cautioning that just as a body cannot survive if its arteries dry up. “In the same way, a polluted or drying river system threatens the planet’s lifeline” Yogi said.
“The government has taken proactive measures to combat ecological challenges and banned single-use plastic to protect the environment,” the CM said. “Besides, 210 crore saplings have been planted in Uttar Pradesh over the past eight years, with 70-80% survival rates for trees planted by the forest department and 60-70% for those grown by other organisations,” Yogi added.
“The government also promotes electric buses over diesel-powered vehicles through dedicated policies and expansion programmes,” the CM said. He emphasised that while the government is making continuous efforts, public participation is equally crucial for protecting the environment.
Yogi urged people to reflect on their contributions, eliminating plastic from daily lives, stopping encroachment of rivers, preventing pollution and showing compassion towards wildlife. He stressed that as humans have a life cycle, so does the Mother Earth. “Their survival is interconnected. Only by preserving both can the universe thrive,” the CM said.
Encouraging collective action, he suggested a simple yet meaningful step: planting a tree in honour of one’s mother and another as an offering of faith. Discussing climate responsibility in daily life, he pointed out behavioural patterns at Mahakumbh, where aerial surveys showed empty parking spaces while visitors parked on roads, causing congestion.
He urged people to use designated parking areas, even if walking a little further, to ensure smoother movement and a better experience at the holy site. The CM said between January 13 and February 16, a record 52 crore devotees took a holy dip at the Sangam. He emphasised this could become possible only due to the uninterrupted flow of water in these rivers.
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati; head of Paramarth Ashram, Swami Chidanand Saraswati Muni; Jagadguru Swami Mukundanand; forest and environment minister Arun Kumar Saxena and minister of state KP Malik were prominent among those present on the occasion.
During the climate change conference, the CM expressed his grief over the loss of lives in the stampede at the New Delhi railway station and paid tribute to the departed soul.
The CM also participated in various religious and cultural programmes and met sadhus during his visit to Mahakumbh Nagar on Sunday. He met Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Avdheshanand Giri of Juna Akhada and discussed the arrangements for the mega event.
Later, he reached the camp of Swarved Mahamandir Trust (Sadafal Ashram), where too he met sadhus and took feedback on the arrangements. Yogi attended the religious discourse of Kathavachak Pradeep Mishra in Sector 21 of the tent city. After this, he reached Prabhu Premi Sangh Ambala camp in Sector 18 where he again interacted with sadhus.
He assured the sadhu community and devotees that in the times to come, religious events will be conducted with the same grandeur and divinity.