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Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Sing Chouhan said that while there is a need protect some forests and biodiversity reserves, it is not possible to scrap all development projects to save them. He spoke about the controversial Ken-Betwa river connecting project.

There needs to be a balance between the environment and development. However, this does not mean we can stop all developments. If a dam must be built and a forest area has been submerged, it is impossible to refuse to accept the dam project. For example, the decision to join Ken River and Betwa Rivers is being made. This will make the Bundelkhand region look better, but it will also mean that the forest area will be submerged. Chouhan explained that, depending on the extent to which the forest area will be submerged and the biodiversity rich plantations, at least twice as much area will be revived.

Prakriti ka dohan karo, dohankaro (harness natural resource, don’t exploit them). He said that plantations are a way to achieve balance.

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister NarendraModi, approved the interlinking the Ken river in Madhya Pradesh with the Betwa River in Uttar Pradesh on December 8. This was to irrigate Bundelkhand, a drought-prone area, which is spread across both states. According to Nirmala Sitharaman, finance minister, this project is expected to bring irrigation benefits to 9.08 million hectares of agricultural land and drinking water to 625,000 people.

The project’s total cost has been estimated at 44,605 million and will be completed over eight years. The original idea was proposed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was the former prime minister.

Environmentalists fear that the project could result in the submergence or loss of a significant portion of Panna Tiger Reserve. This core area is home to more 52 tigers and endangered species of vultures like the white-rumped. The project has been questioned by several committees, including one appointed by the Supreme Court.

Chouhan spoke on the river project as well as the increasing number of cases of severe rainfall in central India. We are not only facing severe climate change in Madhya Pradesh. Last year we experienced extreme rainfall. He said that he had never imagined that such heavy rains would lead to flooding.

The chief minister stated that the state is focusing its efforts on increasing plantations and maintaining the forest cover to address the crisis. We are working to increase and protect our forest cover. According to the Forest Survey of India latest analysis, Madhya Pradesh now has a greater green area. He also said that plantations are being prioritized to ensure that they have the scale of a large-scale public movement.

We are trying to plant eight hundred thousand saplings in Madhya Pradesh with the help of the citizens. Each person should plant at most one tree each year in the state. Since over a year, I’ve been planting at most one sapling per day. Ankur is also a scheme where people can plant a sapling to commemorate special days like birthdays and anniversaries. This scheme has helped us to plant six lakh saplings in six months, he said.

However, the chief minister pointed out that during extreme rainfall, the state saw record paddy and wheat production. We are now number one in wheat production, ahead of Punjab. We have distributed a lot of wheat under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Yojana scheme. 7,618 crore for crop losses and crop failure. He said that we compensate for infrastructure and crop loss when there is loss.

Chouhan said that there are many renewable energy farms being built in Agar and Shajapur, Morena and Chhatarpur. We are installing solar panels on Omkareshwar dam that will prevent water from evaporating, and generate 550 MW of solar energy, he stated. He also said that the third area of state focus is to promote sustainable and organic agriculture.

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