Newsroom24x7 Staff

It is significant that Anil Madhav Dave had taken the landmark initiative a couple of years ago to protect the sanctity of the Narmada River and maintain it as a source of clean pollution-free water by setting up the Narmada Samagra, a not-for-profit organisation. This initiative was aimed at fostering a dialogue between all those already working for this noble cause and others who wanted to contribute. Narmada Samagra was created for collective action on all aspects of Narmada River. Narmada Samagra raised a pertinent issue by asking the question – Everybody needs water from Narmada but where this water comes from? How to increase the available water wealth of Narmada? During a prolonged interaction with Lalit Shastri, Editor-in Chief of Newsroom24x7. com , Dave had said: “this serious concern is missing”.

Minister of State for Environment Anil Madhav Dave (60) passed away Thursday morning. He was earlier rushed to the to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences after he complained of uneasiness.

Last night, Dave was with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with whom he discussed key policy issues.

Modi said in a condolence message that “his demis is a personal loss.”
“Anil Madhav Dave ji will be remembered as a devoted public servant. He was tremendously passionate towards conserving the environment”, the PM said.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, along with severall Union Ministers, also condoled the passing away of the Union Environment Minister. It is extremely shocking and saddening to learn of the demise of our colleague and Union Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave, he said in a message adding Dave was very active and sensitive to issues pertaining to environment. His dedication to work was highly appreciated.

Dave, who had strong RSS roots, was a passionate and committed environmentalist. Last week (8 May), along with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he had inaugurated a brainstorming session on “River, Water and Environment Conservation” in the State capital. Speaking on the occasion, he had issued a firm warning stating that it will not be possible to have water in the Narmada river if we allow destruction of forests and the landscape.

Interaction with Mr. Dave on a couple of occasions had clearly indicated that he was under great pressure due to a concerted move by the BJP led NDA Government to dilute or in other words overhaul the environmental and forest regulatory policies and laws. On the anvil for overhaul was the Indian Forest Act, Environment (Protection) Act and the Wildlife Protection Act.

It is significant that Dave had taken the landmark initiative a couple of years ago to protect the sanctity of the Narmada River and maintain it as a source of clean pollution-free water by setting up the Narmada Samagra, a not-for-profit organisation.

This initiative was aimed at fostering a dialogue between all those already working for this noble cause and others who wanted to contribute. Narmada Samagra was for collective action on all aspects of Narmada River. Narmada Samagra raised a pertinent issue by asking the question – Everybody needs water from Narmada but where this water comes from? How to increase the available water wealth of Narmada? During a prolonged interaction, Dave had said: “this serious concern is missing all around.”

The Madhya Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party Government led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan last year chose the same path as Narmada Samagra and the “Namami Devi Narmade” campaign was launched by the State Government. This campaign, with the much hyped Narmada Seva Yatra that began in December 2016 and ended on May 15 was obviously inspired by the goals and objectives of the lofty Naramada Samagra campaign launched earlier by Mr. Dave, who pioneered and authored Narmada Samagra (travelogue) and Samgra Gram Vikas (Composite village development); and “From Amarkantak to Amarkantak”.