Former Kerala Principal Secretary SM Vijayanand making the valedictory speech of the National NGO Conference held by People's Foundatdion at Kozhikode
Kozhikode: The bureaucracy is spreading propaganda that the public is the enemy of the environment and some pseudo-environmentalists are justifying it, said eminent ecologist, academic and writer Prof. Madhav Gadgil.
He was speaking online on Wednesday on the topic 'the role of NGOs in environmental protection' at the National NGO Conference organized by the People's Foundation in Kozhikode. The anti-environmental policies of the rulers are interpreted as environmental protection and the general public is portrayed as anti-environment. He also states that NGOs should try to approach things honestly and objectively, doing away with prejudices.
Inaugurated by P. Sainath on Tuesday, the conference arrayed presentations and discussions on various topics held in 14 sessions. 300 delegates representing more than 150 NGOs from various states participated. Centre for Management Development Chairman SM Vijayanand IAS (Retd.) made the valedictory address.
People's Foundation Chairman VT Abdullah Koya presided. Foundation Chief Patron P Mujeeb Rahman was the chief guest.
The two-day conference was also attended by guests including CARE India Chairman Mathew Cherian, PV Abdul Wahab MP, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan Co-Founder Nikhil Dey, Former Executive Director, Pradhan, Narendranath Damodaran, Human Welfare Foundation Vice-Chairman T. Arifali, Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) Director Mirai Chatterjee, Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration & Development Chairman S Irudaya Rajan, Azim Premji Philanthropy Initiative Senior Program Manager Anil Ramprasad, Dhan Foundation Program Leader B Muthukumarasamy, Kudumbashree Chief Operating Officer Sajith Sukumaran, Former Head of Department of Community Medicine, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Prof. Dr. Vijayakumar, Director, Institute of Palliative Medicines (IPM) Suresh Kumar, KFRI Principal Scientist Dr. Sreekumar VB, Former Director, Gulati Institute of Finance & Taxation D. Narayana, The Banyan Director Dr. Kishore Kumar, Faculty of Centre for Development Studies Prof. J Devika, Access Livelihoods Executive Director GV Krishnagopal, Thanal Thiruvananthapuram Executive Director Jayakumar C, MediaOne Managing Editor C Dawood, Larry Baker Centre for Habitat Studies Associate Shailaja Nair, Media Academy Principal Sadiq Mampad and more than 50 other prominent personalities.