Natural farming key to protect soil, water and health: Maharashtra Guv

Nagpur, Feb 27 (PTI) Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat appealed for a shift toward natural farming to "conserve soil, water, and health", noting that the widespread use of harmful fertilisers such as urea has led to a surge in blood pressure and diabetes.

Addressing the Lokmat Times Excellence in Healthcare Awards-2025 function here on Thursday, Devvrat urged doctors to play a proactive role in guiding society toward a disease-free, healthy life.

"Animals which are not in captivity rarely fall sick. Only humans need a doctor. This is because we have moved away from nature. We are eating fast food and junk food instead of a healthy diet," he said.

Humans are polluting the environment in every way, he said.

"We are using the harmful urea fertiliser, which is entering our bodies through the food we consume. Even tribals in Gujarat now have blood pressure and diabetes because of harmful substances in their food," he rued.

"It is intellect that separates humans from other organisms, but this intellect should be put to good use as it also has the capability of great destruction," he noted, advocating natural farming to conserve soil, water, and health.

Maharashtra Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare Prakash Abitkar, Nagpur mayor Neeta Thakre, Chairman of the Lokmat Editorial Board and former MP Dr Vijay Darda, Director of National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI, Nagpur) Dr S Venkata Mohan, Padma Shri Dr Vikas Mahatme, Padma Shri Dr Chandrashekhar Meshram, Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences Nagpur Dr Prashant Joshi were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.

The governor lauded the Lokmat Media Group for its unbiased journalism and for working for the welfare of society.

Lokmat has established itself as a leading platform for fair and unbiased journalism. Beyond journalism, it has actively contributed to public welfare through initiatives in disaster relief, education, healthcare, and other social sectors, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Vijay Darda said that if a doctor wants to open a hospital, he has to go through extensive procedures and obtain multiple NOCs, clearances such as environmental approval and fire department clearance are required, which consume a significant amount of the medical professional’s time.

He called for a single-window system for obtaining various clearances.

He further said that the responsibility of maintaining government hospitals should be entrusted to agencies that focus on the environment and cleanliness, and this initiative should begin at the level of primary health centres. PTI CLS ARU