All governments and organisations are working to combat climate change, says Environment Secretary Senthil Kumar

P. Senthil Kumar and M. P. Vasimalai discuss climate change, poverty alleviation, and sustainable livelihoods at Dhan Foundation event.

“Climate change is one of the key issues being faced all over the world. All organisations and governments are working to combat the impact of climate change,” said P. Senthil Kumar, Principal Secretary, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forest. 

Speaking at the 28th foundation day of Dhan Foundation here on Wednesday, Mr. Senthil Kumar said the organisation was playing an important role in the mitigation efforts like rejuvenating waterbodies by clearing encroachments on them.  

“The organisation is a pioneering institution in creating and supporting women self-help groups, working closely with vulnerable communities and bringing them out of poverty. This has helped various families to come out of poverty and live a better life. The work carried out by Dhan encourages sustainable way of living with values and principles,” he added.  

M. P. Vasimalai, executive director, Dhan Foundation, said, in over 28 years of inception of the organisation, it has helped rural people extensively in improving their livelihoods by providing affordable financing. Providing generational linkages, helping to address development issues and building sustainability of institutions. 

Through the organisation’s academic partnership with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), IIT Bombay, Indian Agricultural research Institute (IARI) New Delhi, Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) and other private institutions, it has helped provide a sustainable livelihood for lakhs of people living in the rural areas of the nation.  

Speaking on how a society can thrive in a healthy manner, Mr. Vasimalai said, a culture based on self-interest tends to disintegrate, one based on survival of the fittest does not survive, one based on competition destroys itself and only the one that survives on the foundation of ‘belonging,’ as intertwined with one another would develop into a stable and sustainable culture.  

Community contributors award was presented to Sumer Singh Bhati, a conservator of pasture lands and camel protector of Rajasthan, Dr. Lalita Regi, for tribal health care initiative and Ms. Annette Houtekamer Van Dam, an insurance advisor.