- The department, which is handled by Shiv Sena MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) Aaditya Thackeray, will work on five elements of the nature (earth, water, fire, air, and space).
Cyclone-hit Maharashtra:
- The decision to change the name comes just weeks after the state was hit by a severe cyclonic storm Nisarga on June 3, 2020.
- Maharashtra is one among a few states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana in India which have a dedicated department to address climate change.
Key Points:
i.Recently an NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) NatConnect Foundation had requested CM Uddhav Thackeray to create a comprehensive Healthy Environment policy by taking lessons from Covid-19 while launching the World Environment Day campaign.
ii.In addition, the climate change advisor to the Maharashtra government had added Mumbai to the list of districts to be severely affected by climate change due to rise in temperatures and rising seawater levels.
About Maharashtra:
Capital– Mumbai
Governor– Bhagat Singh Koshyari
Dams- koyna dam, Jayakwadi Dam, Isapur Dam, Mulshi Dam, Ujjani Dam