Hindus have lauded Vatican and Pope Benedict for stepping up its fight against global warming by planning to build the biggest solar plant in Europe costing about $660 million, resulting in cutting around 91,000 tons of carbon-dioxide emissions a year.
Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and Vatican for this environment friendly move, being outspoken to save the planet and curb environmental degradation, going greener in a big way, listing pollution as one of seven social sins, covering roof of the Paul VI auditorium with solar panels cutting carbon-dioxide emissions by about 225 tons, proposing solar-heating system for Vatican’s 300-seat cafeteria, thinking of a renewable energy project for Pope’s Castel Gandolfo summer palace, planning energy production from the gasification of natural products, etc.
Faiths coming out in support of the environment was a remarkable signal, Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, said and urged all world religious leaders, religions and denominations to openly bless the environmental causes. Ancient Hindu scriptures, especially Atharva-Veda, were highly respectful of mother nature, he added.
We may believe in different religions, yet we share the same home—our Earth. We must learn to happily progress or miserably perish together. For man can live individually but can only survive collectively, Rajan Zed says quoting scriptures.
Zed criticized some countries of Europe for complaining that harnessing sunlight on a grand scale was too expensive to curb global warming.
Pope Benedict heads the Roman Catholic Church, which is the largest of the Christian denominations. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksha (liberation)
