Gurugram, June 6 -- Union minister for housing and urban affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said environmental protection cannot be limited to plantation drives and requires sustained efforts to curb air pollution, improve waste management and promote public participation. The minister was addressing a gathering celebrating World Environment Day in Gurugram, where he inaugurated a bioremediation pilot project at Dhankot and laid the foundation stone for a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) project in Sector 102 aimed at strengthening waste segregation and recycling infrastructure in the city. The event was attended by the state environment Rao Narbir Singh, Gurugram MLA Mukesh Sharma, senior government officials, environmental experts and representatives of civic bodies. Speaking at the function, Khattar said despite being a highly developed urban centre, Gurugram still faces significant challenges related to air quality and cleanliness. "Environmental conservation is not limited to planting trees. We need to address every source of pollution. If Gurugram succeeds in controlling air pollution and strengthening cleanliness systems, it has the potential to become one of the finest cities in the world," he said. The Union minister said older and highly polluting vehicles continue to be among the major contributors to poor air quality in the National Capital Region. Referring to recent policy decisions, he said older vehicles falling under BS-1, BS-2 and BS-3 emission norms would be phased out in the NCR and scientific scrapping of end-of-life vehicles would be encouraged. He also directed authorities to remove abandoned and scrap vehicles lying at public places, police stations and government premises. Further, Khattar urged residents to adopt environmentally responsible practices,. Addressing the gathering, environment minister Rao Narbir Singh said environmental protection must "become a people's movement. "Every citizen must contribute towards protecting the environment. Gurugram's development must be accompanied by environmental responsibility," he said. The programme also marked the laying of foundation stone for a project to supply treated wastewater to 170 parks across Gurugram....