New Delhj, Jul 30 (IANS): The Delhi Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution for conferring 'Baharat Ratna', the country's highest civilian award, to late environmentalist Sundarlal Bahuguna, a founding member of the Chipko movement.

Addressing the Assembly on the opening day of the two-day Monsoon Session, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that Bahuguna gave a vision for India to protect the environment.

Just like B.R. Ambedkar worked for uplifting the poorer section of the society and fought for shaping the new generation of India, Bahuguna gave all his life for the betterment of the society, Kejriwal said.

"Bahuguna's contribution is not just limited to environment, as he also fought against untouchability and for bringing justice to the poor. His works set examples for the whole country. At present, not only Delhi, but the entire country wants to confer the Baharat Ratna on him," Kejriwal said.

On July 15, Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had installed a portrait of Bahuguna in the Delhi Assembly to keep alive his legacy.

On July 5, Kejriwal had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to confer India's highest civilian award on Bahuguna.

"We believe that conferring Bharat Ratna on Sunderlal Bahuguna will be an honour for the Bharat Ratna award itself," Kejriwal said while concluding his speech in the Assembly on Thursday.

Incidentally, Bahuguna belonged to Uttarakhand where Kejriwal's party will contest the Assembly polls due next year.