Rural polls: Bring environment-related issues to the forefront, urge green groups

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 3 July 2023, Darjeeling: Green groups have appealed to both political outfits in the fray in the rural election as well as the electors to give priority to environmental issues in the Hills. 

Sabuj Mancha (SM) the largest platform of environment organisations, activists and individuals in Bengal has written to all political outfits in the Hills to bring environment to the forefront of their agenda in the ensuing rural election. 

SM has highlighted various environmental issues concerning the hills, including solid and liquid waste management, implementation of rules on disposable plastics, reduction of plastic waste, climate change and disaster management, indiscriminate construction, blocking of the jhoras and the streams; stone quarries and dust pollution; rampant use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in tea gardens and agriculture, destruction of forests etc. 

They have requested the political parties to take up these issues if voted to power. “We do not take part in elections. 

However, we have prepared a manifesto for the electors. There are many social, economic and infrastructure issues in the agendas of different political outfits. However, we consider that the environmental issues, which are related to the life and livelihood of the people, should be given utmost priority,” stated Animesh Bose, vice president of the SM. 

SM stated that the voters should question whether the candidates are in the fray. “They should ask the political parties that after winning would they establish an appropriate waste management system, processing of the biodegradable and recycling of the dry waste as per Rules, whether they would stop indiscriminate construction in the hills, violating all norms, blocking the streams and jhoras, creating perpetual disasters; whether they would act against unscrupulous tourism in the name of homestay, creating nuisance in the hills with large constructions and immense amount of waste” added Bose. 

Priority should be given to protecting the biodiversity of the hills, maintaining biodiversity registers in every Panchayat office and initiating the functioning of Panchayat-level biodiversity committees involving the local people. The proliferation of green technologies like using solar and wind energy should be stressed, demanded SM. 
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/rural-polls-bring-environment-related-issues-to-the-forefront-urge-green-groups-524302