Environmentalists & citizen groups hail Cong manifesto
NEW DELHI: Delhi citizen groups, green bodies and environmentalists hailed the Congress party manifesto's promise of Congress action agenda that will place India at the forefront of the battle against global warming and environmental protection. "The mention of air pollution as a public health crisis and recognising the need to significantly strengthen the NCAP, are good steps in the Congress Manifesto. It will be critical for future governments to reduce emissions from the transport, industrial and power sectors to achieve breathable air quality," Pujarini Sen, a senior campaigner told Millennium Post.
Sen added that committing to a Clean Energy policy on existing fossil fuel-dependent power plants, and increasing the share of solar and wind in the energy mix, also indicate that Congress is committed to ensuring that India continues to honour our climate targets under the Paris Agreement, while also encouraging investment in decentralised renewables to meet energy access needs and create revenues for the people. "Proposing 'Green Budgeting' for Annual Budgets will hopefully direct resources towards these endeavours. Onground implementation, which has so far been poor, will be the key to ensuring these steps are fruitful," she said.
Adding to her views Associate director of Center for Science and Environment, Anumita Roychowdhury said, " In a democracy to make any policy we need political will and the political solution can make things faster. By bringing the climate change and need to formulate plans on the environment the Congress showed empathy towards the issue." She also said that in the last few years the environment has become an issue of public discourse which forced the system to look into the matter and that why finally the issue has entered the manifesto. "We recognise that air pollution is a national public health emergency and will significantly strengthen the National Clean Air Programme. We will set up an independent, empowered and transparent Environment Protection Authority, redefine the role of the Forest Departments and increase our forest cover," the manifesto of the Congress party read.
