In Ursquokhand lsquogreen issuesrsquo missing from poll discourse

  • | Monday | 1st April, 2019

That is why, the responsibility of making environment an important issue in poll discourse is also ours.” All of us need to ask our politicians about their commitment for the environment and concrete steps that they intend to take to safeguard it. If natural disaster strikes, it is we who will have to bear the maximum brunt of it. This is necessary for the sake of our melting glaciers and polluted rivers. Haridwar: In Uttarakhand, a state that has over 70% green cover, the absence of environmental issues from the poll discourse has disappointed environmentalists and green activists.Although manifestos of political parties are still awaited, a look at the campaign trail of those who are in the fray for the five seats in the state shows that environment seems to be a non-issue for most of them.

Haridwar: In Uttarakhand, a state that has over 70% green cover, the absence of environmental issues from the poll discourse has disappointed environmentalists and green activists.Although manifestos of political parties are still awaited, a look at the campaign trail of those who are in the fray for the five seats in the state shows that environment seems to be a non-issue for most of them. While the candidates are talking about nationalism, corruption or unemployment and making repeated attacks on each other, issues of conservation and ecology — that are extremely relevant for the Himalayan state — are sadly missing.“Our air, water and earth is at stake today and consequently, so is our very existence. All of us need to ask our politicians about their commitment for the environment and concrete steps that they intend to take to safeguard it. It is one of the most pertinent questions of present times and should feature prominently in the poll discourse,” said Sunderlal Bahuguna, veteran environmentalist and initiator of the Chipko movement.According to Ravi Chopra, founder of the Doon-based People’s Science Institute, “it’s a tragic reality that environmental issues have never figured prominently in polls.” “We have not really seen an environmentally-conscious government in our country barring perhaps that of Indira Gandhi who reflected some concern for nature.” He added that “in 2014, Ganga river did feature as one of the issues but it turned out to be simply an emotional ploy.” “BJP is keeping quiet about environmental issues in its campaign because it has nothing to show. And Congress and other parties have missed a golden opportunity to highlight how the Namami Gange programme of the Modi government was in fact a big hoax,” said Chopra.Environmentalists say that the onus is also on the people to “stop blaming governments and keep asking for an ‘ecology-inclusive economy’ from politicians.” Anil P Joshi, founder of the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation (HESCO), told TOI, “In Uttarakhand especially, people should gauge the commitment of a politician for the environment and then vote. This is necessary for the sake of our melting glaciers and polluted rivers. If natural disaster strikes, it is we who will have to bear the maximum brunt of it. That is why, the responsibility of making environment an important issue in poll discourse is also ours.”

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