India is a country with more than 1.3 billion population, and it’s time that the environment and cleanliness became a primary concern. Sanitation and clean environment is a necessity and an important factor for the health of a community. India is facing a severe environmental crisis; out of the 30 most polluted cities in the world, 22 are from India. With 34% of the population living in such cities of the country, the environmental footprint is ever increasing, and the onus to act falls upon us.
While people can and do work for the environment on a personal or an organizational level, it is ultimately the government of the country which is responsible for providing us a cleaner and a better environment. With India just days away from practicing the biggest democratic exercise in the world, no major political parties in their manifestos or otherwise have stated environment as a topic of concern.
Environmental protection is a fundamental duty of every Indian citizen under Article 51-A(g) of our Constitution, which is as follows, “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.”
In the year 1976, The 42nd amendment of the Indian Constitution introduced Article 48A: ‘”Protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and wildlife. The State shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country“.
This Article along with Art.21 and Art.51A(g) is the foundation stone of environmental jurisprudence in India.
It is the fundamental duty of the state to apply these while legislating laws. It is the interpretation of this ‘duty’, that has allowed any citizen, whether they’re personally affected or not, to approach the National Green Tribunal(NGT), when they perceive a threat to the environment. Article 48A provides the citizens with a tool and a structure through which they can approach and question the state and the government regarding environmental issues.
Ultimately, it is our responsibility to make our voices heard. So we need a candidate who is not only a leader but also a representative of environmental issues.
Well, the 2019 Generals Elections are here, together we can bring the change in our environment and health. Let us choose representatives who are conscious about the environment and undertake developmental activities which are not or less hazardous to nature.
Here is a bird’s eye view of some issues of concern to give you an idea where we stand in terms of environmental protection
Plastic Pollution:
As a record-breaking sailor, Dame Ellen MacArthur has seen more of the world’s oceans than almost anyone else. Now she is warning that there will be more waste plastic in the sea than fish by 2050. Our country generates 25,940 tonnes of waste daily and at least 40% of this remains uncollected.
Climate Change:
The economic survey, says “estimates indicate that currently, India incurs losses of about $ 9-10 billion annually due to extreme weather events“. Climate Change change could cut agricultural incomes, particularly unirrigated areas that would be hit hardest by rising temperatures and declines in rainfall.
Air Pollution :
Although India has a low per capita greenhouse gas emission, overall, it is the third largest polluter after China and the United States. It is reported that 13 of the world’s 20 cities with the highest annual levels of air pollution are in India. It is also declared that 11 of the 12 cities with the highest levels of particulate pollution are located in India.
Deforestation:
According to a new study, India’s forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate. Government data showed that 14,000 km sq of forests were destroyed to accommodate 23,716 industrial projects in India over the last 30 year. From 2005 to 2007, India lost 2,206 km sq of dense forests, which increased to 6,407 km sq in 2015–2017. If this trend continues, the Indian forest value may reach zero in the next 20 years or so.
Water Pollution:
India’s booming population and rapidly expanding urban areas and domestic sewage are responsible for 75-80% of surface water pollution. Water pollution can have some tremendously-adverse effect on the health of any and every life form living.
Wildlife & Habitat Conservation:
India, home to four of the world’s mega-biodiversity hotspots, is valued for its abundant wildlife and diverse habitat types. However, flagship species, such as the Indian Bengal Tiger and Indian Elephant are now critically endangered.
However, the Government of India has undertaken many initiatives to conserve wildlife and their habitats, such as- Currently, India’s wildlife is preserved in 120+ national parks, 515 wildlife sanctuaries, 26 wetlands, and 18 bio-reserves. Some of the legal measures include the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Prevention of Cruelty To Animals 1960, Forest Conservation Act 1980, Biological Diversity Act 2002, etc.
Disposing Toxics & Chemicals
A major issue whose critical nature is highly underestimated by the government and people of India is hazardous waste disposal. Hazardous waste is highly dangerous because of its direct detrimental effects on human and environmental health. The following is an outline of the status of hazardous waste disposal in India:
The Indian chemical industry, the fourth largest industry in India, is a prime contributor. Around 43,936 industries in India generate over 70 lakh tonnes of hazardous waste annually, and hazardous waste generation in India is rising at a rate of 2–5% per year.
Environmental Justice
Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of their caste, place of origin, income or class with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. The lower income section of the community is the one which is highly affected by pollution.
The affected people can approach the National Green Tribunal and courts in cases of environmental injustice. Also, it is our collective responsibility to ensure environmental justice.
Agriculture And Food security:
India with 195 million has the highest number of undernourished people. The statistics are appalling. The data from World Bank clearly indicates that ‘India has one of the world’s highest demographics of children suffering from malnutrition, said to be double that of Sub-Saharan Africa’.
According to UNICEF, nearly half of all deaths in children under five, in India, are attributable to undernutrition. To provide food Security is to ensure that people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Various government programmes over the years have helped India to fight with this problem. Food is a fundamental human right as declared by the UN Human rights commission.
What we can do is question our constituency leaders about their plans for the environmental problems of the constituency, use social media to create campaigns to make our voices heard to the political leadership of the country, vote for candidates or parties which have better environmental plans for the country.
Join the Movement, pledge to choose environment!
Find more info about the campaign and resources at https://www.acceleratesd.org/chooseenvironment
This Campaign is run by AccelerateSD, we are a Nonprofit organisation working for Environmental Conservation. The Aim of this Campaign is to inspire Citizens to Vote and encourage them to consider Environment while Electing the Leaders.
Note: We are not Endorsing any political party nor promoting any Politician.