‘Political parties must list out environmental manifestoes’

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 8

Ahead of the state Assembly elections to be held in early 2022, political parties have intensified their activities to attract voters. Most political parties, however, are least bothered regarding various issues related to the environment.

Now, a member of the Special Task Force for Buddha Dariya, Col Jasjit Singh Gill (retd) has sought from all political parties to list out their ‘environmental manifestoes’ for the upcoming Assembly elections. He wants that concrete steps must be taken to control air, water and soil pollution and the political parties should clear their stand in this regard.

“Environmental manifesto should be a legal sworn document with clauses for penalty and losing ones mandate if legal commitments are not fulfilled as per the time-bound plan. The manifesto blueprint should have commitment clauses to resolve environment-related issues. The parties should make commitment to follow the message as enunciated by Guru Nanak Dev putting the environment at the same pedestal as our dear parents.”

He said: “The political parties should disclose how they are going to stop pollution of Punjab’s waters? What are plans to provide clean breathable air to citizens of the state. How the party thinks to stop the degradation of soil and improve the soil health?”

Notably, untreated sewage, industrial, dairy and solid waste is being dumped in Buddha Nullah for decades and it further pollutes the Sutlej. Environmental activists are also opposing the state government’s proposed modern industrial park to be set up near Mattewara Forest and the Sutlej as they said if any industry was set up at this eco-sensitive zone, it would harm the environment.

Colonel Gill said political parties should also plan to ensure the transparent functioning of the Punjab Pollution Control Board. Those polluting Punjab drinking and irrigation waters should be strictly dealt with. He said the parties should disclose that if they were interested in establishing green courts and environmental police stations to stop pollution-related crimes. They must share their plan to increase the green cover in the state.

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