TUR demands transparency in govt’s climate change measures
Civil society group rebukes state's 'secretive' way of handling climate change issues
Shillong, Aug 29: The Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR) has condemned the “secretive and non-transparent” way the state government is handling the climate change issues and listed its demands to address the problems.
In a statement to the media, TUR said the Meghalaya State Council on Climate Change and Sustainable Development chaired by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma reviewed the ‘Meghalaya climate emergency and green growth framework’ which is aimed at addressing the climate crisis, and a Meghalaya climate emergency law is also being proposed.
“This news points to the secretive, non-transparent nature of law-making in Meghalaya. Climate change and green growth cannot be addressed by law and policy that is consultant driven and top-down and that is devoid of pre-legislative consultation,” it said.
TUR also took exception to the misuse of the worldwide climate crisis and even termed it an emergency as an excuse by the state government to hide and continue its environmental rampage.
“The real emergency the state is facing is illegal coal mining, indiscriminate hill cutting and deforestation, unabated extraction and sale of minor minerals such as stone and sand in the interest of satiating the greed of a few, land alienation and extensive privatisation and monetising of the commons,” the civil society group pointed out.
TUR demanded an extensive and proper pre-legislative consultation that includes all the stakeholders, especially district councils and traditional institutions. It also demanded implementing environmental laws in letter and spirit and transparency disclosures and public audits on the status of all environmental projects in the state to date.
TUR also emphasised the need for transparency in deploying governmental manpower and time towards various measures taken.
“Many years ago huge budgets were pledged towards conservation of catchment areas and protection of springs. The public needs to know the outcomes of this public spending,” the organisation said.
