PRESS RELEASE
Press Secretary
Office of PD Rai, Lok
Sabha MP for Sikkim
Sikkim Lok Sabha MP PD Rai has urged the Ministry of
Environment, Forests and Climate Change to prepare a white paper to address
specific concerns arising out of climate change in the North-Eastern region.
Speaking at the Parliamentary Debate on Demand for Grants relating to the
Ministry in the Lok Sabha, Rai highlighted the political and economic impacts
of climate change in the region. He also mentioned the steps taken by the
Sikkim Government to address the issue.
Rai informed the House about the potential impact of climate
change on agricultural yield in the North-Eastern region, particularly Sikkim’s
North District, where impact is expected to be the highest in the region
according to scientific studies. He also raised concerns over the reduction in budgetary
allocation for North-Eastern region from Rs. 191 crore in the Interim Budget to
about Rs. 181 crore in the current Budget.
Welcoming the new National Mission on Himalayan Studies - for
promoting research for sustainable development of the Himalayan region - he
expressed hope that the Centre will address both climate change and
developmental issues in the region. He also highlighted the importance of
forestry research in addressing climate change issues. He raised concerns over
the low budgetary support for Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education,
an institution of national importance. He said that lack of funding has
adversely
Impacted the research output of the institution. He stressed the
need for enhancing budgetary allocation to enable the institution to undertake
new research projects for the rejuvenation of forests.
Furthermore, he highlighted the need for policy level
intervention to specify the norms for forest cover for States in the country.
He said that such a policy will enable States with high forest cover to
undertake developmental initiatives.
Measures to Address Climate Change: Ideas from Sikkim – “Ten
Minutes to Earth”
Rai apprised the House of the steps taken by the government of
Sikkim to address climate change. He urged the nation to adopt the “Ten Minutes
to Earth” program which was institutionalized in Sikkim by Chief Minister Pawan
Chamling. The initiative, based on the concept of “One Person, One Tree, One
Time”, has resulted in plantation of six lakh saplings of trees and flowering
species within 10 minutes across the State every year since 2009.
Need for Amendment in Indian Forest Act to Promote Bamboo
Industry
Outlining the importance of bamboo, Rai urged the Minister for
Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar to amend the Forest Act and list
Bamboo as a grass. He said the amendment will lead to an improvement in the
cultivation of bamboo.
Rai has been constantly pitching for the reclassification of
bamboo as a grass and had even introduced a bill for the amendment of the
Indian Forest Act in the Lok Sabha in 2013. He has argued that the change will
provide steady and sustainable source of livelihood for millions of tribal and
rural inhabitants in the North-Eastern region, particularly Sikkim.
Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Recognizes
Importance of Issues
Raised by Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling and MP PD Rai
Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash
Javadekar welcomed the suggestions made by Rai and other members during the
debate. He said that the Himalayan Mountain Initiative, raised by Rai, is an
important issue for the nation. He said that the nation should work toward
sustainable development of the Himalayan region. He informed the House that the
Ministry has approved all seven eco-sensitive zone projects in Sikkim. He also
apprised the House of his meeting with Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling and stated that
the government had commenced work on the eco-sensitive projects from 20th July.
Comments
Post a Comment