Youth reject lopsided plans in the name of conservation

CHENNAI: Speaking against the lopsided conservation and development practices by the government and private agencies, over 500 people from Chennai’s fishing community, youth and children participated in a climate rally held on Besant Nagar beach on Saturday.

Eight youth groups part of Climate Action Collective (CAC) and people from vulnerable areas like Ennore, Manali and Tiruvottiyur participated in the rally registered their concerns regarding climate change.

E Lokeshwaran, a resident of Vyasarpadi and member of CAC said, “We want a future for Chennai and the world that is for all people, non-human lifeforms, and future generations. We urge the aspirations of people worst affected by development, industrialisation and climate change to inform the course of our futures rather than corporates.”

Subsequently, another CAC member noted, “Governments and big corporations want us to believe the crises we are facing can be addressed through yoga, driving e-scooters, using manjappai (cloth bags) and planting a few trees. But, at the same time, cities and villages are handed to big corporations, who evict people for development and climate change, in the name of wetland conservation, city beautification, afforestation and carbon markets. But we reject both.”

Meanwhile, other youngsters in the rally pointed out that the right response to climate change is changing the very system that caused it. “There are people, especially in north Chennai who are directly impacted by environmental pollution and climate change, more than others. This is the very area that’s also worst affected during monsoon and floods,” said T Poorvika, a college-student. “Why isn’t it addressed by the government?”

“The government needs to know that their fight is not against pollution alone, but also against social discrimination and environmental casteism,” pointed out another CAC member.