Pm pushed for global norms based On Domestic agenda
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushed for global norms on the basis of his domestic experience on environment-focused development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted India’s robust attempt to address climate change at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York on Monday. While usually international norms have a domestic impact, at the summit, Modi pushed for global norms on the basis of his domestic experience on environmentfocused development.
Starting from the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan to the ambitious project of delivering piped water to each and every household by 2024, the Narendra Modi-government has always indicated that it is serious about an environment-focused approach to development.
According to a study by the Environmental Defence Fund (EDF), 70% of the rural population in India uses firewood and dung for cooking. Besides producing greenhouse gases, these products cause lung cancer and pneumonia.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the Central government provided gas connections and Rs 1,600 for each connection to families falling under Below Poverty Line (BPL) category. According to government officials, the scheme has already reached 8 crore beneficiaries.
In 2015, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Ujala scheme meant to replace 77 crore incandescent lamps with LED bulbs. The aim was not only to reduce electricity bills, but also help in environment protection.
Under the Paris Agreement, India submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) outlining eight targets for 2021-2030 which include (i) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity of its GDP by 33% to 35% by 2030 from 2005 level; (ii) to achieve about 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030; and (iii) to create additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. The other targets pertain to sustainable lifestyles; climate-friendly growth path; climate change adaptation; climate change finance; and capacity building and technology.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), India is trying to meet the eight missions—on solar, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, sustaining the Himalayan ecosystem, green India, sustainable agriculture and strategic knowledge on climate change—under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
In Lok Sabha, the MOEFCC said: “Thirty-three states/ Union Territories have prepared State Action Plan on Climate Change in line with NAPCC, taking into account the states’ specific issues relating to climate change.”
Another ambitious project of the government in tackling climate change is International Solar Alliance (ISA), which was launched in Paris by PM Modi and Francois Hollande, the then President of France, on 30 November 2015. India’s efforts on climate action and PM Modi’s leadership of ISA were praised by United Nations chief Antonio Guterres. According to media reports, Guterres described India’s gift of 193 solar panels to UN as “very useful”.
Apart from these, India’s push for e-vehicles and the government’s attempt to scrap single-use plastic has highlighted Modi’s determination in developing an environment-focused approach to development.
According to an official in MOEFCC, as part of Modi’s 100-day plan that was launched on 5 July, the ministry began implementing six important transformative ideas including the Jal Abhayaranya Programme for rejuvenation of Himalayan springs, the national clean air programme to initiate action in 28 priority cities, for protecting and sustaining coastal environment action plan in 100 beaches of India, streamlining environmental clearances, launching of a programme to double the number of trees planted through active public participation, and restoration and rejuvenation of 100 major wetlands across the country.
However, environment activist Vandana Shiva told The Sunday Guardian that there needs to be a more systematic approach and far more community consultation. “For any programme to work practically, the government needs to address its adoption at the system level. So if you want to ban single-use plastic, you have to bring back all the craft industry we used to have for making paper bags and jute bags. It is same for every aspect. During my research on climate change, I have seen that most of the greenhouse gases are from industrial chemical particles. Thus, in the mission to make India single-use plastic free, we need organic farming. Hence, what we need is a systemic approach and societycommunity participation,” she said. Shaheed Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation, Pakistan, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to award Bharat Ratna to “Shaheed-e-azam” Bhagat Singh.
On Wednesday, Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi, Foundation Chairman, wrote a letter to Gaurav Ahluwalia, India’s Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan, addressing PM Modi, saying that that the Indian government should bestow the highest civilian honour on Bhagat Singh posthumously on his 112th birth anniversary “for his unmatched services for the Indian subcontinent”.
Countless people from both countries, including PM Modi, respected his passion and sacrifice, said Qureshi, who has also made an appeal to Pakistan PM Imran Khan to honour the martyr with “Nishan-e-pakistan” award. The ruling BJP in Haryana is aiming for 75-plus seats in the 90-member Assembly’s 21 October elections. The party has decided to corner some Congress stalwarts by fielding sports celebrities against them. Olympic bronze medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and former captain of Indian hockey team and Arjuna awardee Sandeep Singh joined the BJP at its national headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday. The lone Shiromani Akali Dal MLA from Haryana, Balkaur Singh, who represents Kalanwali (reserved) Assembly seat in Sirsa, has also joined the BJP. The state party president, Subhash Barala, told The Sunday Guardian that “The BJP’S mission of ‘75 Plus’ in the Assembly elections would be bolstered by their joining the party.” Barala hinted that they would be getting party tickets in the coming elections. “Ab ki baar, phir Khattar sarkar,” he said.
The buzz is that Dutt will be fielded from Sonepat district and Sandeep will be given a ticket from Pehowa in Kurukshetra. Balkaur Singh could be fielded from Kalanwali. If fielded, Sandeep will face former Assembly Speaker Harmohinder Singh Chatha in Pehowa. Chatha is a loyalist of former Congress Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Dutt, who has joined the BJP after quitting as DSP, comes from Gohana town of Sonepat district and the ruling party plans to field him from Baroda Assembly seat of this district. Baroda is among two of the nine Assembly segments of Sonepat Lok Sabha seat where Hooda got the lead, the other being Kharkhoda, when he was defeated by BJP’S Ramesh Kaushik in the Lok Sabha polls. If Hooda chooses to field his son from his traditional Garhi-samplakiloi seat, he may himself contest from either Baroda or Badli seat of Rohtak. Even if Hooda doesn’t contest from Baroda, his trusted lieutenant Sri Krishan Hooda, the sitting MLA from there, will contest the seat. Vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu’s utterance on India’s “distorted history” has angered the Congress. On Thursday, Naidu said that there was a need to “correct” Indian history, distorted by the colonial rulers. Speaking at the Punyabhushan award presentation ceremony in Pune, Naidu asked historians, archaeologists, linguists and other scholars in the country to unite in order “to re-create India’s real history before the world.” Hours later, angry Congress slammed the Vice-president over his remarks on “distortions” in history books, and asked him to remain impartial and not subservient to the “BJP’S agenda” of rewriting history. Every year, during the birth anniversary celebrations of the BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya, the party workers clean his, BJP-RSS leaders’ and Mahatma Gandhi’s statues across the country in their areas. But this time, they are in a dilemma. A circular issued by the BJP president Amit Shah has asked the party workers to undertake cleanliness drives and also clean statues of great leaders and personalities in and around their towns “irrespective of their ideologies”. Many party workers are worried, hoping that they may not be photographed cleaning statues of Congress leaders. “I will cover my face,” a party worker said, jokingly. The “Great Khali” on Tuesday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the issue of royalty. Dalip Singh Rana aka Khali moved court following a dispute with an author who penned a book on him. Justice B.S. Walia put the author on notice for 16 October. A Jalandhar court will have jurisdiction in the case. The writer reportedly demanded 30% royalty on a film being made on Khali, following which the dispute reached a Giddarbaha court. Khali, in turn, moved the High Court.
The 47-year-old Rana, better known by the ring name “The Great Khali”, is a professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Before embarking on his professional wrestling career, he was an officer for the Punjab state police. He has appeared in four Hollywood films, two Bollywood films and several television shows.
Man Mohan can be contacted at rovingeditor@gmail.com