State level stakeholders’ consultation held under Green Action Week

HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Oct 20: A stakeholder’s consultation was organised by Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum, Assam in partnership with CUTS International, Jaipur at Hotel Riviera on Thursday.
The consultation program was conducted by Tapashree Moitra of CLPF.
The program was attended by more than 60 participants including environment experts, forest and agriculture officials, youth icons, officials from municipal corporations, students and faculties from different colleges, media, CSOs and activists.
Dr Arup Kumar Misra, chairman, Pollution Control Board was present as the chief guest, he said, “The Board installed hidden cameras in various places of Bharalu River, Guwahati from Jonali to Bharalumukh. It was very pathetic for us to study the photographs.More than 700 photographs were captured where we saw that some of the Guwahatians throw their garbage bags in the Bharalu River in the middle of the night. Only the government machineries cannot do everything. Citizens must behave like citizens.”
He further said that the Pollution Control Board publishes directives on the use of traditional firecrackers on the basis of the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal order. Every year, post Diwali, the environmental situation of Guwahati and other parts of the city becomes very dangerous due to the use of traditional firecrackers where harmful chemicals like barium nitrate are used.
“In 2019, the world produced 53.6 million metric ton (MT) of e-waste; Asia accounted for the largest share of this dump, 24.9 MT. India, the third largest producer of e-waste after China and the US, generated 3.2 MT, with a per capita generation figure of 2.4 kg. Despite the government’s initiatives, 90 per cent of this waste is handled and managed by the informal sector – unsustainably. The world is predicted to produce 75 million metric tons of e-waste by 2030,” said George Cheriyan, director, CUTS International, Jaipur in his inaugural speech at the State Level Stakeholders Consultation under Green Action Week-22.
Moderating the program, advocate Ajoy Hazaraika, secretary, Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum, Assam shared his experiences on sharing communities and appealed to the young generation to start the sharing habits from their home and from their reading table.
Khagendra Sarma, deputy director, department of Agriculture, government of Assam; Dr Oinam Sunanda Devi, scientific officer, Assam State Biodiversity Board; Dr Manisha Sarma, programme officer, Assam Science Technology and Environment Council also attended the programme as guest of honour and shared their inputs in the stakeholders’ consultation.
Notably, Green Action Week (GAW) is a global people’s campaign to promote sustainable consumption. Around 60 organisations in 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North- and South America are participating in the campaign in 2022. CUTS International is partnering and supporting 14 organisations in 14 states, for conducting GAW campaigns including Consumers’ Legal Protection Forum in Assam.