Bhubaneswar: In Solidarity with teenaged Swedish Climate crusader Gretha Thurnberg and call for Worldwide protest on second phase of Global Climate Strike on the afternoon of September 27, hundreds of Climate Activists, Cine Artists, Intellectuals, Lawyers, Social Activists, Slum Dwellers Street Vendors and Academics congregated near Jayadev Bhavan, I G Park Road in Bhubaneswar to lodge their protest against future Climate threats.
The protesters with Placards and Hand drawn Posters showing ill effects of climate change and global warming observed an hour long Stand – ON for climate change.
The protest was organised by Focus Odisha Foundation and Sahabhagi Vikash Manch.
The Organisers have announced a pledge to an 11 point charter of demands including appeal to both Union and State Government to Identify Climate Hotspots of Odisha and take remedial Steps, Draw a long term and Sustainable Climate Road Map for India and Odisha Implement PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT, Announce a Phase wise withdrawal or Moratorium on use of Fossil Fuels, Odisha Climate Change Action Plan need to be revisited to accommodate concerns of climate victims, A mechanism should be in place to assess Carbon Footprints and Policy should be directed to set a LOW CARBON REGIME, Government of India in coordination with State Governments should adhere to NATIONAL DETERMINED COMMITMENTS (NDCs), An Elaborate Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) plan should be in place and Government should come out with a Policy to safeguard life, livelihoods of Coastal Communities and a Coastal Protection Policy to protect Natural Resources.
‘We need to adapt the changing climatic phase and have to live in here.
We appeal Governments to take corrective actions and adopt climate change policy that will minimize CO2 and other green house gas emissions, to ensure alternative energy potentials besides promoting public transportation systems etc.”, said Convenor of the Programme Sudarshan Chhotoray. He further added that prioritizing interventions in sectors like forests, water resources, fisheries, Agricultural etc. should be the focus.
The protesters have decided to submit a Memorandum to both Union and State Government besides one to UN.
The Pledge also said that
Odisha, for its geographical existence is prone to all kind of natural hazards. Climate Change has already knocked at our door step. See, the frequency of Calamities happened in the State during the last two decades and the the surging see in Pentha, Podampeta and Ramayapatna. The State is fighting its own battle against Climate Change and its ever impacting catastrophe.
The Stand-On protest was led by Sudarshan Chhotoray of Focus Odisha Foundation, Subas Panda of SNEH, Suresh Panigrahy of Odisha KRUSHAK SABHA, Tapasi Praharaj of AIDWA, Anu Chaudhary Film Artist, Anil Pradhan of SIKSHASANDHAN, Dr Shisir Das, Sharmila Patnaik and Sachikanta Pradhan of Sahabhagi Vikas Manch, Debabrata Patra of Action Aid, Snigdha Panigrahi, Sr Advocate, Chinmayee Panda, Educationist,Itishree Kanungo of Climate Parliament, Dr J K Panigrahy of OES, Jugal Kishore Patnaik of Mahashakti Foundation, Lora Mahapatra, Waris Foundation.
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