Centre for
Environment and Energy Development (CEED) launched the 100% UP Campaign in
Lucknow on Sunday this week.
The
UP campaign aims at creating a sustainable environment in the state by moving
towards renewable energy; highlighting measures for healthy air and clean
water, and ensuring proper waste management.
The problems in UP
are Rapid urbanization and development, which has led to increase level of pollution in every part of the state.
According to the
WHO, four of
most polluted cities are in UP. As
per the 2005 inventory, UP is the highest emitting state of India that
contributes to nearly 14% of national greenhouse gases.
80 million people
in the rural parts of the state, and 5 million people in urban area, are still
living without access to modern electricity. Improper solid waste disposal has
compromised the quality of land, water and air.
Ms.
Surabhi Shikha, Head- Programs of CEED, clarified, “High level of pollution is a
hard hitting reality; we cannot afford to delay any longer
and must make immediate amendments to the safeguard of environment.”
“The air is getting
more and more toxic by the day, and the pollution in the water bodies has
reached to a severe level. Improper waste management and the increasing
dependency on fossil fuels have further accelerated the environmental issues”,
she added.
“The campaign
aims to raise awareness and gather support from 10 lakh people with the help of
civil society groups across UP. The support received shall become a unanimous
voice that demands from the political parties to include it in their manifesto
during the upcoming state assembly elections in 2017. There has to be absolute
political consensus to eradicate pollution from our daily lives”, Ms. Shikha
concluded.
