Protect Aravalis, raise forest cover: Citizens’ group makes ‘green manifesto’ before polls

GURGAON: With Haryana assembly elections just months away, a group of citizens has come up with a ‘green manifesto’ that advocates for the state to protect the Aravalis and increase forest cover apart from adopting environment friendly policies.
A key demand is coming up with a four-year plan to increase Haryana’s forest cover to 21%, in line with the national target.
The group proposes involving local communities in the creation of sacred forests or banis in every village and declaring the Aravalis as a biodiversity heritage site.
It also emphasises on the importance of prioritising affordable public transport by initiatives such as introducing electric buses and developing cycle tracks.
The manifesto urges the govt to increase taxation on cars, so people will opt for public transport.
Neelam Ahluwalia, founder of People for Aravallis, said the group will reach out to citizens, experts, youngsters, farmers, and gig and sanitation workers to create awareness and add other relevant issues to their ‘manifesto’.
“After the extensive consultation process is complete, the final draft of Haryana’s Green Manifesto 2024 will be submitted to all political parties contesting the assembly elections as a call to action,” Ahluwalia said.
A section of the ‘manifesto’ focuses on Delhi-NCR’s air pollution crisis, and advocates for a ban on burning crop residue after providing higher subsidies to farmers for stubble management and promotes the use of clean cooking fuels.
“The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that greenhouse gases released by human activity have already caused the world to warm by 1.1°C. The battle to keep the threshold of the internationally agreed target of 1.5 °C of global heating will be won or lost in this decade of 2020s under the watch of our political leaders today,” said Ruchith Asha Kamal, deputy director of Climate Front India.
Kamal is also involved with People for Aravallis.