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CLEAN-India
Campaign : Restoring a Healthy Environment Dr K Vijaya Lakshmi W hether the issue is pollution, resource degradation or waste management, environmental impacts are reflected primarily in human health and livelihoods. The impact of environmental damage on the lives of poor people, as well as the millions of deaths each year from contaminated water and polluted air cry out for immediate action.Cost estimates of environmental degradation in India are mind-boggling. One recent estimate of such costs comes to more than Rs.60,000 crores ($13 billion) per year - or 6% of the GDP. People across the globe are realising that the quality of life today is no longer a question of a choice between development and environment or between technology and ecology. Each must be given its due weight in decision making. We must understand that "environmental problems can only be solved within the ambit of development". Growing populations and their ever-increasing demands place pressures on our natural resources, that cannot be sustained. This situation is further aggravated when a majority of the population adopts unsustainable production and consumption practices. Our future appears pretty bleak if we continue with business as usual. In this age of a cost-conscious society, where the science of economics is ruling the world, we are left with no choice other than to act and to ‘act now’. The choice is not a difficult one. We need not poison our resources before we even put them to use. A little care, common sense and preventive management is all that is required. So, who is accountable ? — Of course, each one of us! Collectively, we must influence the behaviour of our respective governments, neighbours and finally ourselves. Apart from satisfying our basic needs, we should improve the living conditions and ensure rational management of our resources and environment. We can shape our future by choosing appropriate alternatives, policies and institutions, through a sense of collective responsibility. This would lead to efficiency in resource use and poor people’s access to natural resources, besides minimising the damage to the environment. It is these qualities and initiatives that the "CLEAN-India" programme nurtures. It instills a sense of responsibility in every individual. It empowers local communities with an ability to know the quality of their local surroundings and to make the right choices and decisions in the interests of the larger community. While children trigger off the whole process, elders are also encouraged to take up initiatives to preserve and enhance the quality of the environment. CLEAN-India is an ambitious programme, to be nurtured primarily by local environmental organisations and schools along with residential and industrial welfare associations. The systematic approach of the programme aims to mould children as responsible future citizens and decision-makers. By establishing their networks, CLEAN teams strive to restore the health of the environment in every town and city of the country. This programme provides a unique opportunity to adopt a judicious mix of short, medium and long-term environmental measures. It is a programme for partnerships and relies heavily on local knowledge and commitment of the people. It promotes innovation, knowledge-sharing and adoption of the best practices among communities with similar environmental problems, and empowers them through meaningful partnerships. Initiated in 1996, CLEAN - Delhi, Shillong and Faizabad have already started reaping the fruits of collective action. In Shillong, the Waterwatch Project is already making strides by restoring the quality of the local streams. People are tackling the growing menace of solid waste disposal. Positive actions such as vermicomposting have been initiated in Delhi and Shillong. Besides solving the solid waste management problems, we also hope to generate employment for local youth and disabled people. The success of the CLEAN - India programme lies in these co-operative efforts and commitments of partners. In a pioneering and promising partnership, institutions such as the Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Boards are joining hands with us to promote this programme nationwide. CLEAN - India needs the collaboration of every one so as to collectively build a sustainable future. q
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