The Hindu : Karnataka News : Policy on climate change soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 21, 2007
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka

Policy on climate change soon

Special Correspondent

Working groups to look into problems
of various sectors
Karnataka is the first State to take initiative
on climate change

BANGALORE: A State-level committee on climate change and sustainability has decided to come out with a policy to tackle the climate change issues, prioritise factors for ecological damage, and recommend strategies to adopt cleaner technologies to mitigate and manage climate change.

The committee, headed by Legislative Council Chairman B.K. Chandrashekar, on Tuesday held its first meeting and decided to come out with a report on climate change in the next four months. The Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment will act as a nodal agency to create awareness and capacity building to manage climate changes viability.

Addressing presspersons, Prof. Chandrashekar said a Government Order would be issued to provide statutory support to the committee. The panel comprises senior officials of various Government departments, MLCs, and representatives from non-governmental organisations. The Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI) would actively involve itself in the process of drafting the report and policy, he said.

The committee has decided to form various working groups to look into the problems of various sectors such as irrigation, energy, transport, agriculture, industry, etc.

Karnataka is the first State to take initiative on climate change. The new policy to be drafted would chalk out both short and long-term strategies to address environmental issues, Prof. Chandrashekar said.

Stating that the projected climate change and its adverse effects might hold serious implications for the State as well, the Council Chairman said one of the objectives of the panel was to create awareness about climate change among planners, decision makers and all other cross-sections of civil society.

Earlier, B. Basappa, Director-General, EMPRI, made a presentation on initiatives taken in the State to tackle climate change.

The climate change would have adverse effects on agriculture, crop yield and water resources in the State. There was a need to create awareness among farmers about the ill-effects of climate change, he said.

Abdul Azeem, MLC, suggested that more powers be given to law enforcement agencies such as the police to check adulteration of petrol.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka