Arguing for urban development without environmental degradation, a group of civil society activists called for inclusion of a green agenda in manifestos of political parties for the forthcoming GHMC elections.
Addressing media persons here on Tuesday under the aegis of Council for Green Revolution, the activists said they are reaching out to all political parties to include some or all of the environmental issues raised. These include water, transport, green spaces, waste disposal and sewerage treatment among others.
“Our plan is to take these suggestions to different parties and have them included in their manifesto. If parties do not do it, we will take up activities to pressurise the elected bodies to take up these suggestions,” environmentalist Prof. K. Puroshotham Reddy, said. The council’s 68-point agenda includes localisation of water management, regulation of ground water use, recycling waste water, waste segregation at household level and preventing aggregation, promoting environment friendly commute including cycling and protecting lakes from inflow of sewerage and encroachment.
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The activists have also called for restricting the role of HMDA to planning and a social audit of accounts of public service bodies like HMWSSB. He informed that the manifesto has been taken to BJP, CPI(M), AAP and Lok Satta. They will also approach other parties including Congress and TRS, he added.
The council also demanded scrapping of a government order issued on January 5 this year which scrapped an earlier provision that mandated real estate developers set aside some space in layouts for economically weaker sections and lower-income groups.