efforts for environmental protection

7/29/2019 Efforts for Environmental Protection

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-ROLE OF NGOs


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INTRODUCTIONAt the beginning of the 21st century, environmental issues have emerged

as a major concern for the welfare of people. In India the concept of

environment protection can be seen starting from the period of Vedas.

O mother earth let thy bosom be free from sickness and decayMay we through long lifeBe active and vigilant

And serve thee withDevotion- Rig Veda

Moreover, father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi also focused his work onenvironment along with freedom movement, equality and social justice.

As per Father of the Nation

the earth provides enoughto satisfy every mans need,but not for every mans greed.

-Mahatma Gandhi


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ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

ACT 1986In 1986 , the government of India passed a comprehensive Environment

Protection Act(1986) as an aftermath of the Bhopal Tragedy of 1984 to cover

many aspects other than prevention and control of pollution.

The Environmental Protection Act 1986 was passed for the :

Protection of environment

Regulation of discharge of pollutants

Handling of hazardous substances

Speedy response in the event of accidents threatening environment

Deterrent punishment to those who endanger human environment , safety and

health.


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DEFINING NGOs What the UN

saysFrom the UN Department of Public Information:

NGO refers to a non-profit citizens voluntary entity organizednationally or internationally. Thus, professional associations,

foundations, trade unions, religious organizations, womens and youth

groups, cooperative associations, development and human rights

associations, environmental protection groups, research institutesdealing with international affairs and associations of parliamentarians

are considered NGOs.


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NON-GOVERNMENTAL

ORGANIZATIONSA non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens'

group which is organized on a local, national or international level.

Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a

variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to

Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political

participation through provision of information.

Some are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, environment

or health. They provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning

mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements. Their

relationship with offices and agencies of the United Nations system differs

depending on their goals, their venue and the mandate of a particular

institution.


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NGOs Civil Society or

Major Groups?The Panel described Civil Society in the following way:

The associations of citizens (outside their families, friends and

businesses) entered into voluntarily to advance their interests, ideas and

ideologies.

The term does not include profit-making activity (the private sector) or

governing (the public sector). Of particular relevance to the United

Nations are mass organizations (such as organizations of peasants,

women or retired people), trade unions, professional associations, social

movements, indigenous peoples organizations, religious and spiritual

organizations, academe and public benefit non-governmental

organizations.


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Major Groups is a term thatwas introduced in Agenda 21,

agreed by governments at the

Rio Earth Summit. It describes

nine sectors of society identified

as having a significant role in

sustainable development:

women

children and youth

indigenous people

NGOs

Local authorities

Workers and trade unions

business and industry

the scientific and technical

community

farmers


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STAKEHOLDERSYet another term

Stakeholders : Those who have an interest in a particular decision,

either as individuals or representatives of a group. This includes people

who influence a decision, or can influence it, as well as those affected by

it.

NGOs and other civil society groups are not only stakeholders in

governance, but also a driving force behind greater international

cooperation through the active mobilization of public support forinternational agreements.


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OBJECTIVES OF NGOs

To describe and discuss the common characteristics of health systemfunctioning in the given socio-economic, socio-cultural, political and

ecological settings

To highlight and delineate crucial factors responsible for the health

sector reforms and to undertake, as the most challenging endeavour,effective and efficient health management and quality health careservice provisions in the Community

The fundamental objective is to act as a catalyst in bringing about

local initiative and community participation in overall improvementin quality of life.


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ROLE OF NGOsNational level

1)

-The forests of India are a critical resource for the subsistence of ruralpeople throughout the country, especially in hill and mountain areas,

both because of their direct provision of food, fuel and fodder and

because of their role in stabilising soil and water resources. As these

forests have been increasingly felled for commerce and industry, Indian

villagers have sought to protect their livelihoods through the Gandhian

method of satyagraha or non-violence resistance.

The Chipko movement or Chipko Andolan is a movement that practised

the Gandhian methods of satyagraha and non-violent resistance, through

the act of hugging trees to protect them from being felled.


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2

-Narmada Bachao Andolan is the most powerful mass movement,

started in 1985, against the construction of huge dam on

the Narmada river.

The proposed Sardar Sarovar Dam and Narmada Sagar will displace

more than 250,000 people. The big fight is over the resettlement or the

rehabilitation of these people.

Led by one of the prominent leader Medha Patkar, it has now been

turned into the International protest, gaining support from NGO'S all

around the globe. Protestors are agitating the issue through the mass

media, hunger strikes, massive marches, rallies and the through the onscreen of several documentary films


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3

-This program has a dual role - of creating environmental awareness

amongst the student community and to develop each child's mind

resources through various personality development programs.

4)

-NGOs have propagated the system of rain harvesting in several

residential areas in the city with the aim of exploiting one or another

important water source, viz., and rainwater. Many cities suffer from

perennial water problems every summer and therefore it is important

that all avenues of water source be tapped.


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5)

-NGOs are working diligently to educate the public about the

prevention of AIDS and provide support and counselling for HIV-

infected persons.

The additional dangers of placing value judgments on how individuals

became HIV-positive is one of the toughest issues facing NGOs that

work with people who are HIV positive.

One key in the prevention of AIDS is to eliminate negative images of

HIV-infected persons as projected by the media. NGOs should work

toward educating the public to respect the dignity of all persons livingwith HIV, regardless of how they became infected.


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6

-The task of pollution control in India is complex due to the large

number of heavy, large and small-scale industries involved. Further, the

rise in the number of vehicles coupled with poverty and the largepopulation puts tremendous pollution pressure on air, water and land.

A comprehensive approach to pollution control is being undertaken

based on the following principles:

Prevent pollution at source.

Encourage, develop and apply the best available practicable technical

solution

Ensure that polluter pays for pollution and control arrangements.

Focus on protection of heavily polluted areas and river stretches.

Involve the NGOs in educating the public about pollution control

measures to be taken.


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7

-Womens NGO groups are working to empower women and improve their standingin the decision making process. One example is the (Indian) Community

Development Society (CDS).

The objective of the CDS is to improve the situation of children under 5 and of womenage 15 to 45 years. CDS work includes literacy programmes, income generating

schemes for women, provisions of safe drinking water, low cost household sanitary

latrines, kitchen gardens, food-grain bank, immunization, and child-care.

The CDS has resulted in the empowerment of women and the building of community

leadership. It is a unique example of community based poverty eradication efforts by

women.

8)

-This programme was started with the sole purpose of developing clean and pollutionfree waterways in cities and for creating a healthy living environment for all city

dwellers. WAMP was formed in 1991, as a joint programme with several NGOs andindividuals dedicated to the cause of developing clean waterways in the city. The

WAMP objectives are:

To stop pollution of waterways

To maintain the waterways of the city cleanly


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Global level

- Greenpeace is a non governmental environmental organization.

- Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in

all its diversityand focuses its campaigning on world wide issues such

as global warming, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling and anti-nuclear issues. Greenpeace uses direct action, lobbying and research to

achieve its goals.

- The global organization does not accept funding from governments,

corporations or political parties, relying on more than 2.8 million individual

supporters and foundation grants.- Greenpeace is a founding member of the INGO Accountability Charter; an

international non-governmental organization that intends to foster

accountability and transparency of non-governmental organizations.


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-The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is an international non-

governmental organization working on issues regarding

the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly

named the World Wildlife Fund.

- The group says its mission is "to halt and reverse the destruction of ourenvironment".

Currently, much of its work focuses on the conservation of

three biomes that contain most of the

world's biodiversity: forests, freshwater ecosystems,

and oceans and coasts. Among other issues, it is also concerned

with endangered species, pollution and climate change.


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-Friends of the Earth International (FOEI) is an international networkof environmental organizations

Friends of the Earth considers environmental issues in their social, political and human

rights contexts. Their campaigns stretch beyond the traditional arena of

the conservation movement and seek to address

the economic and development aspects of sustainability.

The current campaign priorities of Friends of the Earth internationally are:

economic justice and resisting neoliberalism

forests and biodiversity

food sovereignty

climate justice and energy

All FoE International campaigns incorporate elements of three core themes which are:

protecting human and environmental rights

protecting the planet's disappearing biodiversity

the repayment of ecological debt owed by rich countries to those they have exploited.


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The World Trade organization (WTO)

UN Development Programme ( UNDP)

The World Food Programme (WFP)

World Health Organization (WHO)

UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)


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WHAT WE CAN DO??1.Educate the students about the pollution problem and the harmful effects of

pollution.

2. We should minimize the use plastic cover for different purposes.

3. Buy only environment friendly products i.e. the products which are not

reducing the natural resources.

4. Not to waste water for various purposes.

5. To plant and grow trees in the house garden.

6. To Support the NGOs financially which are rendering service to the Health

and Environment sector.

7. To motivate research on different measures to be taken to solve environmentalproblems.

8. To support the initiates taken by the central and state government in protecting

our environment.


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THANK YOU

efforts for environmental protection

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