Students to hold rally in Shillong to protest against govt inaction on climate change

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 23, 2019

SHILLONG: A group of high school students under the banner of the Fridays for Future (FFF) Shillong has decided to protest against the political inaction on climate change.

The FFF also known as school strike for climate is an international movement of school students who take time off from class to participate in demonstrations to demand action to prevent further global warming and climate change.

Publicity and widespread organising began after Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg staged a protest in August, last year outside the Swedish Riksdag (parliament), holding a sign that read “Skolstrejk för klimatet” (“School strike for the climate”).

Talking to media persons here on Monday, Joel Blah Kyndiah said a rally will be organized from Madan Iew Rynghep (Fire Brigade) to parking lot near the additional secretariat on September 27, to create awareness about climate change.

“The objective is also to protest against the political inaction on the part of the government as we students are fighting for our own generation,” he said.

Kyndiah said the delegation of the FFF had also submitted a memorandum to the deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong requesting the state government’s intervention to take steps to prevent climate change and global warming but unfortunately, there has been no sign of action.

Asked, he said if it leads to such a situation, the group may also consider staging protest in front of the secretariat to draw the attention of the state government. 

“We may not have attained the age to vote but we are citizens of the state and we have the right to demand for a better future,” he said adding “If the state government is not listening to our call then it is utterly shameful.” 

In its memorandum submitted earlier to the deputy chief minister, the FFF has urged the state government to implement the mandatory use of public transportation for schools, which will help in reducing carbon emissions from per capital exhaust of vehicles.

It has also recommended the establishment of Meghalaya Climate Change Assessment Commission having environment and ecological experts to make recommendations so that the government will be able to take appropriate steps to address climate change.