Follow –up Meeting on People’s Coalition for Green Tamil Nadu, Trichy

Traditionally policy makers perceived environmental issues to be outside the ambit of governance and largely neglected green issues. However, in the recent times new areas of conflict surrounding environmental concerns are emerging within the ambit of governance.

For instance, livelihood issues are coming in direct conflict with developmental projects like dams, industries, infrastructure projects and nuclear power plants.

In this backdrop, Public Affairs Centre, Bangalore, India initiated the process of developing a Green Manifesto for Tamil Nadu. In collaboration with Earth Smiles, Chennai and People’s Action for Development (PAD), Tuticorin, it organized a round table in March, 2011. The participants decided to come together under the banner of ‘People’s Coalition for Green Tamil Nadu’ (PCGTN) to take these initiative forward and as an outcome of this a green manifesto was drafted and released simultaneously in various parts of the state, including Chennai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Dindigul and other districts.

We also have had an opportunity to circulate and share the Green Manifestos with the political parties/representatives in our working area. This exercise has certainly given all of us an opportunity to reach out to various sections of society in sensitizing them on environmental issues and mobilising a demand for better environmental governance.

During our last consultation in Chennai, all the members had expressed the need to organise a follow-up meeting to share our initial experiences and then plan for the future of PCGTN. With the recent completion of elections and the government in place this is the right time to reflect and plan forward. In this regard, we are organizing the follow-up meeting on 24th May at Tiruchy. Mr. Oswald Quintal, State Convener, Kudumbam LEISA Network has kindly agreed to host and support in organizing the meeting.

LEISA “Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture” is a network of 82 NGOs (Non-governmental organisation) along with about 2,000 small farmers in Tamil Nadu. The network has existed since 1990 and advocates for the use of traditional knowledge, a more economical use of natural resources and the “low external input” methods without pesticides in a more sustainable agriculture.

The main focus of this meeting is to share our experiences in advocating for inclusion of green manifesto, arrive at an action plan for post election monitoring and to plan for a systematic approach in strengthening the coalition to ensure its sustainability.

The meeting is being organized at the TMSSS Empowerment Centre, (Opp. Jenny Plaza), Tiruchirapali.

Schedule: Tue 24 May 2011 9 a.m. to Tue 24 May 2011 5 a.m.