Nagpur: Environment, wildlife and forestry sector bore the brunt during Covid-19 and therefore it is high time finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman gives the sector its due in the 2021-22 Union Budget to safeguard its interests.
Environmentalist Debi Goenka said the finance minister must ensure that our national GDP should factor in our natural GDP. “The loss of natural capital i.e. our forests, rivers, soil, and biodiversity, deterioration in air and water quality, and contamination and depletion of our groundwater should also be included whilst computing our national GDP,” said Goenka.
Goenka, who is executive trustee of Conservation Action Trust (CAT), said, “In addition, it would be great if the finance minister could ensure that ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF&CC) is allocated adequate resources to ensure that forests, wildlife, and environment are protected.”
“Another important issue is the ease of not doing business — whilst the government has been taking many steps for the ease of doing business, it has made the life of NGOs, which are not engaged in business activities, more difficult. It would be great if the requirements to re-apply for income tax exemptions are done away with in this Budget,” Goenka added.
“I expect the Centre to allocate funds from the tribal development department (TDD) for relocation and rehabilitation of tribal-dominated villages from protected areas (PAs). It is expected to spend on 18 civic amenities in any village. So, they can take up the responsibility to resettle two villages every year. The proposal has been already discussed in the state wildlife board meeting and recommended to TDD,” said Kishor Rithe, president of Satpuda Foundation.
Green activist Jaydeep Das said, “From Economic Survey 2020-2021, it is evident that Covid-19 had a disastrous effect on the economy. While lockdown managed to reduce the carbon footprints and clean up the air and water, the situation will reverse drastically in the coming years.”
Das expects the Centre to focus on harnessing natural renewable energy sources, sustainable development goals at the micro-level and stop investing in thermal sources of energy and divert budgets with a subsidy to other forms.