Several youth and students, including AISA came together to commemorate ‘Global Climate Strike’ in Bengaluru September. Farmers who have been protesting the forcible acquisition of their lands in Devanahalli by the KIADB for the past several months also joined the climate strike and spoke at this protest. The participating organisations expressed their solidarity with these farmers and recognised their role in fighting climate change.
Comrade Aratrika of AISA Karnataka who addressed the gathering at the protest spoke about the demands and how class struggle in integral to climate activism and environmentalism, and the same was met with consensus. At the protest, AISA put forward following demands :
1. Repeal the draft EIA Notification 2020 amendments which brings in post-facto grant of approval, exemption of several large industries from public hearing, reduction in the time for public consultation, increase in validity of clearance and reduction in the number of compliance reports needed to be submitted per year.
2. Jal-jangal-jameen belongs to the people and not to the corporations for profit making. Stop all kinds of acquisitions going on without proper consent of Gram Sabha. Implement The Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996 to the fullest extent to protect the rights of adivasis over their jal-jangal-jameen, livelihood and culture.
Students from various educational institutions including, Christ University, Azim Premji University, Mount Carmel College and Indian Institute of Science – Bengaluru joined the protest.
