Environmental Justice: Issues and Challenges (July 5-7, 2016)
The
National consultation on “Environmental Justice: Issues and Challenges” was
held at Ecumenical Christian Centre, Whitefield, Bangalore during 5-7, July,
2016. Rev. Sudhakar Joshua, the Deputy Director of ECC inaugurate the
consultation. Prof. Dr. Rajan Varghese, a founding Director and Principal of the
Marthoma College of Management and Technology delivered the keynote address. He
expounded the theme from various perspectives and clarified some of the
traditional approaches which lead to the destruction of Environment.
Dr.
Beulah Herbert Samuel took the first session on Women and Environmental Justice. She emphasised human stewardship
towards Environment, affirmed the significance of Environmental Justice, and
elucidated the impact of Environmental injustice on women. Rev. Christy
Gnanadasan took a session on the Impact
of Environmental Degradation on Dalits and Tribals. He clarified that human
beings are not custodians of the environment but co-exist with nature. Dr.
Rajan Varghese took a session on Global
Equity and National Responsibility, in which he discussed the Global
initiatives for Sustainable development and India’s share in the Millennium
Goals. Fr. Jerry Kurian a prominent
scholar in the field of communication took a session on Role of Media on Environmental Justice. After he deliberately
discussed on the role of media on environmental justice, Fr. Jerry concluded
the talk with a challenge that, not only media, every individual has a responsibility
to educate and make people aware of this pertinent issue. Mr. Pravir Bragodia who
took great initiatives for eco-friendly living took a session on Green Living. He displayed the ill
effects and wide varieties of pollution on the environment. He summed up his
lecture by advising all the participants to follow the golden rule of Green
living which is Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Rev. Dr. John Samuel took a session
on Eco Linguistics. The participants
were very much impressed by the presentation and the way how he explained the extinction of languages in the
process of Ecological crisis. A session on Ecology:
Some Challenges was taken by Very Rev. Dr. Cherian Thomas, the Director of
ECC. Dr. Cherian explored the Earth centered interpretation of the Scripture,
and encouraged participants to develop a bio-centric attitude to facilitate
Environmental Justice. At the end the delegates were divided into four groups,
and Dr. Cherian suggested them to discuss on the possibilities of implementing
Environmental Justice at their own areas and level. They had come up with resolutions
like, practicing eco-friendly way of living; educating the churches and general
public on this pertinent issues by conducting more seminars and organizing
various activies like rallies, essay writing competitions, painting, etc. The
final session was on, Climate Change and
Our Response by Prof. Dr. R. Rajagopalan. He brought out the facts and
figures of Climate change during the centuries. His lecture focused on the
change of inner consciousness of human beings as the remedy. Thereby, he urged
all the participants to join the movements on Environmental Justice.
The
consultation concluded in a solemn manner where the Director, Very Rev. Dr.
Cherian Thomas after giving a concluding remarks called the delegates to stand
and sing, “We Shall Overcome” in unison, which was followed by prayer and
benediction.
Thangminlun Vaiphei
Programme Executive, ECC