Shillong Sept 23: School students in Shillong will organize a protest march as part of the campaign against climate change on September 27 to demand from the government to take measures to protect the environment.
The school going students will take part in the rally being organized under the banner of Friday’s for Future, a movement started by Swedish schoolgirl, Greta Thunberg in Sweden.
Thunberg, at the age 15, began protesting about the need for immediate action to combat climate change outside the Swedish parliament, and has since become an outspoken climate activist.
The Friday’s for Future in Shillong city was started by six school going students – Joel Blah Kyndiah, Justin Rangad, Pratham Gurung, Bryan Warjri, Anthea Jana, and Da-e-Mitre Pariat.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Joel said that Friday’s for Future Shillong will organise the second rally on September 27 to pressurize the state government to take proactive measures against climate change.
The first rally against climate change was organized in Shillong by Friday’s for Future on May 24 this year. The youth also submitted a memorandum to the state government through the Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong.
In the memorandum, the Friday’s for Future, Shillong suggested six ideas to the state government to fight climate crisis in Meghalaya which include the need to make it mandatory the use of public transportation for schools such as school buses to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions, mandatory rainwater harvesting system for procurement of licenses to develop new real estate projects such as houses, government offices, and commercial buildings in the state, ensure that public transportation be used every Tuesday and Thursday to make for all government servants on such appointed days, make towns in the state cycle friendly by having cycle lanes, and ban single-use plastics particularly straws and cutlery.
Joel said that climate change is real and it has affected people across the globe including Shillong city and Meghalaya.
Joel regretted as people in Shillong city are yet to realize the impact of climate change and the government has not responded to the memorandum submitted by Friday’s for Future.
“The state government has not responded to the suggestions given by Friday’s for Future Shillong. We failed to understand why the government did not listen to a bunch of school students who are really concerned for our future,†he said.
“We want to spread awareness among the people on the need to protect the environment because climate change is real. As students, we are fighting for our future. We are skipping classes to raise more awareness. The government should listen because those who are in power now will die of old age, but young people will die of climate change,†Joel said.
