Mumbai: Green Activists Come Together To Draft An Environment Manifesto Ahead Of Maharashtra Elections

As the Maharashtra assembly elections are awaited to be announced anytime soon, green activists from different organisations and institutions have come together to prepare an environment manifesto as a list of demands from the elected representatives. The Maharashtra Environment Manifesto 2024 has laid out a long list of demands related to air pollution, water bodies, trees, eco-sensitive zones, motorised transport and cycling infrastructure among others.

As the chief election commissioner has set a deadline for Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections before November 26, the countdown to elections has begun in the state. With political parties and state’s election commission getting engaged with elections-related work, citizens have also engaged themselves in laying out their demands from their future representatives.

The Mumbai faction of Fridays For Future (FFF), a global citizen-led environment initiative, has taken on an initiative to prepare a detailed manifesto demanding changes and initiatives to address climate change and the rising pollution in Mumbai. Environment activists and individuals from across the state have been adding their suggestions to the draft, which is expected to be finalised within a week.

Organisations like MUSE Foundation, Swachh Association Nagpur, Clean Air Network and individuals like Medha Patkar, Amrita Bhattacharjee and Rohit Parakh among others have also contributed to this manifesto.

“Maharashtra, one of India’s largest and most industrialised states, is experiencing the profound impacts of climate change on multiple fronts. Public health is at risk, with rising temperatures increasing the spread of diseases, heat stress, and water scarcity. Socially, the burden of climate change is unevenly distributed, with marginalised communities, particularly in rural areas, bearing the harshest consequences,” read the manifesto.

The manifesto demands creation of an urban tree shade improvement plan and mandating high energy efficiency standards for new buildings. For air pollution, the manifesto demands higher accessibility to AQI data, restrictions on private vehicles according to the AQI and ban on firecrackers. It also demanded new policies to tackle the threats to ocean, coasts, fishery and other water bodies. It also covers topics like agriculture, walking, cycling, motorised transport, groundwater, waste management, plastic waste, energy and fossil fuels.

“Current policies are insufficient to address the scale of the crisis, and without stronger reforms and comprehensive environmental governance, the state risks irreversible damage. The need for a focused manifesto is essential to drive urgent policy changes and ensure a sustainable future for Maharashtra’s people and ecosystems,” read the manifesto.

The manifesto also cited the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s highlight referring to Maharashtra as a climate hotspot, emphasising the urgent need for adaptation and mitigation strategies. The manifesto warns that these challenges pose severe risks to Maharashtra’s economy, food security, and overall development, thereby claiming that a manifesto for environmental protection in Maharashtra is critical. 

Yash Agrawal, coordinator of FFF Mumbai, said, “The manifesto draft has contributions from different people and organisations. We have been working on this draft for over a month now and we will finalise it within a week. Once the draft is ready, we will start handing it to political parties and the candidates for the upcoming elections.”

Subjects Covered in Maharashtra Environment Manifesto 2024

Heat and air-conditioning

Air Pollution

Ocean, Coasts and Fishery

Wetlands

Lakes and Ponds

Rivers

Agriculture

Trees

Eco-sensitive zones

Walking

Cycling

Motorised transport

Democracy and governance

Projects

Energy and fossil fuels

Finance

Concrete and construction

Waste management and plastic

Groundwater