Tamil Nadu Election Manifestos Show Increased Environmental Focus
In the run-up to the Tamil Nadu elections, political parties have demonstrated a notable shift towards addressing environmental and climate change concerns in their manifestos. The DMK has dedicated an entire category to environment and climate change, featuring 50 specific points, while the AIADMK's manifesto includes 10 points on environmental issues out of nearly 300. This represents a significant improvement from two decades ago, according to Prabhakaran Veerarasu of the environmental organization Poovulagin Nanbargal.
"When we used to approach political parties 20 years ago with environmental manifestos during elections, they were not welcomed," says Prabhakaran. "There was probably one party with an environmental wing in Tamil Nadu, but now there are five to six parties, including DMK, TVK, and AIADMK. In the past few elections, they have been engaging with us on environmental issues."
Climate Change and Heat Mitigation Strategies
This election season, manifestos from all major parties acknowledge that climate change must be fought on a "war footing." The DMK's manifesto places particular emphasis on heat mitigation and adaptation, promising to appoint heat officers to implement early warning systems—a measure previously lacking. Tamil Nadu is especially vulnerable to heat, particularly in coastal zones.
Additionally, the DMK has proposed micro grid-based prediction and early warning systems to enhance accuracy in forecasting floods and cyclones. Prabhakaran highlights that a key feature of the PMK's manifesto is its commitment to preventing new coal mines in Tamil Nadu, opposing a Union government plan for a mine in Neyveli that threatens 41 villages.
Electric Vehicles and Environmental Policies
All parties have included plans to introduce electric vehicles as part of their environmental agendas. The DMK aims to increase electric vehicle usage by 30% by 2030, while the PMK has pledged to provide at least 60 buses per 1 lakh people to reduce pollution levels.
However, T D Babu, trustee of Nizhal, points out that while the DMK has promised to restore mangroves, these habitats have not been fully mapped. "Many of DMK's actions in the past five years reflect their insensitivity towards environmental and habitat protection," says Babu, citing failures such as landfilling of water bodies in urban areas and closure of coastal water bodies.
Organic Farming and Water Management
The AIADMK election manifesto includes a proposal to establish Nammazhwar organic farming research centres in every university to promote organic farming. Prabhakaran notes that a similar point was in the DMK's manifesto five years ago, but implementation was limited to renaming an existing centre. "The centres have to be started in the Kaveri delta districts so that farmers will benefit," he emphasizes.
All manifestos feature water management and solid waste management plans. Prabhakaran observes that the Congress manifesto appears to have added environmental points superficially, lacking a holistic approach.
Implementation and Animal Welfare Concerns
Prabhakaran reports that the DMK has implemented approximately 70% of their previous environmental manifesto points, including 52 projects for climate change adaptation and mitigation. However, he cautions that many anti-environment policy projects are still in the pipeline, requiring ongoing scrutiny.
Animal welfare, however, receives minimal attention in these manifestos. Shruti Vinodhraj of the Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board mentions that the DMK's manifesto promises to upgrade one major veterinary hospital in each district to a 24-hour facility and implement a humane Animal Birth Control programme. It also proposes AI-based early warning systems in wildlife corridors to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
T D Babu acknowledges some positives during DMK rule, such as turtle conservation efforts and global recognition for dugong conservation. Yet, he notes failures in protecting turtle nesting grounds and stopping sewage flow into rivers and wetlands. "The Pallikaranai marsh has not been retrieved as per the NGT's direction either," says Babu.
Overall, while Tamil Nadu's political manifestos show a growing commitment to environmental issues, challenges in implementation and gaps in areas like animal welfare highlight the need for continued advocacy and action.
