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Ludhiana: May 15th, 2023: (Kartika Singh/Arth Parkash) :: Warrior Moms to save Environment & Next Generation 

Warrior Moms, a global network of mothers organized a demonstration demanding clean air, clean water and climate justice for children as a basic human right at Aarti Chownk here today. Similar events were held on the same day in many cities around the world to press governments to go beyond politics and act immediately on these issues.

Talking about the event at Ludhiana, Samita Kaur one of the organizers said, "Warrior Moms was started to save the environment as politicians are failing us. They are unable to think beyond the next election whereas we as mothers have to worry about the next generation. Government policies affect the environment which in turn affects our children. We can no longer just leave it to politicians and industrialists who keep deciding policy among themselves and making selfish policies disregarding everyone else."

Dr. Baljit Kaur who is a psychologist from Ludhiana said, "Our environmental laws are more honoured in the breach than the observance. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, of 1974 is an glaring example. The Act was passed by the Indian Parliament fifty years ago and empowers pollution control boards to act against polluters. Despite toxic Buddha Dariya spreading polluting Sutlej for decades we have never heard about anyone in Punjab who has ever been prosecuted under this act. We were shocked to learn recently that the Punjab pollution control board has only one lawyer to fight all its cases in the entire Punjab and that too a retired person. This criminal apathy should stop. We demand implementation of environmental laws in letter and in spirit in our state."

Ms Ritu Malhan said, "It is extremely important to talk about climate justice because poor people and children bear the brunt of this injustice the most. Eleven poor people including three children recently lost their lives in Giaspura to toxic gases. We are still groping in the dark about its accountability. The rich and the powerful make money by dumping their industrial waste in sewers and rivers and the poor pay for it with their lives when they breathe polluted air or drink polluted water."