[sustran] Selja calls for increased use of public transport in urban areas for sustainable development

[Vinay Baindur]

http://www.newkerala.com/news/2011/worldnews-80539.html


Selja calls for increased use of public transport in urban areas for
sustainable development

New Delhi, Oct 3 : Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister
Kumari Selja has called upon the people to join hands in formulating the
urban agenda based on the principles of sustainable development, so that
quality of life of all urban citizens in the country specially the lower
income and disadvantage groups can be enhanced.

Addressing the World Habitat Day 2011 function here today, Selja said:
"Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our times. Although the
cities present enormous opportunities for economic growth and the generation
of wealth, yet they contribute disproportionately to pollution due to
population concentration."

"If the cities are un-managed, they further aggravate environmental
degradation," she added.

Kumari Selja said 50 percent of the global population is now living in
cities, which occupy just two percent of the earth surface, but consume 75
percent of the planet's natural resources and generate 50 percent of global
carbon dioxide emissions.

She further said that a vast majority of people in urban areas will be
affected by climate change as it negatively impacts infrastructure and
worsens the access to basic urban services and the quality of life in
cities.

"The most vulnerable to climate change in cities are the urban poor and slum
dwellers due to poor habitat, limited access to basic services and overall
poor quality of life," said Selja, and added that further degradation in
basic service delivery and quality of life for them would be disastrous.

Kumari Selja further said her ministry is reducing their vulnerability to
the climate change through flagship schemes of Jawaharlal Nehru National
Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) by freeing them
from slums or slum like conditions.

She called upon the people especially the youth to increase use of public
transport and energy efficient appliances in their homes to make the cities
sustainable.

Kumari Selja also gave away prizes to the winners of NHB Essay Competition,
BMTPC Painting Competition for Differently Abled Children, HUDCO Painting
Competition for Street and Shelter less Children and Paper Presentation on
Cities and Climate Change.

She also released special publications by NHB, NCHF, BMTPC and HUDCO on the
occasion.

The United Nations has designated the first Monday in October each year as
the World Habitat Day. The idea is to reflect on the state of human
settlements and the necessity of adequate shelter for all. It is also
intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future
of human habitat.

For this year's celebrations UN-HABITAT has chosen the theme "Cities and
Climate Change" because climate change is fast becoming the preeminent
development challenge of the 21st century.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) is the United
Nations agency for human settlements. It was established in 1978 and has its
headquarters at the UN office in Nairobi, Kenya.

--ANI