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

New Delhi, Mon, 03 Oct 2011 ANI

New Delhi, Oct 3 (ANI): 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)

 


Read More: Delhi | Raji | Mon | Climate Change

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