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Democratic exercise in India a big threat to environment
NEW DELHI. Dec 29: The world's largest democratic exercise is also a big environmental threat, reports India Abroad News Service.
Come elections, Indian cities and villages are splashed and littered with posters and flyers as poliUcians criss-cross the nation in smoke-spewing vehicles wooing people for votes.
Paper and plastic sales go up substantially in an election year. Walls are defaced with political graffiti and posters while raucous politicians shatter decibel limits with their impassioned speeches.
Next year's elecUon is not ^Derally welcome, being bbed by the Press as an "election that nobody wants." but paper and plastic manufacturers won't be caught complaining.
Though things are not as rosy for them as they used to be before the days of former Chief Election Commissioner T.N. Seahan, who imposed strict re-
strictions on election expenditure. an additional demand for about 20.000 tonnes of paper is expected next year. That means added earnings of about Rs. 640 million (816.8 million) for the paper industiy.
While the government spends money on ballot papers, which in some (Maces are larger than broadsheet newspapers to accommodate hundreds of candidates with their election symbols, politicians spend millions of rupees on publicity material.
The government of the western state of Gujarat has already placed an order for 300 tonnes of paper with the Indian Paper Makers' Association. Going by that, the association expects a nationwide government demand of about 10,000 tonnes, N.C. Gupta, general manager operations of the J.K. Corp, told Indi* Abroad News Service.
Politicians, the association expects, will create a demand for another 10.000 tonnes for
their-personal campaigns and in all the earnings for the paper industry would be in the range of Rs. 640 million. But Gupta, whose firm is a member of the paper makers' association, said that 20.000 tonnes of paper "is peanuts, it is nothing. He said political parties have become more "cautious" in their election spending in the post-Se-shan period.
He conceded that about six years ago the extra demand created by elections was a substantial 10 to 12 per cent as the usual national consumption was about 40.000-45,000 tonnes per annum. That as a percentage meant something for the Industry." Gupta said. But now India uses an average of three million tonnes of paper annually and 20.000 tonnes is not that large a chunk.
The Election Commission has now proposed that the limit of Rs 450.000 (about 811.000) for each contestant's campaign
be raised as there were widespread complaints that the stipulation was "Impractical." The new limit has not yet been announced.
But the paper Industry does not expect a steep rise in demand. Though a raise in expenditure might lead to more paper being bought, the Commission has also said that it would strive to eliminate "non serious candidates." In last year's general election voters In Tamil Nadu's Modakuruchi constituency were handed a thick booklet as there were some 1.000 candidates in the fray after farmers in the area contested en masse to protest non-impiementation of Irrigation prefects
Environmental activist Iqbal Malik, who heads the non-governmental agency Vatavaran (environment), said last year's election led to the use of 800,000 tonnes of paper and 400.000 tonnes of plastic, prac tlcally all of which contributed
to swelling garbage instead of being sent for recycling. So the election created 1.2 million tonnes of garbage, according to a study by Malik
The consequences of such widespread use of paper - that too the non recycled variety -become evident from the fact that 250 trees are cut to make one tonne of paper, she told IANS.
About 50 per cent of the plastic used — in the shape of publicity buttons, food packag Ing. spoons and glasses for the thousands of political workers — was collects! by ragpickers, many of them known to wash disposed plastic plates and glasses and sell them to small food vendors the study found
Some 50,000 vehicles, most of which have inefficient diesel-driven engines, are pressed into service for electioneering these days. Malik said This means that Interior regions, not usually polluted. . become polluted during elec
tlons." she said.
The Election Commission had last year decreed that megaphones and loudspeakers could be used only between 6.00 am and 10.00 p.m.. but noise levels were not considerably reduced In urban areas, which have "no buffer zones in the shape of trees or open spaces, there was "an almost constant" sound level of about 90 decibels while In the villages It was about 60-75 decibels. Malik said The Internationally acceptable level ranges from 45-50 decibels
So. as the wheels for the next election are set tn motion. activists are hoping that pofiti clans would give the environment a thought As Malik put it "I am not saying that elections should not be held What I am saying is that the Election Commission and politicians should think about more Judi cious use of paper, plastics and polluting vehicles