Doon University
Inaugurates Workshop on Environmental Statistics
The long awaited initiative
on preparation of green GDP and presenting economic indicators in environment
discounted terms was inaugurated today at DoonUniversitythrough the first
technical workshop titled “PolicyMaking and Environmental Statistics for Sustainable Development”.
The workshop organized jointly by the Department of Economics, Doon University
and DES, Government of Uttarakhand is the first of its kind initiative that saw
participation of policy makers, bureaucrats and academicians from different
expertise on environment, economics, statistics and politics together on a
single platform. Highlighting the objectives of the workshop, Dr. Manoj Pant
from DES, Department of Planning said that the immediate purpose of the
workshop is to build a framework of understanding on creation and maintaining
of a framework of statistics on environmental goods, services and impacts on
economic outcomes. But the longer term objective of any such process is to make
efforts towards reversing the unbridled exploitation of resources and keep it
within the limits of sustainability. Dr. B.M. Harbola, the registrar of the
university welcomed the dignitaries and the guests.
Prof. V.K. Jain, the vice
chancellor, Doon University addressed the audience by focusing on the
environmental issues which have direct impact on people, and how these issues create
inequality among states and countries. He emphasized that the department of
environmental science and natural resource management, department of economics
and department of statistics must work together for better environmental
accounting. Prof. Jain emphasized that there are three dimensions of looking at
the issue of environmental statistics. Firstly, there is a need to estimate the
level of our dependence on environmental resources. Secondly, the level at
which we exploit and degrade the resources of our environment. Thirdly, it is
also necessary to factor in the need to ensure social, regional and
inter-generational equity as well as justice while using these resources for
the material consumption needs of the present generation. Dr. R.K. Sinha, Additional Secretary,
Department of Planning GoUK,focused on the significance of the data, in the
process of economic and social development. Credible data, honest feedbacks and
rigorous methods are needed to ensure a sustained flow of information for
effective policy making. The environmental scientist turned social activist and
the leader of GaonBachaoAbhiyaan,Padmashree Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi, HESCO-founder
highlighted the urgency to look at the economic indicators from the perspective
of the marginalised and deprived sections of hilly region of Uttarkhand.He
stressed that an expression of indicators like Green Environmental Product (GEP),
might help in measuring the true developmental scenario of any region. He
stressed that the current indicators of growth like GDP is an expression of the
vulgar exploitation by the oppressive class that has been shamelessly
appropriating the resources of the poor in the name of development. Dr. Manoj
Pant, JD, DES gave a presentation focusing on the limitations of existing system
of forest accounting, need of green GDP/GEP and ended his words with the quote
“better statistics for better planning for better tomorrow”.
Dr. Y.S. Pangtey described the inter-district
disparities of Uttarakhand, how the 9 hilly districts are still underdeveloped
and marginalized despite the abundant availability of natural resources, where
as Dehradun. Haridwar,Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital contribute a major chunk
of the state output and are the primary beneficiaries of the growth process so
far. Accounts related to environmental degradation and use would actually serve
the purpose of highlighting the contribution of the majority of population in
the countryside in the hilly terrains of the state.
The first technical session started with a comparative
perspective on the methodological divergences in preparation of environmental
statistics at the global level, presented by Dr. Siba Sankar Mohanty of
Department of Economics, Doon University. He stressed on the need for
democratization of statistics by making all information free on the World Wide
Web.
Dr. Meenakshi from HESCO, Dr. Rajesh Kumar-Director
FSI, Government of India and DrRajwar from HNB Garhwal University presented the
data gaps in the preparation of environmental statistics in the country.
Dr. PradeepChauhan, Economic Advisor to the Government
of Himachal Pradesh presented the successful attempt of the Himachal Pradesh
Government in preparing environmental statistics in the field of forestry and
tourism. He stressed that it is not only a tool to look at the economic numbers
from the ecological perspective; it is also a mechanism to control the
excessive exploitation of the resources by keeping track of use by economic
agents.
The workshop is potentially a step towards a larger
effort to make our state a responsible user of resources, Mr. Y.S.
Pangtey-Director DES remarked.
