NESFAS misread my remarks on jhum cultivation: PFCC member Vincent Pala
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Vincent Pala, on October 27, clarified his stand on deliberating on the issue of jhum cultivation at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow next month, stating that North East Slow Food & Agrobiodiversity Society (NESFAS) “misread” his statement on the topic.
"I think they (NESFAS) have misread my statement. I was only replying to my agenda and topics to be discussed at UN Climate Change COP 26,” Pala told the press on Wednesday.
His statements came after the officials of NESFAS expressed concern over Pala’s recent comments that “jhum cultivation has affected the environment” in the Northeast, and there was a need to “impress upon the conference the need to support the farmers with other alternatives”.
"I'll try to see how we can help the people who are engaged in jhum farming. My agenda is to enlighten the people of the Northeast with innovative ideas to practice jhum cultivation, and not to stop the age-old practice," said the member of the Parliamentarian Forum on Climate Change (PFCC), adding that there should be a balance between the environment and livelihood of people.
"We are not going to stop jhum cultivation, but improve it. This is my idea," added Pala.
Informing that he is still unsure whether he will be able to deliberate on jhum cultivation in the COP26, Pala said that the topic is yet to be discussed with the committee, which will review the idea, and if it relates to the conference, only then a discussion on the same will be allowed. “I've sent a request, but I'm not sure whether they’ll allow it or not,” he added. He, however, said that he has put a research team to gather information on the subject.
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