State gets centre to monitor climate change

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 2

The Centre has approved the setting up of a climate change centre in the state to monitor the variations in the climate and its adverse effects on the crops. The central government has already sanctioned Rs 2.5 crore to set up the centre. It will work under the Science and Technology Department of the state government and will be run by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology.

The Centre, which has accepted and endorsed the state government’s action plan on climate change, has sanctioned another such centre for Madhya Pradesh.

Neelima Jerath, the Executive Director of the council, said, “The Centre had already started its preliminary work regarding capacity building and the training of officials in issues related to climate change.”

She said various departments of the government already gather information on climate change. Jerath said keeping in view the climate change and environmental effects, the state had planned to encourage crop diversification.

The Punjab Agricultural University is doing research to develop wheat varieties which will be more resistant to sudden variations and high temperature. Sources said an increase of around 1 degree Celsius would reduce wheat production by 50 lakh tonne and hit food security.

Moreover, the melting glaciers are a cause for concern as the state’s agriculture is dependent on canal irrigation. The depleting water table is also a serious issue. The water table cannot be recharged if there is inadequate rainfall, which has been below average for eight out of the last 10 years.

Jerath said a German company GIZ would provided its expertise to the council on climate change. She said the climate change centre would soon take up projects to study soil vulnerability, production systems, river waters, etc., in the light of climate change in the state. The central government accepted the action plan of the state as it was prepared as per the laid down guidelines. Now, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, will coordinate with the state government to deal with issues related to climate.