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Action plan coming to tackle climate change

NEW DELHI: The government is preparing a “National Action Plan” to deal with issues of climate change including measures to mitigate the impact on foodgrains production, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Responding to a concern voiced agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan (nominated member) during question hour, he said: “The plan would suggest measures to mitigate the impact of changing environment and weather cycle.”

In his submission, Dr. Swaminathan asked whether the government was drawing contingency plans to deal with the impact of environment change on potato and wheat.

He said there was need for such plans to deal with the situation arising out of wheat being used for feeding birds and maize being diverted to make ethanol.

Earlier, replying to a question, Minister of State for Environment N.N. Meena said an expert committee working under the guidance of the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change would submit its report before June. The Prime Minister had directed the Agriculture Department and the Planning Commission to prepare a comprehensive plan to deal with the impact of climate change on foodgrains production.

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