'Green Activist' Nizara Phukan not Allowed to Meet President, Refuses to Budge from

Guwahati, March 13, 2020:

Assam 'green activist' Nizara Phukan, who was on a “green walk” from Assam to Delhi to submit a memorandum on climate change and environmental pollution to President Ram Nath Kovind, has refused to budge from the national capital after she was refused a meeting with him.

Phukan was on a green mission to raise awareness about climate change. She walked a distance of 2250 km from Assam’s Charaideo Maidam to the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. “Save Nature for Our Future.” with these words I started a foot march on 1st Dec, 2019 for a distance of 2250 km, which took me 70 days in completion from Charaideo Maidam, Assam to Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi,” wrote Nizara in a Facebook post.

She, through her Facebook post, has tried to draw the President’s attention to the responsibility of the first citizen of the country towards the environment and the environmentalists. However, after she was not allowed to meet Kovind, she said, “If you (President) are not accepting my memorandum from me. If you are not providing two minutes of your life. Then the entire world would realize that: 1. Democracy in the world's largest democracy, India is about to extinct. 2. The first citizen of the world's largest democracy, India is undemocratic. 3.The first citizen of the world's largest democracy, India is irresponsible about the environment.”

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Phukan who was asked to submit her memorandum and asked to return home has expressed her disappointment after 70 days of continued walk to Delhi. “I have endured Sun. Endured rain. Encountered the roads filled with dusty storm. And monotonic horns of the humdrum roadways. The country was unstable that time. People were protesting against CAB, NRC and then CAA in every nook and corner of the country. Assam was also burning during those days. I have to halt my walk for 7 days in Nagaon, Assam. Resumed my walk on 8th day. Reached Guwahati, again the anti CAA protest halted me for another 7 days. However, on the 8th day restart the walk, wrote Phukan.

She added, “Police gave me escort in my journey. Some policeman even misbehaved with me. I have fought and argued with those misogynists; I was my own protector…I was full of mental strength to continue for the same distance, even while menstruating…I have financed my foot march by mortgaging my gold ornaments.”

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Phukan has refused to return to Assam without meeting the President and submitting the memorandum personally. “I won't do such work by mistakes also. You’re the first respected person in this country. You should know that if the environment is not safe and secured, our country won't be safe and secured. You must realize one thing that just for the sake of the country’ environment, a girl can sacrifice her life,” she said.

It may be mentioned here that Nizara has left behind her ailing mother for the sake of the environment. She prioritized the environment thinking about nature and the continued exploitation going on in the state. “This courage, this honesty is for none, but for my Maa, who gave me birth... I would definitely return home only after I submit the memorandum to you. Otherwise, it would be an insult to the courage and blessings of my ailing mother, which I can never do during my lifetime,” she wrote.

The environmentalist has urged the President to allow her to meet him once and relieve her of “all the enduring anxiety, pain and trauma” that she had gone through.

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