Pune: India Greens Party (IGP), a pan-India group of environmentalists, have recently released their manifesto which stresses on bringing environmental issues on the electoral merit by public pressure. 
City-based retired forest officer Prabhakar Kukdolkar and environmental journalist Santosh Shintre are the convenors of Maharashtra for the IGP. 

The two said they will only support the Lok Sabha candidates who want to make Pune a green city and show ecological wisdom.

While speaking to Sakal Times, Kukdolkar said that currently, the nation is experiencing only political wisdom rather than having ecological wisdom. 

“Political wisdom will lead us nowhere while ecological wisdom will lead us towards sustainability,” Kukdolkar said. He added that they want to fight against environmental lawbreakers and the government policies that are supporting them.

Shintre explained the conflicting issues - nature conservation vs gigantic developmental projects and cheap vote bank politics vs long-term beneficiary conservation.
 
“We have 10 party members from Pune. We are trying to expand this party by establishing regional committees in Thane, Mumbai, Amravati, Nashik, Aurangabad and Nagpur,” Kukdolkar said, adding that they will register themselves as a political party in May 2019, which is, however, too late for contesting the Lok Sabha elections this year.
 
According to Shintre, the restoration of the governmental agencies such as National Green Tribunal, Ministry of Forest and Environment, should be on top priority. Secondly, basic resources like air, water and other natural resources must be another priority and thirdly, there should be special conservation authority for small mammals and lesser-known flora and fauna.