Jamshedpur Hawkers and activists unite for climate justice

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Oct 22: The National Hawker Federation and Deen Bandhu Trust recently organized rallies, human chains, and demonstrations across various locations in Jamshedpur, advocating for climate change justice and food sovereignty. Led by Uttam Chakraborty, Secretary of the National Hawker Federation, the awareness campaign reached both urban and rural areas, including Dimna, Golmuri, Kashidih, and Jawaharnagar. Participants highlighted the damaging effects of climate change while elaborating on the connection between plastic pollution and environmental degradation.

During the demonstrations, street vendors and social workers articulated several key demands. They called for land and water to serve the needs of the people rather than for export and emphasized the importance of prioritizing food production for local consumption. The activists also demanded an end to the conversion of fertile agricultural land for corporate use, a reduction in import dependency, and the removal of the IMF and World Bank’s influence on food systems. They insisted on the urgent implementation of climate adaptation plans for food production and the restoration of water, forests, and land to the people.

Uttam Chakraborty remarked, “No right to food exists without climate justice,” urging the government to protect food systems and appealing to Global North countries to address their climate debts. Nagendra Kumar stressed the need for real action rather than empty promises, particularly during discussions at the UN Committee on World Food Security and the World Bank and IMF. He pointed out that the exploitation of land and resources by Global North countries has created a crisis that must be addressed now.

The campaign drew hundreds of participants, who joined the Asia Day of Action on Food and Climate, demanding an end to destructive, corporate-driven food systems. They called for sustainable, climate-resilient, and equitable solutions. Key figures in the movement, including Chakraborty, Kumar, Sunita Poira, and many street vendors, played an important role in ensuring the program’s success.