Licypriya meets landslide victims in Odisha, urges leaders to 'act now' on climate change
Source: The Sangai Express

Bhubaneswar, October 27 2019: "Dear World Leaders, This is Climate Emergency.

Act now," was the banner 8-year-old climate activist & founder of The Child Movement, Licypriya Kangujam held when she met victims of landslide at Badakalokot Panchayat, Gumma Block in Odisha yesterday.

She travelled over 1,800 km from Delhi and climbed 3,000 metres high Mukhaling hill to meet the victims at their villages amidst ruins left by the landslide.

She was welcomed and accompanied by the village & Block Panchayat leaders including Anupan Sahu (IAS), District Collector of Gajapati district.

"I am here to tell world leaders that this is climate emergency.

People and animals are dying.

People are suffering.

Children have become homeless.

These are all impacts of climate change.

You must act now," she said urging world leaders to commit to combating climate change.

Despite technological advancements, still people are dying due to many disasters and lack of awareness, she said.

On Thursday, around 20 houses were damaged due to a landslide in the Gumma tehsil of Gajapati district.

The landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall due to low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.

The State Government had declared closure of all schools and Anganwadi centres for two days in eight districts.

Meeting the victims and consoling them, she encouraged the villagers to 'make change happen' and stop felling trees.

"In India, people talk less about climate change.

We hardly see it on the news or in the papers or hear about it from Government.

We are touched that a small eight year old kid has come all the way here after hearing the news of landslide.

She travelled thousands of kilometres and climbed hill to reach us.

She talks to us and gave us blankets, clothes and foods (edible items).

She shares our pain and tears," said a villager who said they (villagers) will spread awareness and act on climate change.

Licypriya distributed relief materials to people staying in relief camp and shared her meal with children.

She will visit Simlipal National Park in Mayurbhanj on October 30 to raise the issue of declining tiger population despite Government spending crores of rupee to preserve tigers.

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