Environmental watchdog hit hard by Enforcement Directorate\u2019s baseless accusations: \u00a0reducing to almost half its current size<\/b><\/p>\n
December 20th 2018: Bengaluru\/ New Delhi: Greenpeace India will soon have to reduce to a core strength of twenty to twenty five people across the country, as a direct result of the Enforcement Directorate\u2019s arbitrary freezing of Greenpeace India\u2019s accounts.<\/p>\n
Diya Deb, Campaign Director stated, \u201cWe do not understand the reason for this continuous and relentless harassment against the organisation. This is not an attack on just Greenpeace India, but on the choices of thousands of Indians, who are supporting the fight against climate change. All our donations come from Indians, who want clean air and energy, right to safe food and sustainable future. But today, we\u2019re forced to let go of committed people, who want to work and advocate for a better future for our children.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur campaigns on clean air and energy transition are aligned with Indian government\u2019s commitment to tackle climate change. We\u2019re pushing the government to release the National Clean Air Program, ditch new investments on coal, support solar energy in all forms. We have developed an ecological agriculture model, which ensures financial security for farmers and safe pesticide-free food for the rest of Indians. We have 12 years to take decisive action to solve the climate crisis and the work we do here, is crucial in this endeavour\u201d, she added.<\/p>\n
Greenpeace India\u2019s bank accounts were frozen following a raid by the Enforcement Directorate at the organisation\u2019s Bangalore office on October 5, 2018. On November 5, the Karnataka High Court ordered the ED to expedite the investigation against Greenpeace India and allowed the organisation to access its accounts on furnishing a bank guarantee of Rs 50 lakh.<\/p>\n
With this kind of arrangement, the organisation\u2019s funds stand to run dry and requires the organisation to cut-down on its operations and staff massively.<\/p>\n
Greenpeace India\u2019s work will continue despite such attacks, but it will come at the cost of slowing down work on clean air, safe food and livelihoods of several Greenpeace India staff members — all of whom are Indian citizens. Greenpeace India calls upon the government to end unwarranted attack on the organisation for the sake of democracy and the well-being of its citizens.<\/p>\n
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