A day after she was dropped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his high-level panel on climate change, renowned environmentalist Sunita Narain today downplayed the development, saying it was his prerogative to choose his team for the Council.
The Director General of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said she and her team of scientists would continue to work on the issues of climate change. "He has chosen not to appoint us...appoint me. That is completely his prerogative. We will continue to work on the issues of climate change. We will continue to make our views known," Narain said. "From my side, I see no difference. When I was inside the Council, I was also outside the Council. Because all I did inside the Council was to say what I was saying outside in any case," she said reacting to queries at CSE's Annual Media Briefing on Climate Change here.
Narain said the Prime Minister's Council has been re-constituted keeping in mind crucial UN meet on climate change in Peru next month. "It is a choice that has been made. It is a wise choice that they have made. We have already welcomed it. But I am adding to it to you. I am very clear. It is no difference to us," she said. The Prime Minister re-constituted the high-level advisory group on climate change yesterday retaining TERI chairperson R K Pachauri, economist Nitin Desai and retired diplomat Chandrasekhar Dasgupta as the non-government members. Modi had dropped Narain and top industry leader Ratan Tata from the council.
