Sasthra Vedhi, a pro-Congress science collective, has urged the Election Commission to establish a maximum ceiling on the carbon footprint of candidates contesting in elections, mirroring the existing limits on financial expenditure.
Citing the successful ‘Puthuppally model’ employed by MLA-elect Chandy Oommen in the constituency, the organisation has advocated doing away with flex boards and plastic banners and prioritising personal, door-to-door house visits over loud, high-decibel and resource-heavy campaign rallies.
A recent resolution passed by the Sasthra Vedhi strongly advocated a paradigm shift in political campaigning that integrates environmental consciousness into mainstream politics.
According to Sasthra Vedi State president Achuthsankar S. Nair, Mr. Oommen’s campaign serves as a case study in how political action can align with the scientific necessity of environmental preservation. The successful strategy involved choosing a bicycle over traditional convoys, which effectively reduced fossil fuel consumption and emissions.
The campaign also maintained minimalist publicity by the deliberate avoidance of flex boards and plastic banners, a choice that directly addresses the crisis of non-biodegradable plastic waste in our ecosystems. “By replacing high-decibel fanfare with personal, door-to-door interaction, the efforts proved that a green campaign focused on grassroots democracy and ecological limits is both viable and effective,” Prof. Achuthsankar S. Nair said, while adding that such actions serves to promote scientific temper among the general public.
Sasthra Vedhi emphasises that climate change is the greatest challenge of the present times, and that political ideologies must ideally shift toward creating an ecologically sustainable and socially just society.
Published – May 17, 2026 05:33 pm IST
