The environment day, 5th June, was two days ago, I waited for the many tree plantation posts, or laments over the indifference of humans towards the protection of the environment.
Covid took away two lac people but sealed the 1.5 million square miles of the ozone hole in our atmosphere as well. Covid also reversed a part of the damage humanity has done to nature. The Himalayas is now visible from places where it was never seen before and waters from the rivers drinkable and pure where it was unfit for even bathing. The historical pollution levels in most metros fell drastically, as it did especially in Delhi.
In the meanwhile, the Cyclone Amphan felled more than 5500 trees in Kolkata alone, while damaging hundreds of thousands of hectares of standing crops. Bunds were breached in many places, inundating several villages in Bengal and Odisha.
The environment is not merely to do with webinars, tree plantations and photo-ops. The need to respect nature must be taught from the toddler stage, in the schools, and the colleges. Trees are one of the essential parts, as is the preservation of rivers and water bodies. The water bodies are the worst impacted due to an increase in the value of the land. The ponds and lakes are filled for construction activities with the criminal nexus of promoters and lawmakers, which must end.
People will have to be discerning while electing their political representatives. If you have leaders who will not bat an eyelid to demand a withdrawal of say, a Ramsar label to the East Kolkata wetlands, which are the lungs of the city, we should dare and show them the door. We should show the door to leaders who wantonly destroy forests in the name of mining or otherwise.
An area equivalent to three football fields of forests is destroyed every minute in this world.
The environment is not complete without safeguarding the animals, birds and insects like bees. We are witnessing the harm that we have done, annihilating species after species, upsetting the food chain and forcing the changes in the ocean currents and the consequent ravaging cyclones. We have to work hard to undo it.
None admits to the high population the earth suffers to support. With depleting glaciers, rivers are in danger of drying up, which could cause a problem of unthinkable magnitude to riverine civilizations. The business of votes must end when it comes to the preservation of the environment and natural resources.
Industrialization cannot be at the cost of detriment to nature. We must ensure to strike a balance to adopt sustainable technologies, whether it is for agriculture or manufacturing. Newer bio-degradable plastics, more unique textiles consuming lesser water and lasting longer, higher per acreage yield of food, lesser use of private vehicles and more reliance on public transport could be an immediate wish list, which could be longer if we do have to make earth calmer and beautiful.
The challenges could be thrilling!
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
