Dr. Banarsi Lal
Development can be defined as the growth, progress, positive change or the addition of physical, social, environmental, economic and demographic components. With development, human seek to raise the living standards and amenities to make life easier ,but these developments costs environment degradation. It is fact that we are exploiting the natural resources gifted to us by the Mother Earth for our benefits. In present era, we have accelerated the pace of natural resources utilization for our development. We are trying to tap all the natural resources on the Earth and thus causing the harmful effects to our environment. We are working very hard to do better than today so that we can live a better standard of living. We have gained prosperity in various dimensions of our life but it has come at a great environmental loss. We have crossed the ecological limits and carrying capacity of the nature. If we continue to consume the present level of consumption of natural resources in the same speed then our present development will not continue in the long run and it can become unsustainable. Climate change, global warming, fatal air and water pollution and mass extinction of animals and plants are today’s major challenges that can hamper our development. Guzzling of natural resources and using polluting technologies will damage our environment. It is said that we require more than 50 per cent of earth’s area to sustain our consumption. It is the time to think whether to continue our speed of progress which is mainly based on the natural resources which are limited or we should concentrate on the safety of our environment. Both development and environment are not antithetical to each other. Both can go together. Presently we are having the technologies which can be used for the developmental purposes without any damage to our environment. Sustainable development is the need of our so that our present and future generations can live happily.
We are the part and not the rulers of nature. If environment and its biodiversity will survive only then we can survive. Government and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) are making strenuous efforts for the sustainable development. Various national and international conferences are being organised every year to adopt the concept of sustainable development. There is need to reduce the energy and resource consumption and recycle or reuse the waste products. There is need to construct a balance between conventional and non-conventional sources of energy so that we can safeguard our future generations. Economic development is essential to bring out the poverty stricken people out of hunger. Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations with effect from 2016 to 2030 can help to create a synergy between development and environment. Now coal is being gradually replaced by the solar, wind, hydro-electricity and nuclear power with safer technology. Government is stressing on the paperless technology. Farmers are being guided to adopt the organic farming to have a healthy soil and produce the safe food for the mankind. Alternatives of plastics are coming up now to overcome the problem of plastic pollution. Biodiesl is blended with the conventional petroleum and zero emission electric vehicles are being promoted. Forest conservation is also being promoted widely by the government.
Environment is one of the most important pillars of sustainable development. There is need to establish a sustainable development process in rural India. Environmental aspect assumes great significance in growing deforestation, soil erosion, land degradation, water pollution, biodiversity loss and the like which continue to worsen economic development in rural India. The common property resources which are mostly natural resources must be protected for overall growth of the rural areas. The natural resources should be protected for overall growth of the rural areas. Such efforts not only lead to optimum utilization of natural resources but also generate more employment for the rural people. This initiative requires people’s participation. For instance, afforestation activities cannot be successful without the help of local communities. The relationship between development and environment is well established. This requires the awareness on environmental issues. Environmental quality is an integral part of development. Without environmental ethics development is simply undermined. Natural resources are the wealth of any nation. Presently they are facing environmental hazards due to many reasons. Sustainable development is focused on any kind of betterment that should not harm the environment so that the well being of future generations is guaranteed and the harmonious relationship environment and development is sustained. The process of sustainable development tries to build social and economic progress satisfying the needs and values of the social groups without foreclosing future options. Rio-Earth Summit (1992) highlights the view that socio-economic development and environment protection are interdependent and mutually reinforcing processes. Recently, the healthy rural environment has encountered divergent environmental hazards as an addition to their existing issues of social and economic hardships. Such threats badly affect the local community which is the impetus behind research for alternative sources such as cultivation in marginal lands. It constitutes a growing class of environment refugees. Sustainable rural development is felt as a necessary intervention to fight against poverty, unemployment and other complicated problems in rural areas. Sustainable rural development can promote growth and equity simultaneously and also promote the development of democratic process at the grass root level by creating awareness on social forestry, soil conservation, population control, protection of tanks, rural energy management, biodiversity, popularization of eco-friendly activities etc. Sustainable rural development on the one hand benefits local people and safeguards the flora and fauna of a particular region on the other. At this stage common property resources are important but they are being neglected. They should be protected and organized through people’s participation. Common property resources can generate more employment opportunities in rural areas. The sustainability of development for the rural people should dexterously and lucratively aim at motivating the people to get involved in community action and to ensure their participation in diverse and numerous environmental protection and optimum utilization of natural resources. Thus, rural development will obviously lead to an overall growth of rural areas.
Environment protection is an essential part of development. Without adequate environment protection, development is useless. It has been estimated that by 2030 food production will need to double and industrial output and energy use will increase three times in the world and five times in the developing nations. This growth can bring the risk of appalling environmental damage. It can also bring with it better environment protection, clean air water and eradication of poverty. Environmental damage affects the present and future human welfare. It affects human health and reduces agricultural productivity. Some problems are associated with the lack of economic development, inadequate sanitation, clean water and air pollution from biomass burning. Illegal cutting of forests is a matter of great concern. The lack of appropriate technology for maximum utilization of the raw materials, poor silvicultural practices, low recovery, low budgetary provision for forest operations have all hampered effective management. As a result fuel wood, timber, pole wood and carving wood are being exploited at unsustainable levels. Ecological degradation of wetlands together with pollution has resulted in the loss of flora and fauna. The high amount of fertilizers and other inputs required in agriculture for increasing the productivity has led to the degradation of the environment. Despite decades of warning about pollution and efforts to control it, people are still being exposed to toxic pollutants. Pollution from agricultural land caused by leaching of nitrogen fertilizers has been detected in the ground water in many areas. In Harayana, for example, some well water is reported to have nitrate concentration ranging from 114 mg. / litre to 1800 mg. /litre far above the national standard 45 mg. /litre. Government should monitor and implement policies to reduce pollution and environment degradation and to safeguard the natural system that supports renewable resources. Action should be taken for achieving a sustainable future.
The dictum, prevention is better than cure is more related o the present day’s environmental issues as it is directly proportional to man’s survival problems. Sustainable rural development hints at the rational use of scarce resources with the support of people. A multifarious strategy needs to be formulated to solve the rural problems through development process and to protect the environment through community participation. A renowned environmentalist Sh. Anil Agarwal proposed a seven point environment agenda for India. Rural development should become holistic, at the same time, village ecosystems should be protected is one of them. It will help to an evergreen revolution in agriculture where productivity can be increased without any harm to social and economic fabric. Thus, the holistic approach towards rural development has to be taken into account which includes amelioration of the quality of life of the rural people through appropriate exploitation of natural resources. A silver lining for rural development is needed. We all need to make our efforts for the optimum use of the natural resources.
(The writer is Chief Scientist & Head of KVK, Reasi SKUAST-J).
