G L Khajuria
It would be most pertinent to recall the following apt observation by UNESCO on environmental crises imperfect understanding of the natural mechanisms which make possible the maintenance of life on earth: disregards of unintentional effects of technology, in particular, the various forms of pollution: poor management of soil forest & water, unbridled consumption of fossil fuel: and the uncontrolled urbanization: the relegation of population to a marginal position : and the crushing of the traditional culture place in the relations between the man and environment.
Wild is the synonym with forests. Forests are where adventures being, fears lurk, the night hold hands with the day and men get lost. Trees are among primitive man’s first deities. Not the last though, for even today in India the banyan and peepal trees are worshipped. Sir J C Bose, rigged up sensitive instrument to claim of the USA based lie-detector expert who said plants “wince” when brine shrimp are killed in hot water.
The environment (The forest, its wildlife, biosphere, eco-system, air water & soil) through legislations and enactment has been fortified and more stringent rules framed, yet it is not being honored in sofar as its practical sanctity is concerned. There have been mushrooming of forest mafias, hunters and poachers who clandestinely are on this most heinous criminalization. There is ruthless decimation of forest under the influential shadows.
The environment has mercilessly been disturbed from “Mountainous Himalayas” down-below gangetic valley in (North-South) and Assam to Rajasthan (East-West). Such scenarios are “world-wide” with no exception. Though in today’s world, every country is constantly endeavoring, “Afforestation Schemes” with new names and claims, yet on its fast track result being ecological imbalance. Too much is too much, less said is overdone. The globe (Mother Eath) isas big as it was where as population growth is heading at sputnik speed uncompromising with the only bio-sustaining globe. The Mother nuclear, plants, river-valley project,refineries mines,petro-chemical intermediates, as bests and its derivate, air ports, the drugs and chemical units, the smoke emitting factories, and foundries and many more its associates. The fresh mountainous regions have been deforested and replaced by tarred roads and concrete structure. The air pollution coupled with the noise and river pollution are manmade hazard which in one way or the other is mounting threat to the environment.
The emission of poisonous gases into the air by industrialization is directly hitting the “Ozone layer”.
“Ozone-layer’- A protective shield (ring) encircling the globe offers protection to the bio-diversity from the ultra-violet rays of sun which in the existing ever-increasing warming may Jeopardize the whole earth. Ozone (O3-the three oxygen atoms)compared to oxygen (O2) is the only ring which under the global warming and C.F.C (CholoroFloro Carbon) emissions from refrigerators and air-conditioners is thinning this protective layer with soaring temperature year after year.
“Environment protection” is the call of hour not for India but globally and ever country must rise from slumber and give utmost contribution that afforestation so that the unforeseen climatic changes we are witnessing today do not occasion to arise, else every living creature shall face the impeding catastrophe.
(The author is Former Deputy Conservator of Forests).
