The funda of live and let live or ‘Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, Sarve santu niramaya’ would be applicable only when habitat or ‘Panch Tatwa’ remains intact and pure.
Mother Earth is for all fauna and flora thriving on it for ages. Fastest growing species by leaps and bounds amongst them is Homo Sapiens or mankind because of the enlightened brain.
This supremacy has led mankind to destabilise the ecological balance of earth at the cost of the life of other living beings in danger. So much so that people are in search of another planet to live in the coming 100 years.
Our learned ancestors always emphasised the importance of Earth and taught to treat soil, air, water, fire, space as gods with the utmost respect because these are basic elements of life. Worshiping rivers, trees, mountains, animals were just not a mere ritual but a gentle reminder that without them the very existence of mankind will be in jeopardy.
But in the last 40 years, we have seen that our main rivers are open severs in cities, development have taken toll of trees, illegal mining and deforestation has crushed rivers, mountains and lung power of the earth. Growing overuse of Auto fuels, electricity, air conditioning has added to global warming.
Soil health is at stake due to the overuse of chemicals. The population is multiplying while natural resources on earth are limited or depleting. In such a scenario what will be left for future generations.
Yes, Environment Day reminds us every year of these hazards and that’s all. Of course, some efforts from the government’s end, in the form of afforestation, river cleaning, check on illegal mining are on, but this all has proved to be huge money consuming and half-hearted exercise.
So, results are superficial and cosmetic and the cost of safe drinking water is rising every year, while in olden days it was not a sale-able commodity. Global warming is melting glaciers increasing the water level of oceans posing threat to littoral cities of the world, which is humming with a height of commercial activities. Mountain ranges are eroding causing heavy losses to life and property.
The funda of live and let live or ‘Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, Sarve santu niramaya’ would be applicable only when habitat or ‘Panch Tatwa’ remains intact and pure.
Our national political parties Congress and Bhartiya Janata Party have included environmental issues in their election manifestos. This is a good sign, but the irony is during election campaigns issues like nationalism, sub-nationalism, casteism, religion get more emphasis and the most important issue of existence for the common man is blown in the air.
Very often governments work under public pressure. So, with every day coming to Common Man has to be awakened about severe sickness of earth. Civil societies should come forward in this regard.
Including schools, colleges, universities should also be very effective forums to propagate the pious cause of Save Earth. An effective pressure is built up for clean and green earth.
Prior to the elections, BJP has vowed to form a separate water ministry for safe drinking water, irrigation and focus on renewable energy instead of fossil fuels. While Congress has assured to review whole energy policy and double the budget for cleaning of rivers.
Till now some positive results are shown in the area of electric vehicles and solar applications but river cleaning projects have been a victim of corruption resulting in the death of rivers.
So, this is high time that our politicians, bureaucrats, experts, scientists, workers, and common man all will have to join their hands and make concerted efforts to follow the path of corrective measures.
Don’t forget the woman’s power in ‘Chipko Andolan’ to save trees in Uttarakhand hills. Mothers’ can take care of mother Earth very well. So, the role of women in saving earth’s campaign is to be properly underlined. Only then we will be able to keep earth livable for future generations which is our prime and utmost responsibility.