Tejinder sodhi
Life on earth was, is and will remain directly dependent on its surroundings. But the scare attention paid by the humans to their environment has led to devastating ramifications, upsetting the fragile ecological balance. Ever increasing population has drastically defaced the earth and endangered the very existence of humanity. Un-doubted, as of human being, nobody has emerged on the earth just to be troubled by the self.
Environmental degradation is global and not peculiar to particular part of the world. The situation is grim all over the globe. We may brag about the fact that the vast network of the means of communication have brought the people closer and made the world smaller, the people closer and made the world smaller. But we cannot be oblivious of the fact that everybody on the globe is a victim of the ill of the ecological degradation. The effects of ecological imbalance don’t have respect for borders. The entire humanity is sitting on the top of an environmental bomb.
Environmental pollution affects the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we consume. It affects the general quality of the surroundings and poses a serious risk to health and well-being of the people.
Heaps of garbage on the roadside, their improper dumping are left at the mercy of birds and animals (in most of the cases) making it troublesome for the passers by. Encroachments in and around water – bodies create a foul and filthy environment and send security threat to the health and safe living of the people. Stone-crusher adding noise and dust to the healthy- environment making it ‘polluted’ smoke emitting out of the brick kilns and their presence/location within the limits of the residential areas pose a dangerous threat to the health and overall development of the society. Mud, slush and dusty roads add to the pollution. Often such types of roads can be witnessed here and there especially in the interiors of the valley. Use of pesticides, plastics etc, most of which are toxic and have ill-effect on the living components of the society. Carbon- monoxide, hydrocarbons, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide are some of the pollutants produced by the burning of coal, wood, diesel oil, kerosene, petrol and likewise. These pollutants have adverse impact on the plant and animal life. For example sulphur dioxide adversely affects the plant and reduces their growth.
Water that flows on the surface of cultivated fields where fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and other agrochemicals are used, contribute much of the pollution of water. This water, on absorption also pollutes the underground sources.
The pesticides not only kill the targeted pests, but also kill many harmless and even beneficial insects, which cause more harm than benefit.
Natural resources have to be used intelligently and wisely once we over-use them, we are bound to pay a heavy price. Whenever, possible we should try to use alternatives but again they should be in consonance with nature and its principle.
Humanity has to check its self centered activity driven by the desire to grab and enjoy the bounties of nature, it should avoid the extreme of exploiting nature for pleasure. Misuse of the natural wealth is the offshoot of human beings pursuit of power and wealth. It is only when ‘need’ becomes ‘greed’ that we begin to ill treat nature and thereby suffer its deadly consequences. Humanity has been exploiting nature for the gratification of our greed. Nature has adapted itself enough to our callous treatment. It has well nurtured us despite our exploitation. Now, it has begun to show its owe some effects.
So, the best way to take recourse to the middle way of using nature wisely and with responsibility. The middle way is the way of intelligence which understands the scope of knowledge and thought. It has to follow communion with nature. Nature has to be treated with care and respect. It is a part of our life and we cannot do away with it. If you are hurting nature, you are hurting yourself. It won’t be wrong to say that nature will become completely inhospitable and the planet Earth uninhabitable if we do not readily apply brakes to our insane and greedy practices of amassing power and wealth.
Humanity has to realize the truth that, ‘the Earth is ours, not yours or mine’ living with a sense of division, separation and discrimination is detrimental to a healthy and meaningful life. The world can be saved from poverty, illiteracy and hunger if the presently available resources of the Earth are shared by Humanity and utilized for an equitable economic development. Sense of integration puts an end to the needless destruction of our planet.
Ultimately, human have to decide what to opt for: Co-Existence or No- Existence.