Safe Environment, Safe Tomorrow

*(This article was originally written to be posted on the 5th of June 2008 – World Environment day but could not do so due to disallowance of pendrive usage in cyber cafes nearby my “second” home in Salt Lake, Kolkata. I could post only after a short sojourn at Bangalore.)


Fifth of June is significant to me meaningfully in two ways. One, it is the World Environment Day – a day dedicated to Mother Earth to protect her fast deteriorating environment and to safeguard it from further destruction. It’s the day we pledge our allegiance to Mother Earth showing concerns to her “wellbeing.”

Two, it’s the day I was born – born to be subjugated by the “fineries” and “maladies” of the world. Being born on 5th of June may prove instrumental in instilling in me a “soft corner” when it comes to issues related to the environment. I can claim that I was a born “environmentalist” though environment is not my line of studies or profession. Since my childhood, years before I was aware that 5th of June is World Environment Day, I have an inner consciousness, or an intuition, for love of nature. The mountains and the green hills in our surroundings and the streams that meander down from those mountains and hills were those which enchanted me the most. I used to be perturbed by the way jhum cultivations were practiced in the hills causing large scale destruction to the forest and the environment.

I had the opportunity to visit the largest backwaters of Kerala near Allapuzha in February this year. I was amazed at the vastness of the water body, the way tourism industry prospers and thrives in Kerala and the politeness and friendliness of the Malus (or the Malayalis – the people of Kerala). Spending the days boating in the vast lake strikingly similar to a sea, enjoying the foods served in the boat house and drinking the local “todi” in the boat, enjoying the beautiful night in the boat house and the breezy atmosphere of the night were inexplicably an awesome experience. However, I was a little bit alarmed at seeing so many plastic wastes, not easily degradable materials, whenever rowing out of the main lake to its channels. The channels are largely covered by the fast growing water hyacinths which play a very important role in maintaining the ecological balance of the lake. However, the hyacinths are dotted with plastic bottles, plastic cups and other kind of plastic wastes which are unpleasant sights to see. The tourism department of Kerala has a long way to go in educating the masses especially those who are directly involved in the tourism industry the harm that plastic wastes can cause the environment. I particularly mean those people who have a stake in the tourism industry because they are the first line of people who are responsible for the pollution of the lake. I was not glad at all being served tea with a plastic cup in the boat nor did I when served food in a plastic plate. The boatmen need to be more environment friendly in their dealings with the business so as to maintain the ecology of the lake so as to sustain the business not only for themselves but for the next generation as well. Moreover, they are the most appropriate people who can instruct the tourists proper disposal of plastic wastes.

An uninhabited island in the middle of the lake, Pathiramanlal Island, which was home to migratory birds in springs and autumns, was no different when it comes to plastic wastes. The signboard at the entrance of the island prominently display that it’s a plastic free island but just 3 to 4 meters away from the gate was heavily dumped with plastic wastes and even the swamps in the interior of the island were not spared either. Such a proliferation may cause dear to the regular migration of birds and the also the health of the ecology of the beautiful island.



After moving to Kolkata, my greatest concern is with the intensity of air pollution caused by motor vehicles, especially the public transport system. Majority of the buses and taxis are plying on diesel fuel which emission of greenhouse gases is absolutely high in comparison with other fuels like CNG and LPG. Kolkata should have taken a lesson or two from the big brother New Delhi whose introduction of CNG as the only fuel for public buses make a huge difference in the level of air pollution. I was told by a good friend that introduction of CNG is a dream away in Kolkata since this will create another Nandigram like situation which will eventually erode the vote bank of the ruling CPM. So, that indirectly implies that the ruling party has to choose between the “environment” and “power” if the air pollution level of Kolkata is to be reduced or put under control. You can bet on the latter looking at the track record of the CPM in West Bengal. Not only this, I have learnt about the disturbances caused by man to the ecology of the Sunderbans– a home of the world famous Bengal Tigers. It is one of my endeavours during my stay in West Bengal to visit the delta, and I’m optimistically looking forward that it will happen this year.

The disappearance of tigers and the fast depleting numbers of wild animals from some of our wildlife sanctuaries and parks are things to ponder upon by the government and citizens alike. Forests and wildlife are national assets and should be taken care of today for the next generation and generations to come. Project formulation is not the only solution but the implementation at the grass-root level. Project Tiger is a living testimony of the failure of the government in implementing wildlife projects effectively. In other words, we need a paradigm shift in our policy towards forests and wildlife to realize a meaningful and successful conservation as well as preservation of forests and wildlife.

Yes, on this auspicious day of the 5th of June, let’s put our hands together to save our environment from total destruction so that we will give our next generation a future to live with.