Prof (Dr) R D Gupta
The planet Earth, a unique gift of God, is the only planet, which is inhabited by the humanity. In fact, the presence of life on this planet renders it unique among the comity of planets known so far. This life is sustained mainly by the presence of matchless composition of its atmosphere.
In the “Bhagavath Purana”, the surface of the Earth is in the form of Lotus leaf, consisting of 7 Dweepas (continents or islands). They are arranged in the form of concentric circles around the central land mass, called the Jambu Dweepa.
“The Earth possesses everything in its womb to satisfy all the basic necessities of man’s life but not to his greediness.” With the greediness of man, there is an over-exploitation of the natural resources. Humanity’s environmental demand is about 22 ha person-1 while Earth’s biological capacity is 16 ha person-1. As the increased world population is outstripping the Earth’s capacity to sustain it, so it is consuming 20 per cent more natural resources than the planet can produce. Thus, there is an increasing global environmental degradation :
* “Shrinking of Air Resources”: “The importance of Amazon forests cannot be underplayed as they are not only essential for cooling the world’s temperature but also supply oxygen and become source of water.” But as a bad luck, these are shrinking day by day, which in turn will produce shortage of O2. Because of illicit cutting of trees, industrialization, vehicular exhaust, dumping of garbage, there is lot of pollution in the air.
* “Shrinking of Water Resources”: “Water has become scarce. Irrigation already takes 70% of available water, yet to meet reducing global goals on hunger will mean doubling food production by 2050. As such, fresh water will decline by 2025 as its use will rise by 50% in developing countries and 18% in the developed world.” The increasing burden of water demand will become intolerable in water scarce countries. Water quality is also declining being polluted by microbial pathogens, excessive amounts of NO3, heavy metals contamination etc.
* “Soil Pollution”: Excessive and indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers have very much degraded the soils. Soil fertility has declined. Population of microflora, microfauna and macro organisms have totally disturbed causing sickness in the soil.
* “Global Warming”: Due to “Global Warming”, the large Himalayan glaciers (70 in number) are melting. It is attributed to rise in atmospheric temperature, deforestation and interference of excessive tourists, industrialization etc. Yield of crops have been affected and will be much more influenced in the future.
* “Biodiversity”: Current biodiversity changes are the fastest in human history. Species of both plants and animals are becoming extinct 100 times faster than the rate shown in the fossil record. Over 30% amphibians, 23% of mammals and 12% of birds are threatened to extinct. A large number of plant species have already become extinct.
Saving the Earth
* Massive Plantation: In the degraded lands, massive afforestation work should be done. While plantating, local species should be planted to grow.
* Checking Illicit Cutting Of Trees: Illicit cutting of trees / forests requires to be totally banned.
* Making Earth Free From Pollution: There should be care and proper maintenance of vehicles. Proper disposal of sewage, industrial effluents and wastes is the need of the hour to make pollution free environment and aquatic bodies. There is necessity to pretreatment of solid-wastes to reduce biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, etc.
* Adoption of Environment Friendly Technologies: Like natural or organic farming i.e., no use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers. Always use well decomposed organic manures including vermicompost in agriculture, horticulture, olericulture production. Crop residues can be converted into high value manure of better quality than FYM. Biofertilizers – Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillium, blue-green algae, can be become an important important components in agriculture especially in dryland farming.
* Conserve/Preserve an Ecosystem: If we have to safeguard our revered “Mother Earth” which sustains every variety of human life, its ecosystems, rich flora and fauna, we the humans dwelling over this globe must have to/shall have to make our all out efforts for Her preservation and conservation.
* Setting up of Agroforestry Systems and Herbal Gardens: To grow forest trees, grasses and fruits trees in addition to agricultural crops and medicinal plants. Agroforestry will enhance the overall productivity of land in respect of fuelwood, fodder food, fertilizer and fiber. Herbal gardens will help to get rid of side effects of allopathic medicines.
* Adopt All Kinds of Soil and Water Conservation Measures: These measures may consist of agronomic, engineering and biological ones. All these practices are required to be followed to lessen the pressures on the forests and grasslands resorted by the increased human and livestock population.
* Try to stabilize the human population.
Conclusion
If control measures i.e., cutting of green house gases as per “Kyoto Protocol” which are responsible for change in climate, preventing of illicit felling of trees (deforestation), checking of blanket recommendations of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, etc. are not taken immediately, disastrous changes are expected:
i. A catastrophe is quite likely to hit the Earth by the end of the 21st century with the average temperature rising by 4.50 Celsius.
ii. This rise in temperature will badly affect the biodiversity, killing much of the present existing fauna and flora on the Earth.
iii. Farming will become extremely hazardous and arable areas and yields of various crops will shrink.
iv. It will become necessary to invest huge sums in farming technology.
v. The world will be doomed to social upheavals, people will flee on masses from countries suffering from famine due to water and food shortage.
vi. Permanent shortage of water can be expected as early as in 2030s.
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