Satish Singh Manhas
The issues facing the world today are from environment to marine pollution, human overpopulation, global warming, to sustainable consumption and action against wildlife crime. Outwardly, these are the problems created by man all through, and they can be solved by man as well. In today’s time, no challenge poses a greater threat to our children, our planet and future generations than climate change. The environment today is destroyed to such an extent that even if every country somehow puts the brakes on emissions, climate change would still have an impact on our world for years to come. No nation, whether it’s large or small, rich or poor, hilly or plain, coastal or landlocked will be immune from the impacts of climate change. We have started experiencing it in America, Asia etc where some cities are seeing floods on sunny days and where frequent wildfires seasons are longer and have become an order of the day. The shorelines all over the world are rapidly being eroded, glaciers receding at a pace unseen in modern times. And so, If this dangerous trend is not contained, sinking of low lying metros like Mumbai, washing away of Shimla, Manali, Kullu and Mandi in Himachal Pradesh and places like Rishikesh in Uttarakhand as seen recently will be a common happening.
There has been a conflict between environment and human races for centuries, or since the creation of both at its respective times, even when man was not man. Like recently as in the case of Himachal and Uttrakhand, many times in the past nature warned man through its language of Tsunami, earthquakes, floods, breaking of glaciers etc. But man never mends its ways of going. Even in ancient times human beings had exploited the land, forests and environment for the best of their present. But that was bare minimum and for survival. But now the environment is being exploited ruthlessly and unsustainably for human matter and material gains. Economic progress through the cutting of forests, building reservoirs, dams, roads etc for generation of hydroelectric power, extraction of coal, transport and communication is taking fast pace without any concern for environmental protection. This is excessive at times. Building up all this is being done in one way or the other in a conflict with nature. Whenever there had arisen a question of self and gain especially for the present, coming generations had always suffered, history is witness. Be that politics, war, conquering of Land, Sea etc. The landslides and washing away of many roads and houses in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand is not an ordinary happening/ phenomenon. This is something extraordinary and an outcome of environmental degradation and ecological and environmental imbalances. This is also because of ignoring the warning from the environmentalists every now and then that such ruthless exploitation of the environment can create havoc. But now what is important, before the situation reaches its zenith, concrete action on ground is the need of the hour before another Himachal, Uttrakhand, Chamoli like is repeated all over the world in every part from every mountain to every plain and vice versa.
So the treatment ultimately lies in containing the increase in global warming, saving forests and environment, planting more trees and building roads, cities and dams not in obstruction to nature’s way. The abrupt sliding down of millions and millions metric tonnes of earth from a hill, glacier burst causing such calamity is not an ordinary and instant phenomenon. All this owes to direct damage to the environment. Moreover, the question arises what caused such a big slide down of earth? It is the missing of trees to behold the earth and pressure of undesired construction which leads to cracks and loosening of soil and ultimately results in slipping away causing Shimlas, Mandis, Kulus, Manalis’, Rishikeshs etc and many more. Again an environmental degradation and a direct consequence of global warming. Now the time has come when no development should obstruct nature’s going or else nature won’t spare whosoever comes in its way. Only environmentally sustainable development in all sectors is the need of the hour. But those lands which need trees for its sticking need not be converted into projects, cities, towns and buildings. A shift is required and holding of summits in AC rooms are going to do nothing less than a social media or paper campaign.
Now a practical, realistic, urgent need based effort with some effective synergy with immediate outcome is the only solution. Planting more trees, so as to create forests and jungles should be a massive measure in place now. Cosmetic and ceremonial planting for photo purposes won’t do any good. That time is a bygone story. Himachal, Uttrakhand, is a Warning, an eye opener. Frequent Himachal/Uttarakhand likes everywhere in the world may recur if concrete timely action is not done. Earth summits since the 90’s, Paris climate change etc has failed to generate much as is needed. The forest cover is continuously shrinking, earth/land area decreasing, sea level rising; land temperature has become uneven, abnormal and an untimely change of seasons is a serious consequence to be taken note of. Cold seasons/winters are getting harsher, wet more erratic, hot more harsh, are all indicators of the nature destroyer like Himachal/Uttarakhand in its different forms. Something concrete not at the level of intellectuals but at the level of a commoner is required. Mountains, forests, sea etc have provided us food, shelter, convenience etc everything since ‘aadi manav”, tribal, Neanderthals times but the same forests glaciers mountain sea have destroyed equally as well whenever we had been ruthless towards them. Now thinking of nature’s future coupled with human convenience is desired for. Fighting environmental degradation has emerged as a major challenge in the recent past World over. Many individuals, organisations and even governments have taken some proactive steps in this direction. Even during the recently concluded G-20 summit at New Delhi, every world leader be that in a one to one or on a multilateral or bilateral talks showed its concern about the environmental issues facing the world. Such is the gravity of environmental dangers.
But if we all want to see our generations healthy, let’s start to plant a tree, a flower etc on whatever space we have, be it a terrace, a boundary wall, a lawn or even the rooftop not to leave any barren land open. Killing of around 150 people alone in Himachal, around 70/80 in Uttrakhand property damages worth rupees ten thousand crore in Himachal and around more than 100 crore in Uttrakhand etc is just a trailer and not only one state or one country but the entire world will be trapped and engulfed if timely prevention on war footing is not started. The warning bells have been ringing for many years now and ignorance will only lead the universe to the Dooms day. If we think about the hopes and dreams of our coming generations and act swiftly, then it won’t be too late. And we definitely can leave behind a world that is worthy of our children, not by human suffering, but by human progress. And none of this is impossible. But we are already far away from, “A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE”
Let’s not allow the situation to slip out of hand otherwise, the coming generations will curse us. Our individual effort can make a great difference. Lastly, if we all won’t mend, as we are the first generation to face the Himachal\Uttarakhand like havoc, we will be the last to bring a change, else the coming generation will face destruction, dangers, damages and havoc.
(The author is serving as Assistant Director in Forest Protection Force)
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