Kumar Prashant Singh Sengar
Our
country inherited several environmental problems related to the pollution and
mismanagement of natural resources from last century. Insufficient efforts are
made to meet out the challenges at Government and non government level, as a
result of which the seriousness of the problems is increasing instead of
decreasing. The challenges may be categorised broadly as below:
(A). Challenges related to
the components of physical environment.
(B). Challenges related to
social environment.
CHALLANGES OF PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
The main components of
environment like water, air and soil due to increasing pollution and over
exploitation have lost their quality and availability to common man. Now the
pure water is becoming out of reach of a common man as it is sold in the market
in pack bottles at the same rate at which milk is sold. If the present
situation continue for few decades more and we fall to protect and conserve our
natural resources, that day is likely to come before us when oxygen gas
cylinders will be sold for breathing like bottled water.
WATER MANAGEMENT
As per an estimation of the total 400 million hectare
meters (mham) annual precipitation that our country receives 150 mham percolate
in to the soil, 180 Joins the surface flow and 70 mham-evaporates. 150 mham
enters the soil of which 110 constitute soil moisture, while 40 mham percolates
in to ground aqulfers. Of the 180 mham run off, irrigation projects could
manage only to trap 17 mham. large dams for this purpose have generated several
problems of displacement and loss of biodiversity. We could not rationalize the
use of ground water. Chemical fertilizers, industrial effluents and community wastes have polluted our
surface water and affecting quality of our water bodies- river lake and ponds
etc. is a great challenge before us. Suitable strategies for conservation and
management of surface and ground water is a big challenge and urgency of the
time.
LAND
MANAGEMENT
IN our country out of
total 329mha of land 266 possess potential for production. Out of 143 mha
agriculture land available 85 mha suffers from soil erosion. 40 mha is quite
unproductive. Balance 83 mha is classified as forestland, of which half is
denuded to various degrees. 4 percent of land is classified as pastureland most
of which is over grazed. Water and wind erosion count for degradation of 150
mha land. Forests act as catchments for rivers. With increasing demand of
water, plans to harness the river large irrigation projects were made. These
submerged forest, displaced local people and damaged flora & fauna. To day
some of big dames have become issues of social and political conflicts in some
regions of the country. Now a days defining relationship between environment
and development is a challenge faced by the country in new century.
AIR POLLUTION
Automobiles are most responsible for air pollution.
Millions of automobilists every year are coming out of their production
centres and increasing the intensity of
air pollution. On the name of modernasation the life style of the people has
changed. To design and supply of pollution free engines and oils is a big
challenge. Acts enforced in this regard have proved ineffective. Awareness
among people is required .
HUMAN SETTLEMENT
Human settlement is
another major problem. Growing population and rapid urbanization could put
enormus burden on human settlement. 27 percent of Indians live in urban areas.
These areas show expanding trend. A large number of urban populations is urban
poors and live in degraded slums. Over 30 percent of urban population live
slums. Out of 3245 Indians cities and towns only 21 have full sewage and sewage
treatment facility. Rural unemployment is the main cause of migration of rural people to urban centers.
To keep urban centers peaceful, neat and clean we have to stop rural migration
by generation opportunities of employment in rural areas which is certainly a
big challenge before country in new century.
CHALLENGE OF SOCIO-CULTURAL POLLUTION
Age old Indian society has deep rooted cultural
tradition, faith and values because of which it could maintain its identity
during Mughal and British rule in the country. After independence, during a
period of more than half century, we have certainly progressed with regard
industrial and agricultural products. Now we have more roads, canals and means
of communication. we have more universities, colleges and schools to educate
new generations. We have become more aware, awakened and clever. Undoubtedly we
are now more developed in terms of material affluence. But on another side our
society has degenerated as it has deviated from it's deep rooted healthy
cultural traditions, ideals and spiritual doctrine which sustained it for long
time. To day, in our society, corruption has prevailed in every sphere of life
and has become a beggest problem of the country.
POLITICS:
Present day political
environment of our society is quite hopeless. Now the politics has become a
profession. Hardly few leaders in every party show commitment and dedication to
the political principles of the party and the constitution of the Nation. Most
of them worry for their own welfare instead of worrying for the welfare of the
society and Nation. There is dominance of money and muscle power in to day's
politics. Politics has become most safe shelter place for criminals, smugglers
and even for terrorists. Is political reformation not a social problem of a
biggest democratic country of the world?
EDUCATION
In Independent India, insplte of recommendations of
several committees and commissions we could not develop a model of man making
education in the country. To day, we have 300 universities, 10 thousand
colleges and Lacs of Higher secondary schools both Govt. and private. We are
producing millions of graduates and post graduate most of them unskilled and
unable to earn livelihood of their own and becoming burden on the family and
society. Education unemployed youth are living under frustration and involve in
antisocial activities and pollute the social environment. To day we have two
types of education systems in the country. On one side, we have English medium convent school selling quality
education to rich people of the society and on another side there are poor
Government school without teacher and minimum infrastructural facilities giving
literacy and no education. This is very dangerous and unjustful in the country
of Gandhi & Vinoba.
CULTURE OF CONSUMERISM:
The culture of consumerism is basically a culture, which
the developed countries of west have developed in their society. Under the
influence of this culture a man has a tendency to consume more and more means
and resources for his own comfort and enjoyment. A man with such a tendency
become insensitive, inhuman and self centred. A self centered and insensitive
man cannot think for the welfare of others.
In fact consumerism is the biggest enemy for the Sustainability of a
society and environment. Contrary to the western culture of consumerism
traditional Indian culture promoted values of conservation, co-operation and no
possessiveness.
It's a great danger before Indian society as it has come
under influence of western culture. For our own social and environmental
sustenance we should not follow western culture blindly. This is the demand of
the time to aware and educates young generation to believe and behave in
accordance to the traditional values of our own culture and denounce the
culture of consumerism.
TERRORISM:-
All
religions in the world are meant for the welfare of entire humanity. The true
followers of a religion dedicate them self to establish peace and harmony in
the society. Their teachings and preaching had been doing social reforms all
the times in the past. But when any religious group deviates from basic and
eternal principles of religion, poisonous feelings of communalism are developed
among unemployed youth and they are forced to in voice in antisocial and
terrorist activities. In present time, the feelings of separatism and
communalism have created terrorism in several countries of the word. Thus the
terrorist activities have become a global problem of today. This is a big
social challenge and dangerous problem of our country also. We have to be alert
all the time because the society of our country is heterogeneous.
EFFORTS TO MEET THE CHALLENGE
For Indian environmental conservation is not a new
concept. We had a long tradition of love, respect and reverence for nature.
Historically, the protection of nature and wildlife formed an ardent article of
faith reflected in the daily lives of people and also enshrined myths,
folklore, religion, art and culture. Rulers, saints, common people had respect
for wildlife. The tradition continues.
Development must be environmentally sound and sustainable
without any constraint to quality of life. We in India could take it seriously,
and several efforts are under way. Today in India we see the seeds of such
efforts in different directions in order to meet the challenges. Voluntary
agencies as well as government have made these efforts. We have already made as
start to achieving the goal of sustainable development as by making efforts.
1. For sustaining
life-support systems.
2. To meet the challenges of
urbanization and industrialization.
3. For conserving
biodiversity etc.
REFERENCES:-
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3. Sharma and H. Kaur:- "Air pollution" Goel publishing
house, Meerut. (1994) P-109-112
4. Sengar, S.R.S.:- “Environmental
Education" sahitya publications,
Agra, P-50-55
5. Kumar, R.,
Environmental Pollution and health hazards in India. Ashish pub. house New Delhi-P-22-24
6. Kumar, V.K. "Fundamentals of
ecology" W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, P-50-55
7. Billings, W.D. "Plants and the
ecosystem" macmillion, London P-20-25
8. Clarke, G.L. "Elements of
ecology" John wiley, New York P-35-38
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study of Animals and plants Black well Oxfort. P-33-36
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consciousness urban planning orient Longman (1993), New Delhi P-24-27
Kumar Prashant singh Sengar,
Research Scholar -
(Education),
M.G.C.G.V.V. Chitrakoot Satna
(M.P.)
