The demonstrating farmers have inadvertently pushed the ecosystem to its limits and the condition is only deteriorating day by day

 In a healthy and vibrant democracy, people participate politically not only during but between elections by means of protests and sit-ins. These demonstrations usually play a vital role in influencing public opinion and altering the Government’s viewpoint, which eventually has a bearing on policymaking and its implementation.

India being the largest democracy is home to a variety of protests that take place across the nation every now and then for one reason or the other. The ongoing farmers’ protest against the three contentious farm-laws is one such instance, where lakhs of cultivators have laid siege at Delhi’s borders for the last 50 days. Their determination  to make their voice heard forced the Government to come to the negotiation table.

Besides, the Supreme Court, too, has stayed the new legislation and has constituted an expert committee to comprehensively examine the three laws. However, the farmers are not satisfied and are adamant on their demand for the repeal of the laws and a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

However, amid all the attempts to reach a viable solution, the environment and the health of the protesters are suffering collateral damage. Inadequate sanitation facilities to cater to the needs of the sea of protesters, are not only causing a health crisis but also compromising the well-being of the ecosystem. It is having a cascading impact on the ambient environment of the region that suddenly finds itself subjected to mounting piles of garbage and unplanned disposal of sewage.

This rapid deterioration of the local ecosystem is evident from the fact that a large number of scavenging birds can be seen hovering and circling in the sky in search of food. The flora and fauna of the region are under extreme pressure due to the sudden rise in human population and an increase in the waste and sewage generated. The demonstrating farmers have inadvertently pushed the ecosystem to its limits and the condition is only deteriorating day-by-day.

Spurred by the worsening situation on ground zero, the Jan Swasthya Abhiyaan (JSA) conducted a study that revealed that three out of five protesters or nearly 57.7 per cent have no option except to defecate in the open. This may eventually result in an outbreak of an epidemic if the authorities don’t rectify the situation soon.

In the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the situation at the protest site is alarming as social distancing and other protocols are not being followed. Even the apex court enquired from the Government regarding the steps that are being taken to prevent the area from becoming a COVID-19 hotspot. Now, the pathetic sanitary conditions in the area are adding to the woes of the farmers and the worries of the authorities.

The protest sites at Singhu, Tikri, Shahjahanpur, Palwal and Gazipur are facing an enormous human and vehicular influx. The air quality is fast deteriorating in these areas due to the cumulative effect of vehicular exhaust, smoke from open kitchens and bonfires lit by the farmers to protect themselves from the biting cold. As the deadlock between the growers and the Government continues, respite for the environment is nowhere in sight. The survey also noted that more than 50 per cent of the respondents said that sewage water stagnation is becoming a major problem.

The plight of the farmers who have travelled long distances to participate in the protests is deplorable, to say the least. According to the farmers, over 60 of them have died during the protests including those who have committed suicide. A few others succumbed to the cold.

The condition of women at the protest site is worse. They are actually forgoing food and water for long stretches in order to avoid going to the toilets that are poorly provisioned. Ironically, such a situation exists in a democracy where the right to protest is as sacrosanct as the freedom of speech. 

At a time when our economy is facing a serious crisis due to the contagion, the ongoing protest is adding to the country’s problems. According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) the economies of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir are bearing a daily loss of Rs 3,500 crore due to the demonstrations.

Given that the stakes are so high, the Government must provide better facilities to the cultivators and create a conducive environment on the ground so that neither the protesters nor the ecosystem remain at the receiving end. It should focus not only on resolving the deadlock but must give equal weightage to finding solutions to some of the pressing sanitation and environment-related issues at the protest sites. 

First and foremost, effective, clean and adequate toilet facilities must be provided to the farmers at these locations. However, the Government should bear in mind that the toilets provided or installed for the farmers should not have a poster or picture of any political party or a particular leader. For instance, the toilets supplied by the a particular party were left unused by the farmers as they bore its advertisement.  This annoyed the already miffed farmers further as they have been trying to keep all politicians out of their protest. The objective of the Government should be to keep the environment clean and not to promote a party or a leader.

Similarly, garbage collection must be stepped up and the huge amounts of stagnant sewage water must be cleared with immediate effect before it starts polluting the groundwater.

The protesters themselves can take the lead and help the Government in cleaning up the protest sites and curtailing the damage to the environment. At the end of the day, the farmers are a simple and hardworking community that is close to nature. Their dedication to the environment is second to none.

(The writer is an environmental journalist. The views expressed are personal.)