Sardar Patel once rightly inferred, “We take a short range view while he (Gandhiji) takes a long range view.” Gandhiji, the great visionary, had warned about perils and pitfalls of industrialisation as well as its resultant environmental hazards.
Almost six decades before human society could draw systematic scientific inferences about vagaries of green house effect due to reckless industrialisation which this saint of the soil had remarkably sensed. In one of his writings in the ‘Hind Swaraj’ in 1909, Gandhiji had warned about the danger of impetuous industrialisation. Last year, several regions of India were burdened with unprecedented water crisis.
This prompted the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on water conservation in his radio talk “Man Ki Baat”. Most youngsters of 21st century will find it astonishing that in a prayer meeting in New Delhi way back in 1947, the Mahatma had advised for rain water harvesting. It was long before anyone could think about it.
To address the issue of acute water shortage in Princely States of Kathiwar region, Gandhiji had advised all rulers of the area to form a confederation and take long-term measures for planting of trees on vast stretches which could recharge ground water that most of the water resource experts today advise for. Gandhiji described the civilisation driven by endless multiplication of wants as satanic. He had defined civilisation in terms of performances of duties in adherence of morality and exercise of restrains.
Though his ‘Hind Swaraj’ article did not refer to nature or environment, it exposed the predatory instincts of modern civilisation. Prophetically, it stated that modern urban industrial civilisation encompassed the seeds of its own destruction.
He wrote in 1938 that, “the incessant search for material comfort and their multiplication is such, an evil and I make bold to say that the Europeans themselves will have to remodel their outlook, if they are not to perish under the weight of the comforts to which they are becoming slaves.”
What he stated in the European context has become a reality for the whole mankind to-day. The unprecedented Corona pandemic is also one of the outcomes of the hedonistic mould of lifestyle. According to Mahatma, mother earth has enough to fulfil needs of all but not anybody’s greed. The 21st century is reaping adverse consequences of industrialisation juggernaut that was set to motion by western countries after industrial revolution.
Gandhiji had perhaps rightly warned, “God forbid that India should ever take to industrialisation, after the manners of the west. The economic imperialism of a single tiny island kingdom is today keeping the world in chains. If an entire nation of 300 millions took to similar economic exploitation, it would strip the world bare like locusts.”
Air pollution is causing havoc in all parts of the world. It has become egregious in India. UN’s call for ‘World Environment Day’ last year was to beat air pollution. It may sound unbelievable, yet in 1913 Gandhiji had raised the alarm on the same. In one of his writings “Key to Health” he had stated that, the structure of body needed three kinds of nourishment: air, water and food. He further stressed that, one of the three, air constituted the most essential aspect. He observed further that, “Nature has provided it to such an extent that we can have it at no cost”. He, therefore, stated with anguish that: “..... modern civilisation has put a price even on air”.
He was surely prophetic, as our present generation has to spend much to travel to far off places in search of pure air. Fresh oxygenated air is being sold in cans as a marketable commodity. In 21st century, it is hard to get respiratory respite as air pollution has blanketed every nook and corner.
In ‘Indian opinion’ dated March 5 1906, Gandhiji aptly remarked that , “A man can do without food for several days and live a day altogether without water but it is impossible to carry on without air even for a minute. If a thing that is so very vital to life is not pure, the result cannot but be deleterious”.
The actual concern for a balanced environment took a new turn in 1960s converting the same in to a mass movement. As a result, several environmentalists and activists of environmental protection turned Gandhiji’s life and words into inspiration for the youths. Gandhiji was a natural environmentalist.
His exemplary simple personal life is a matter of study for environmentalists till now. He had presciently stated that, if India followed western model of development, she would require more than one planet to achieve the prosperities they had attained.
Noted Environmental Philosopher Prof Arne Naess, the founding father of Deep Ecology and Ms Patra Kelly, one of the founders of Green Party of Germany that pursues policies consistent with nature and ecology, have also acknowledged Gandhiji as their source of inspiration.
Several environmentalists of India including Sundarlal Bahuguna, Baba Amte and Medha Patekar have tried to tread the track laid by Gandhiji. Time Magazine in its 29th April issue of 2007 published 51 Global Warming Guides. The 51st Guide earnestly suggests ‘sharing more and consuming less’ for a simplified life in consonance with Gandhian thoughts which still holds good for the contemporary society. The western psyche and culture has prompted humans to aspire to rule over and exploit nature. Humans of western world preferred to use nature as a commodity.
In contrast, culture and society of ancient India remained integrated with nature. Indian scriptures always exhorted to be one with nature. Gandhiji had firm faith in the first sloka of the ‘Ishopanishad’ that speaks of omnipresence of God and insists everyone not to accumulate or steal.
Since ages, Indian philosophy has laid emphasis on simple living. Unbridled consumption-oriented modern life style is the root cause of greed and multiplied desires for comfort and luxury to a disproportionate extent.
It has resulted depletion of earth’s resources at an accelerating pace with much higher carbon footprint aggravating global warming. Ironically, India after independence did not follow Gandhiji in a magnitude it ought to.
To-day the mankind is facing the danger of annihilation which is loudly and clearly foreboded by Corona pandemic coupled with alarming gallop of global warming. It is, therefore, important to rediscover Gandhiji’s vision and ideas to put them into practice.
(The writer is a physicist and lover of environment. He is chairperson of Aryabhatta Foundation, Brahmapur. He is a winner of Prakruti Mitra award, Green Ambassador Award and Kalinga Gourav Award. sudhirraut1962@gmail.co; Mob:.9437498885)