Professor Sundara Narayan Patro is not only an academician of repute but also a trendsetter environmentalist. As a botanist, he dissected plants and flowers and found them pulsating with life and while in his garden and in the lap of nature, he felt the vivid intimations of immortality and so he was full in love with nature’s flora and fauna including its biodiversity. The Orissa Environmental Society (OES) was his brainchild that took its inception in 1982 spreading awareness of environment. He has authored more than 30 books on natural habitat, biodiversity, environment, science, etc. He has bagged the Biju Patnaik Award for Wildlife Conservation 2009 and the Prakruti Bandhu Puraskar 2015 of the State Government. As a precursor of environmental enlightenment, he believes that man should maintain the desired chemistry of relationship with nature for his need and not for his greed. In an interview to The Pioneer, Dr Patro shared his views with Sugyan Choudhury at the OES headquarters in Bhubaneswar.
What’s the significance of the World Environment DayIJ
The day, as the name suggests, concerns the preservation and protection of global environment. In 1972, the first world convention of its time was held in Stockholm of Sweden. This is where 170 nations discussed on the issues relating to the emerging problems and predicaments of environment of the globe. In 1992, another world convention took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where 192 nations participated. This is known as the Earth Summit. All the nations felt deeply concerned for the global environment for which many action plans were chalked out known as Agenda-21. Finally in 2015, another World Summit in Paris was held. Here, 196 countries formed solidarity expressing their determination to follow the rules and reduce the greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide, methane, chloroflouro carbon, water vapour etc. India also agreed to reduce its national GDP by 33 per cent to reduce the greenhouse gases. Besides, all nations including India agreed to generate power up to 40 per cent of the total power consumed from nonconventional energy sources like solar energy and from other renewable energy sources. Besides, the nations agreed to provide forest cover by planting trees so as to absorb 2.52 billion tonnes to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide from earth’s atmosphere. They also agreed for zero tolerance to illegal trading of wildlife.
What’s illegal trading and loss of wildlifeIJ Can you cite an exampleIJ
This is occurring in many countries including Africa, India. Take a case in Odisha. On replying to a question, the Forest and Environment Minister said in the State Assembly that there was loss of lives of 193 elephants in our State between 2013 and 2016. He also further confirmed that 41 elephants died due to poisoning, poaching and electrocution. You will be again surprised to know the Wildlife Cell of the Crime Branch police recently arrested nine persons including a hardened poacher from whose house eight tusks were seized in Boudh district. Thus, many valuable creatures like pachyderms, tigers, leopards and wild deer have been killed leading to large-scale depletion of the endangered species. I want to tell you that the 1972 convention prohibited poaching of 1,800 species of wildlife.
What’s the difference between the conventions of 1972, 1992 and the recent Paris convention of 2015IJ
While the 1972 convention set the ball of international discussion on environmental awareness rolling, the 1992 convention further confirmed it with many agenda. But the decisions of the earlier two conventions were not binding upon nations. But in 2015, the decisions in Paris became a legal document and it was binding upon each and every nation for strictly adhering to the agenda.
What are the achievements of your organisation so farIJ
Our Orissa Environmental Society was a figment of my imagination that took its birth in 1982. It has achieved many things, and it has still miles to cover. Its major significant achievement is declaration of the Similipal sanctuary and forest as a biosphere reserve in 1994, which happened after our society’s prolonged efforts. This is one of the 18th reserves of India and the first of its kind in Odisha. Our second achievement is in the Talcher-Anugul region, which is one of the 23 hotspots in India as identified by the Central Pollution Control Board. Our society conducted a detailed research under the Indo-Norwegian cooperation of which incidentally I was the principal coordinator. After a deep study, we found that the water of the area contained more than the permissible limits of fluoride, which is dangerous for health. Basing on our findings, Rs.8 crore was sanctioned and the people of nearby 14 villages are provided with fluoride-free water. The Indian Science Congress Association had its chapter here in our society in 1996 that helped in promotion and propagation of scientific awareness on environment. I was its first convener.
What are the further plans on your agenda on similar linesIJ
You will be glad to know that our society is now bent on putting all its efforts to see that the Mahendragiri region is declared as a biosphere reserve. Compared to Similipal, Mahendragiri of Odisha is more ancient endowed with rich biodiversity. Mythologically, historically, culturally, biodiversity-wise, it is more enriched than Similipal and richer than any other reserve of the country. The Indian Institute of Wildlife had conducted a survey and advised the State Government to take initially a 50-sqkm area as biosphere reserve and then to develop it to 5,000 sqkm. The Government has been told to do so since 1998, but nothing has been done so far. In 2011, the Government had formed an expert appraisal committee to give its opinion. The committee too recommended in the positive. I have also submitted many research findings on behalf of our society to facilitate the noble cause. But all these are being dumped in the cold storage of the Secretariat. That should be our State’s dream project too that will bring laurels not only to the State but also to the country.
How do you feel about the reckless felling of trees in the name of developmentIJ
I shall tell you an incident relating to a tree at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre campus, Mumbai. Dr Homi Bhabha was busy in his research. Someone informed him the solitary mango tree in front of his laboratory was needed to be mowed down for facilitating the road inside the research centre. Dr Bhabha came out of his laboratory and examined the spot and immediately directed the engineer that the tree ought not to give way to the road, but the road should give way to the tree. The engineer at once understood his mind and ensured that the road go in a different way leaving the tree intact. You can understand that the Tree Act in the model USA and even in the model of New Delhi should be introduced here in Odisha as well as throughout the country besides preserving and protecting our flora and fauna.
What’s your message to the future generationIJ
The future generation should depend on nature for their need but not for their greed. They should follow Gandhiji, who loved nature without ever wishing its wanton destruction in the name of development.