The World Habitat Day was observed on October 7 to spread awareness among the people worldwide for maintenance of habitat for healthy living.
Habitat does not imply of man alone. It means the entire living world. It refers to the abode of animal and plant as well. It’s an irony that the man, who has been advocating for a healthy habitat for happy and peaceful co-existence of all living beings, including the plants and animals, has been the biggest offender in spoiling the habitat. A safe habitat does not mean providing houses to the homeless people alone.
It speaks of a healthy living in conformity with the laws of nature and environment so that everyone grows. The right to live is applicable for every one irrespective of man, animal or plant within the living world. The habitat is a natural abode of every living being.
Natural environ varies from species to species irrespective of man, animal and plant. Similarly, the sustainability of life varies from man to man, animal to animal and plant to plant within a given set of climactic conditions. Where livelihood becomes a problem, men and animals tend to migrate to other places in search of suitable habitats. For example, the poor labourers of Odisha migrate to other places for greener pastures. Even the highly educated youth migrate to other areas under different conditions for better and decent livelihood with stable economic conditions. The same law applies to the animals as well. Whenever the animals find it difficult to get a suitable habitat where their food, water and safety are not ensured, they leave it for better places.
A few decades ago, elephants were not seen in the open in undivided Koraput areas, especially within Malkangiri, but the animal is seen not only in Koraput but everywhere as a migrating species. It moves from place to place in search of fodder and water and greater is its movement and exposure to human habitations, more are the number of man-animal conflicts.
Again the adaptation or habitation may be seasonal or permanent. An example is the Chilika lagoon. The Himalayan as well as Siberian birds usually come to the Chilika lagoon every year during winter for a short stay because the habitat of Chilika is congenial on the consideration of environmental economics.
The loss of habitation or habitat is the main problem for all digressions taking place these days. And, man is squarely responsible for it. Man has been damaging his own habitat and also of others unmindfully. Mining and industrialisation have led to destruction of the habitats and extinction of many species of animals and plants or still many others facing the threat of being perished.
On the occasion of 29th Vanyapranisaptah held recently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had declared to spend Rs 21 crore for completing 14 elephant corridors within the State for safe movement of the elephants. This is most welcoming. Not only elephants but also several other animals stray due to the same habitat loss. Many have perished while migrating as they were killed in the process or did not get a better or more suitable place. Human beings must awake to the grave situation and take steps towards safety of animals and plants within their habitat by ensuring the least interference.
Conservation and development of pachyderm habitats can solve the growing problems of man-animal conflicts, which often result in killing of human beings and jumbos. The elephant is the largest animal among the herbivores, which eats about 20 hours in a day and holds the apex position among herbivores. Its habitat should be preserved and refurbished with new fodder plants and water sources.
It is noticed that hundreds of villagers of mine-rich Talcher, close to Brahmani river, are now victims of severe soil erosion due to damaging action of the stream of the river. All the villages situated along the river have been experiencing floods during the monsoon season. The problem is not limited to the coal town alone as most riverside villages across the State are now bearing the brunt of excessive soil erosion and pollution in the river.
It is time proper landscape management was done so as to ensure that the riverside villagers are saved from the constant threat posed by floods. The writer served in Talcher as a forest officer for many years and observed many villages along the Brahmani river falling victim to constant soil erosion. Trees on the bank were felled unmindfully. Coupled with that, soil from the bank was lifted for the brick making units. The brick mafia went completely off the hook as the administration did little to curb the practice.
When Talcher was a princely State, the king ensured that the trees were never felled on either side of the river. However, after the power got shifted from the royal heads, tree felling went on unabated, which led to abolition of the green cover of the river’s banks.
A majority of villages on the river banks of Brahmani depend on the river for their livelihood. Generally, fishing, boating and transportation of goods take place on the river. Most of the people by profession belong to the fishing community. Now, the fishing community is hit hard as the members are facing a livelihood crisis.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist)