The whole world observed the Nature Conservation Day on July 28 with a view to conserving nature. The international communities have seriously felt that without the conservation of earth, sustainable living of man is not possible.
So the world conservation strategies were formulated in 1980. They stressed upon the existence of humanity vis-a-vis nature. The world is one on the concept that unless nature is saved, human beings will perish.
Similarly, the world communities asserted that, the conservation measures cannot be achieved without development. The development means alleviation of poverty. Conservation strategies without development are meaningless. So, there should be a strict balance between conservation and development.
The world conservation strategy stressed upon three important objectives; such as: (1) Essential ecological processes and life support systems must be maintained; (2) Genetic diversities must be maintained; (3) Any use of species or ecosystem must be sustainable.
Three things are badly necessary for the human beings to live sustainably such as water, food and shelter. These things must be maintained sustainably to build a sustainable society. Water is one of the essential life supporting systems of the earth.
As global statistics say within less than 200 years, the planet has lost more than six million square kilometers of forests; and the water withdrawals have grown to 3,000 cubic kilometers a year. These figures are rising in every moment. When water is life, it is polluted and used beyond limit. The question that comes to mind is how this planet itself can survive with this uncontrolled use and wastage of water. This could make the planet run dry.
Air is another component of life support system. The air is also polluted by the man beyond limit. Similarly, the atmospheric systems have been disturbed by man alone. The volume of methane gas in the atmosphere has more than doubled since mid 18th century. Due to human activities, carbon dioxide concentration in air has gone up which has damaged the ozone layer significantly. If such process goes on unabated, the survival of man on the earth will be impossible.
The quality of mother soil is also significantly polluted, which restrains the reproductive capacity of the soil and also formation of new soil. The pollution of air, soil, fresh water and ocean water is going on in every moment, which poses a serious threat to the health of human beings as well as of other creatures of the earth. The human beings are causing emissions of various harmful ingredients to the atmosphere, soil and water which are becoming sources of various diseases for man and other animals of the globe. Arsenic mercury, nickel, vanadium, lead and zinc concentration in air has been increasing every moment, thanks to vehicular and thermal emissions.
In the tropical region, the plant and animal diversities are richer than in temperate and alpine areas. The man is supposed to be the custodian of such diversities and sustainable maintenance of the same as well. Due to improper maintenance of natural resources of nature and unscientific dealing with the bio-diversities, many species from the surface of the earth have vanished. It is an irony that even today one in five persons cannot get enough food. Similarly, one quarter of world’s population even now is using unsafe drinking water. Again every year millions of children die of malnutrition and other preventable diseases.
Human population can reach 12 billion in the near future. How can such vast population be supported without causing irreversible damage to the earth. Such impacts are also going on heavily over the biodiversities of nature throughout the globe.
Any use of species or ecological systems must be sustainable. The management of any species or ecological system sustainably is a subject of misnomer. Nowhere in the globe are the natural resources managed sustainably.
There is always conflict between demand and production. Unless the quality air, water and soil are maintained sustainably and their reproductive values are not enhanced satisfactorily, our future is quite uncertain. Hence, we should follow the conservation strategy from grassroots level to live sustainably. The society should be trained adequately to know and to live sustainably. We should know the proper use of everything.
The way the Government of Chhatisgarh is going to manage the water resources of the Mahanadi river speaks volume about uncontrolled use water and lack of concern and care for others. The Mahanadi is the lifeline of Odisha and Chhatisgarh. It is an interstate river. The nature does not recognize the political and geographical boundaries between the two States. To improve the quality of life and conserve earth’s vitality and diversities, the water must be sustainably used.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist. Tel no 9937460649)