The Government of India observes Wildlife Week from October 2 to 7 every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who advocated compassion to animals and birds.
This year is the 63rd year of the Wildlife Week to launch a campaign for preservation and protection of nature for the safety of human rights.
The “Jeevere Daya” is the main ethos of Indian culture. Being inspired by India, the United Nations Organisation (UNO) is also observing October 4 as its World Animal Day since 1928.
The aims and objectives of the Wild life Week or the observation of the World Animal Day is to protect and conserve the animals other than man and their habitats. Wild life means the wild animals and their habitats. Without habitat, the wild animals cannot exist and continue their races.
The protection of wild lives means protection of ecological systems. Each ecological system differs from one another. The ecological system of the Arctic regions differs from Antarctic region. Similarly, the ecological system of tropical region differs from the temperate region. Besides, these four broad ecological divisions of the globe, there are other ecological variations due to influence of localfactors.
local factors mean the presence of hill ranges, like the Himalayas, the Eastern-Ghat, the Western-Ghat and the Vindhyas etc, and also the presence of rivers including the meeting point of rivers and oceans. Varieties of bio-diversities are also seen according to ecological variations.
The general climate of a region always depends on the geographical movement of the globe and its seasonal variations. But the local factors always influence much for creation of different varieties of flora and fauna in different regions of the globe. If we take the case of India, there are various types of regional climates.
The Himalayan hill ranges are the guiding factors of the destiny of India. Its altitudinal variations provide different types of floras and faunas, and also different kinds of biological spheres. Similarly, the presence of the Indian Ocean and the rivers like the Ganges and Indus coming out of the Himalayan ranges and joining the Indian Ocean guide the entire system of India and its cultures.
So, the ecological systems of the land should be protected and preserved for the present and the future not only of India, but also for the interest of entire Asian continent. If ecological balance of the globe is lost, the existence of man will be at a stake. In case of the Rajasthan desert or any other deserts of the globe, the biodiversities are very poor.
In desert conditions, the biodiversities are very poor as compared to the riverine plains. In high altitudinal conditions, snow covers the entire biography and the temperature is not suitable for existence of living beings. Former PM Indira Gandhi played a great role for conservation of world ecological assets and wealth. It is certain that, climatic disasters cannot be avoided, but nature has built its own infrastructure for prevention of the climatic disasters.
The whole biosphere of Odisha is distinctly divided into different ecological values with respect to their physiographic conditions. The climatic infrastructural position is very peculiar.
The geo climatic status of Odisha is broadly divided into four groups. First and foremost is the Eastern Ghat geological complex, where our famous wildlife sanctuaries like Karlapat, Kotgarh, Satkoshia, Similipal, Badarama, Debigarh, Hadagarh, Khalasuni, lakhari and Sunabeda are included. The bio-diversities of these sanctuaries are quite different from other geological complex of Odisha.
The second is coastal ecological complexes, where the bio-diversities are quite distinct from others.
The sanctuaries like Balukhand- Konark, Bhitarakanika, Gahirmatha and Nalaban are quite different from sanctuaries of the Eastern-Ghat region. The Eastern Ghat range, which runs parallel to the coast of Bay of Bengal, governs the seasonal climate of Odisha. The coastal eco-systems are the natural barriers of sea-based disasters.
Third is the coastal plains, where the ecological sanctuaries like Baisipali, Chandaka, Damapada, Kuldhia and Nandankanan govern the local factors of the coastal plains. The whole atmosphere of Odisha is always protected from adverse impact of climatic influences of tropical sun.
The healthy local factors protect always the lives of the regions from adverse climatic influences. The forth and the last ecological system of Odisha is the valleys and mountainous land. These lands always radiate heats due to poor vegetations, but the valleys always restore the normalcy due to moisture conservation ability of the region. The recorded forest land of Odisha is 37.34 per cent of its geographical area.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi always emphasizes on Swachhata. His ‘Man Ki Bat’ cannot be fulfilled unless there is ecological balance.
Much attention needs to be provided for survival of all kinds of creatures on earth. So, proper measures should be taken for recycling of all kinds of garbage. Especially the bio degradable products should be converted into organic manures.
There should be proper planning to save the human races and other creatures from ecological disasters.
Here, the writer desires to lay a few lines on the recent ecological disasters created by man in Odisha and neighbouring Jharkhand State.
Due to rampant mining activities in these States, the natural forest covers are lost and the mining lands become barren and free from vegetations.
The habitats of the wild creatures have totally vanished. So every day, there is man-animal conflict. Here nobody is realizing the “Man ki Bat” of the wild creatures.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist. Tel no 9937460649)