Of greed, arrogance and environmental illiteracy

As we continue to push the tolerance limits of our planet by our actions, we also end up paying heavily for them. Yet we have a significant percentage of our population which is either completely ignorant and stupid or simply selfish and greedy.  If one speaks for the environmental causes, one encounters a barrage of remarks and denials. Counter questions are asked to “expose” the hypocrisy of the advocates of  environmental sustainability. Finally a valid and a necessary advocation ends up in obfuscation and denial. For the greedy and the arrogant, it becomes an easy case to run down the credibility of the proponent and hide their own failure to preserve the environment and care for the natural world.

Despite being at the receiving end of the fury of nature, we do not pay enough attention to the problems of environmental degradation. The poor continue to bear the maximum brunt of environmental degradation. New crises of unimaginable proportions continue to develop in the world, yet we turn the debates on environmental issues into a slug fest by bringing religion and politics in it, and this when natural disasters and environmental crises affect all of us.

We breathe polluted air, our food is full of chemicals and our water bodies are contaminated. Over-population and over-consumption with the increase in consumerism continue to put severe pressure on the natural resources. We continue to test the resilience of nature.

Extreme weather events which are a result of climate change are already affecting our farming. With successive droughts, India is staring at a major water crisis this year.  Human livelihood and food security are in danger. Millions of people, mainly children die every year due to environmental pollution and degradation. As per a study, India loses $80 billion every year (5.7% of its GDP) due to environmental degradation. Despite the glaring facts and evidences, there are people who wouldn’t care much about this problem and stifle the voices of those who do.

It is not wrong to be unaware of the problems of environmental degradation but it reeks of selfishness and arrogance if one tries to drown out the voices of advocates of environmental sustainability. Smugness and greed are the antithesis of conservation. Before you “expose” the hypocrisy of the proponents of environmental conservation or ascribe insinuations to their causes, ask yourself, what is your contribution in conserving the environment and what measures have you adopted to have a more sustainable lifestyle? The messenger could not be perfect and may have his/her own failings but how does that make the important message irrelevant? Why shy away from having environmental responsibility by ourselves? Choosing ‘whataboutery’ to dilute the present grievances is just a deflection tactic that will one day come back hard at us. By the time we shed our baggage of hubris, it will be too late to make amends then.

Of environment and economic development

It is true that in modern world’s consumerist lifestyle, the impact on environment is very huge. Restraining it would mean either changing the behaviour of the people or by changing the technologies people use. The former is not easy to implement and is one which takes time. The easiest option would be change in technology that has less impact on the environment. And to achieve that we expect from the governments the right policy incentives for the industry to be friendlier to the environment which is clearly missing today. Well-designed policies that create incentives for the companies to develop their products and technologies in a way that reduces the impact on environment will help. Sadly this is not given enough attention by the governments.

Having said this, I also differ with the way adopted by some environmental lobbying groups who tread on the path of idealism. I would rather go for pragmatism where in the groups work together with the government to search for solutions.

When it comes to protecting the nature, countries ought to be very pragmatic in setting conservation priorities. At a time when human population is driving species towards mass extinction, governments must take pledge to protect the biological diversity of earth. The alarming rate at which the natural habitats of various species continue to vanish, I would call the present time as an emergency wherein we have to choose if we ought to save the biodiversity or ruthlessly trample it down for our own selfish interests and pay the costs later.

The primordial consideration should be accorded to tackle environmental pollution by protecting natural resources but sadly the government is blatant in its tilt towards the big corporates who in fact are the prime donors for the political parties. Crony Capitalism is a reality today. Despite all the laws and regulations, 99% projects get clearances bypassing the environmental issues destroying public health and exacerbating poverty. Our waters are more polluted today than they were three decades ago and air pollution has worsened as well. Governmental regulations have failed very poorly due to the inherent rot in the system.

In the development-environment dichotomy, development is given primacy and environment is relegated to secondary position even if any project has serious environmental, social and human impacts. Aquifers are being destroyed, rivers have turned into sewers, forests have denuded and bio-diversity has been reduced drastically. This cannot be called development. Nothing can be more basic than our habitat, water and air.

The current government has added “Climate Change” to its environment and forests ministry but is proposing to dilute environmental norms and procedures to bypass the legal requirements for various projects. Be it changing the definition of ‘inviolate forests’ to open the forest for mining or to give a very low estimation of the Net Present Value (economic loss of forests), diversion of forest land for “non-forest” use,  snatching away the rights of tribals over their land, all these measures are too dangerous and reek of short-sightedness.

CAG has been repeatedly reporting the blatant violation of conservation laws in India and the Supreme Court has also taken cognizance of the diversion of forests for destructive non-forestry and set up and empowered committee as both central and state governments have badly failed to protect the forests.

In conclusion, I would say complacency of the enforcing agencies of statutory regulations, callous attitude of the industries, government’s apathy and their lack of political will are majorly responsible for the prevailing sorry state of affairs. We do need economic growth but it must be done by integrating ecology into it. The solution lies in incorporating environmental considerations into the development strategies so that it benefits the people for a long term. There is a need to promote renewable energy, decentralize village power generations, adopt sustainability by increasing energy efficiency, improve solid waste management, provide efficient public transport system and design development strategies which do not harm our ecosystem. It is imperative upon us that we leave a healthy environment for future generations.

NB: I have written this piece gathering information from my UPSC exam notes that is drawn from various sources.

Vegetarian vs. Non-vegetarian: The ceaseless debate

Although I consider this a pointless debate, I still feel compelled to write on this topic as I see a lot of discussion on it these days. Proponents of each side present their point of view- some with reason and some without. The parameters of the argument range from the religious/cultural practices to the environmental impact and finally it comes down to the ethical and moral aspect. Any piece of advice becomes a bitter pill for people to swallow if it is not to their liking. But it is very important to make assessments in the light of reason and not by remaining obstinate about our choices. This topic is too big that can’t be explained in a single post. So I am presenting some of the key aspects.

Firstly, one should be aware that nature in its whole existence is a silent declaration of the competition for food in ecological system. Various organisms living in various ecosystems are interdependent on one another. Vegetarianism in ecosystem as a whole is against the order of nature. Except the ruminants and some other species, a vast majority of living beings (67%) survive by eating another and sometimes its own kind. Human beings are biologically omnivorous and nature has provided us the means to consume other animals. I did see some vegan proponents presenting a painstaking analysis that refutes this aspect but if we look at the percentage of non-vegetarians in this world that is around 90 per cent (60 per cent of India’s population is non-vegetarian), it is evident that human body is suitable for meat consumption. Hence it is spurious to say that eating meat is injurious to health.

There are many regions in the world that are unsuitable for cultivation and hence meat eating becomes essential for survival. A question now arises, what do animals eat if there is no cultivation? Here cultivation implies any crop that can provide food to human beings and animals can feed other vegetation on a land that is not cultivable. They can also consume plant residues which cannot be directly consumed by man. Around 30 per cent of world’s total land is arable and the rest is uncultivable. With the humongous population growth, it is not possible to increase the land under cultivation even if we assume the billions of farmed animals are to disappear from earth overnight. Hypothetically if every human being becomes a vegetarian/vegan today, he/she may be promoting possible extinction of plant life by becoming the ultimate consumers.

Food productivity can be increased but it has its own limitations. Let us look at South Asia that has the highest number of food insecure people with 300 million undernourished and India accounts for 250 million of them. With the shrinking land and water resources, it is a huge challenge to produce enough food sustainably. Climate change is affecting the yield and quality of major crops (Read IPCC report) and research on agricultural applications of biotechnology is still going on. So the entire world cannot be fed by agriculture alone.

Now coming to the meat industry, it is true that animals slaughtered for food are raised on mass factory farms that are cruel and destructive. The industrial methods of meat production in the West and in countries like China are very bad for the environment. The meat industry uses the gruesome machine method in mass killing of animals. Animals in dairy farms are also treated badly. People usually turn vegetarian/vegan because they do not want to participate in causing this kind of cruelty to living, sentient beings. With the growing demand of meat, the sufferings of animals will only increase. So there is a need for ethical and humane animal husbandry. Animals must be raised humanely for our consumption. Whether one chooses to eat meat or not, others will have to or there will not be enough food for all. The only thing we can do is reducing the amount of meat we eat. Livestock contribute a significant share of greenhouse emission. Hence there is a need to reduce ruminant meat production.

In conclusion I would say, various cultures have existed for thousands of years on their own cultural diet. There is no single dietary path. So it is important for all of us to understand and respect others’ choices. One cannot insist others to follow their choice and attack those who do not share their point of view. Provision of food should not be made a moral choice. One aspect that all of us can agree upon is our unbridled population growth that is not only putting huge pressure on the earth’s resources but also driving mass extinction of species on the planet. There is not enough land to provide food for the ever increasing population. Global food production contributes to GHG emissions, with agricultural production alone contributing around 14 per cent. So to feed the increasingly hungry world (vegetarians or meat-eaters), controlling population growth rate and adopting environmentally sustainable practices is the only way forward.

Naya Qila : A Lost Paradise

Lost glory (Pic taken in 2012)

How often do we come across a place that boasts of cultural and architectural heritage along with undisturbed wilderness? Naya Qila (or New Fort) in Hyderabad, India is one such a place. It is an extended portion of the famous Golconda Fort. Built by Abdullah Qutb Shah as a defence against the Mughal armies, the place has other structures like Bagh-E-Qutb, an African Baobab tree, Mulla Kahyali and Mustafa Khan mosques, and the Naya Qila talab.

Since I stay very near to this place, I would often frequent it. After I have developed interest in birding, the visits have only increased. The place is an absolute paradise for birdwatchers. My friend Mayank and I have explored a great part of the place and have sighted more than 60 bird species that also include the migratory ones like the Common Sandpiper, Rosy Starling and Ashy Drongo. There are various habitats like scrub jungle, cultivation and marshes that provide home to many flora and fauna.

The place never ceased to thrill us and we were always mesmerised by the sightings of various birds like the Blue-faced Malkoha, Indian Thicknee, Indian Roller, Grey-bellied Cuckoo and Purple Heron etc. If Grey Wagtails descended in hundreds, the migratory Rosy Starlings would come down in thousands. The pleasure of seeing and listening to them was supreme. Their lively twittering would instantly soothe my soul and relieve me of stress. I am sharing some of the pictures of these winged beauties.

Baya Weavers were busy in their nesting activity. The male birds were done with building their nests and the females were inspecting them one by one. (March 2013)

Blue-faced Malkoha, the shy enigma.
(April 2013)

The marshy area near the lake hosted many aquatic birds. Common Sandpipers would always migrate to this place. I have also found the Indian Thicknee near the marsh.

The migratory, Wood Sandpipers.
(March 2013)

Naya Qila also has the biggest Baobab tree in India. The locals call it, Hathiyan ka Jhad (Elephant Tree). The tree was introduced by the African mercenaries who served in the Abyssinian Royal Guard. It is more than 400 years old. The aura around this tree is mystic.

African Baobab Tree ( November 2012)

Interestingly, the government in 2002 wanted to utilise Naya Qila as bird sanctuary. But later it was decided to develop an 18-hole golf course and the license was given to Hyderabad Golf Association (HGA). It was only a matter of time for this wonderful place to be pillaged and destroyed. Ever since HGA started its activities to develop the golf course, the place witnessed destruction.The contours of the heritage precinct were changed, land was ploughed and the lake began disappearing. Floor levels of the tunnel were lowered to provide easy access, the ancient water channel network was badly damaged. Trees were felled indiscriminately. Violations after violations continued to happen.

This picture depicts the trees felled during May 2013

Land around 50 acres belonging to the local farmers was taken away by the government.The displaced farmers have not been provided proper compensation. Despite protests from various civil society organisations, there has been little change. Hundreds of trucks and earthmovers deployed at the place, continue to ravage and degrade the ecology of Naya Qila. Fire set to the wild growth has charred the birds and animals to death.

The fire spread over hundreds of metres and burnt various life forms.

Today the entrance of the Naya Qila is fiercely guarded by many security personnel. Although visitor entry is still permitted, one is asked to write his/her name and mobile number in the book provided by the security guard. Many “instructions” and “warnings” are given before one enters the site. Cameras will be confiscated. One can only visit the Baobab tree and not the mosques and other beautiful heritage structures. It would be an understatement to term this as abuse of authority.

At a time when heritage preservation is a growing environmental concern, degradation of Naya Qila’s ecology presents a glaring example of undervaluing our heritage. A place of historical importance has now been reduced to “development”, termed here as “Golf course”. Isn’t it ironic that a haven of birds has now become a place where “birdies” are scored by the golfers? I have recently visited the site after a year. The peacocks, the starlings, the orioles, the nightjars, all have disappeared. The open forest is “missing” and the water resource has been destroyed. Environmental values and ethics have been damned. In totality, a paradise has been lost.

Giving back to the earth

“What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?”, said Henry David Thoreau. I’m writing this at a time when man is recklessly pushing the boundaries of nature and the entire world facing a plethora of environmental issues.Human population is driving other species towards mass extinction. India in particular is developing rapidly and stands as the world’s third largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. It is another thing that India’s environmental health has been in free fall since the beginning of economic reforms.

It is a matter of pride to us to know that India has excellent biodiversity. We live in a country where lions, tigers, elephants, leopards, hyenas, rhinos roam free in the wild. But now these species are facing severe stress that threatens their survival. This may sound misanthropic but let us get real here. We arrived on earth later than many species and have been ravaging the planet relentlessly for our needs; the needs that never cease.
Most of us live within the cocoon of our personal interests, seeking worldly fame and prestige. We focus more on materialistic goals and quick fixes than taking the time to learn from and study nature. Why is it that we attach great importance to trivial things and ignore the vital part of our existence i.e., nature? Where does man stand without nature? Uttarakhand and Pune disasters highlight the grave dangers of messing with our environment. People die in hundreds and thousands. All of us vociferously talk about the issues; politics come in and hijack the issue, media forgets the matter the moment there is another hot news. All of us forget the subject and continue making the same mistakes before we wake up from our slumber again when there is another disaster. Our insensitivity blunts our conscience and reduces us to being mere opportunists. Deaths of people is today reduced to mere numbers.

It is very saddening to see the present government resorting to ‘Environmental Terrorism’. However this is not to say that the earlier government was considerate towards nature. But the present government’s pace of clearances and easing of environmental norms with such temerity staggers me. If the current situation continues unabated, I’m afraid, India’s forests and wildlife face great danger. Every year, many species continue to add up to the Red List. We need to act before its too late or else we will cause ourselves to be imperilled.

What prevents man from following the dictates of his desires is his moral fibre that most of us have lost today. Our ability to think and question is being suppressed; we are losing our capability to combat the pressure of our desires. Achieving worldly glories must not be the only purpose of our lives. We need awakening. Let us play our part in saving our natural resources. And this will not be possible by a mere “like”, or a “share” or a “retweet”. We need to act in real, on the ground. I agree that the collusion of political class with bureaucracy is largely responsible for the current crisis. But don’t forget, thoughtful and committed citizens can surely bring change and this requires loftiness of vision.

So let us all unite and move towards conservation. Before we leave this world, let us play our part and contribute our bit to leave a safe planet for the future generations.