By Ravi Nitesh:
We all live together on this green planet. Earth is seen as a mother, as it bears our weight and our notorious activities that even causes harm to it. It is sometimes also considered to be a teacher, as there is so much to learn from it. It also gives us warnings and sometimes even ‘punishments‘ when our activities cross the limit. But what have we given to her? Today, we are living in a world that is considered to be ‘progressive’, ‘civilized’ and ‘modern’ but with development, we also developed and increased waste, pollution and disturbance to the nature. We are continuously exploiting her resources without any care for her. Our earth is sensitive to our notorious activities. We are continuously exploiting its resources without any care for it. Not just this, we are also not adopting small steps that can be beneficial for our mother earth. Every year, the world observes World Earth Day. A day, on which all of us remind ourselves the importance of adopting a lifestyle that is healthy for earth, because it is not only our moral responsibility but also necessary for us and the coming generations.
When we talk about development we know that it will certainly disturb the nature. In all fields of human development, mechanization took the role and replaced not only the manpower, but also many other things. Through the rapid and unplanned mechanization, we replaced measurable and immeasurable things. There are the losses that can be calculated as these are direct losses but many others that cannot be calculated and indirect losses. Unplanned rapid mechanization in this so called modernization, replaced manpower with machines, increased health issues through harmful and polluted gases and chemicals, made an unsafe condition of living etc. The present trend of modernization is quite debatable in terms of sustainable development. What should be the basis of development? Is our present economic policy sustainable and safe enough. In view of amid protests against many big plants viz nuclear plants, steel plants and ports, it can be said that at least a group of concerned citizens became aware about all such fake developmental policies. These protests are not for fashion or politics, instead it is towards right of the people and coming generations. Nuclear plants have various ill effects that can cause dangerous effects, big dams are not only the reason of displacement of population but also badly affects the flora and fauna of the region and can cause various problems in future. We also know about problems of land acquisition in tribal areas, that is mainly with the reason of getting rights of exploiting natural resources by corporate organisations for the sake of revenue on the cost of displacement of indigenous people from their land.
With this sense of development, we tried to copy the developmental models as per other countries rather than developing of our own in our terms and conditions and in the Indian context. Most of the developmental plans at present are in the hands of a handful of people. This plan is only increasing problems in India, as it is dividing the society in classes and in terms of their vested interests.
The ongoing policy of development must be challenged and an alternate policy must be suggested. We cannot deny the basic facilities to our citizens. We cannot deny the development, but for rapid, unplanned, and unsafe development, we must learn to say NO. Policies must be based on society, it must not only create the revenue and benefits in terms of money and facilities but also in terms of safety to environment, safety to all living being and coming generations, it must include a region specific developmental plan with all possible public debates for its pros and cons. It must include policy analysts, activists and people’s representatives of local levels. It must include a vision that must be towards ‘development for all’ and not ‘for few’.