Samikhsya Bureau
Among many ‘days’ those are being observed world over, the World Environment Day (WED) should pass as one till the same day comes next year. How long the people should take shelter in symbolism as regards striking the much required symbiosis with nature, is a question that can hardly find an answer.
Undisputedly, forest remains as one major component of the environment playing the crucial role as a deterrent to factors those affect the balance. The world knows that and so do the countries who in their race towards urbanisation just forget the basic thing that nature’s longevity rests heavily on the green cover, the water bodies and air.
But, on what there is an unequivocal agreement that trees play a paramount role in balancing bio-diversity and maintaining the air quality.
Those may be read as basics but the reality is perplexing. According to a report, about 900 million trees are cut down each year in the world while, little more than 29 million trees are razed everyday world over .
The shrinking of nature’s space is rapid all over and in that race India is not anywhere behind in the rat race. In India more than 25 million trees are cut down every year for various purposes but the aspect of afforestation or reforestation is normally given a short shrift.
Another study revealed that in India during last ten years more than one crore trees were felled for road construction/ expansion purposes but, ironically, not even one lakh trees have been planted to compensate the loss.
The scenario in Odisha is equally bad. There is no dearth in schemes towards compensatory afforestation but the matter often remain in buzzes than actions at the bottom.
If one tree matters then felling of more than one tree should raise the heckles somewhere in the system.
A recent news report in a national website said that during the recent election campaigns, there were honey-combing of forests for making space for helipads for VVIPs. An Indaitimes report had said that about 1,000 trees were cut down to make space for the landing of helicopter of the prime minister in Balangir and national English daily The Hindu also reported the same.
It is not the question of on the eve of whose visit such plunders are unleashed but the question is about the urgency behind such steps. The same things happen at different times for other leaders as well and after each such revelation the authorities initiate an investigation. Then everything goes quiet and things are forgotten.
What in fact is a monotonous exit route adopted by the governments is the use of phrases like holistic approach ot sustainable growth those in essence appear oxymoronic without action initiatives getting translated into action.
