By Naba Bhattacharjee
The above sequences of names are not an indicator of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or any other parameters of growth but a measure of gross defilement of the entire eco-system which resulted in large scale devastation. And God forbid, Khasi Jaintia Hills belt may well be the next or thereafter on the list. During a visit to Uttarkhand in 2007 with some batch mates from the Forest Academy, we could actually witness the massive destruction of the environment, akin to what we are witnessing in our State. Nature was totally ravaged and it was perceptible that the imminent backlash was just waiting to happen with devastating effects and it finally did, virtually wiping out an entire state. One who cares and is concerned, experiences the same eerie feeling. The consequences and aftermath are much more severe and intense in hilly terrains like ours. The issues, were more or less identical to ours, ranging from receding catchments and rapid disappearance and defilement of water bodies, cutting down of hills together with the trees et al. Human induced activities in our state as in other parts of the world are responsible for the momentum. The impact of the increasing quest of a small section of our society has led to serious ecological destruction caused mainly by a quantum leap in extraction and use of fossil fuels like coal, limestone and other minerals including recent resumption of deforestation, diverse land use pattern without regard to land capability, soil and water conservation. Modern unplanned construction of roads and buildings together with unscientific mining and quarrying has also contributed to the ecological denigration.
A plethora of laws and regulations formulated towards attaining the much flaunted balance between development and environment have mostly fallen flat due to biased interpretation, conscious manipulation and lack of sincere application.
How sick is the environment of our state? Is it on the brink of collapse? Has exploitation of nature by man, reached a point of no return? What are the options if any to retrieve the health of our environment? These together with thousand of similar queries are howling for attention with none to take up the cause of healing the denigration of the eco-system. The last couple of decades have witnessed a world wide consciousness and introspection on environmental issues. Yet, in our state there is hardly any concern to arrest the devastation and restore environmental security. It is a long and arduous task, wherein, even if concerted efforts to stabilize at the current level commence in right and total earnest, it will take decades to restore some parity. It is high time for the opinion makers, political masters & civil society to sit up and comprehend the catastrophe looming large in the horizon. The issues pertaining to environment are no longer the domain of a select few. There is genuine concern and concrete steps initiated in the developing and poor countries too. The impact of environmental degradation in our state is evident for all to see and feel. Human travails and tribulations like water and power scarcity, abrupt climate change, acute water and air pollution, declining water bodies, desecrated rivers and depleting ground water; recurring natural disasters et al – all manifest with clarity, the consequence of defiling the environment. The symptoms are too obvious to overlook yet there are no signs of any initiative to even delay the inevitable. Maybe it is too optimistic to expect the general masses to react till potable water becomes scarce; and diseases due to contaminated water and dumped garbage assumes epidemic proportions and the systematic all round pollution becomes life threatening. A few days of incessant downpour in September this year has clearly manifested the potential to create havoc. Our rivers and streams have been converted into narrow drains and hence their “carrying capacity” largely diminished. This is the first indicator of “spill over” syndrome resulting in engulfing large tracts of land, haphazardly built multi storied houses, adversely impacting humanity together with a highly seismic hilly terrain leading to flash floods and accompanying devastation. Another significant factor is razing down of hills and hillocks for boulders and deforestation.
I have a few simple questions to start with for the all powerful politicians and the all mighty planners. What measures are being initiated on the ground to reclaim the exploited and barren coal and limestone mines? Whether any checks and balances exist to ensure adherence to environment norms in mining operations? Is the environment, ecological & socio-economic impact assessment study, mandatory prior to actual mining and establishing an industry, being scrutinized to verify the ground reality and credibility of such exercise? What is the mechanism in place to ensure execution of environment management plan? What is the role and achievement of State Environment Impact Authority? Our state is rich in bio-resource including traditional and contemporary knowledge. The Biological Diversity Act, 2003 provides for constituting a State Biodiversity Board with the powers relating to the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of biological resources. Or will the educated legislators at least come forward to review and take back the controversial “redefinition of forest” act, rendering almost entire Meghalaya as “non forest” at the behest of industry- a sinful forester- a solitary bureaucratic nexus; days before last assembly elections? Will any of the NGOs come forward to challenge this act in the appropriate court to stop further destruction of whatever little forest remains standing?
(The writer is an environmentalist and social thinker).