Not only modern lifestyles are causing un-brindled exploitation of natural resources upsetting the ecosystem and upping the global warming, but also the national policies in India related to environment are not in tune with International mandate to save the planet Earth. "Corporatisation of natural resources is bad for people and environment. The impact of abusing environment (most of which is a fall-out of corporate exploitation of natural resources) is most severely faced by tribals and the poor who are dependent on natural resources for sustaining their daily life and livelihood. Depriving them of their basic human rights is exacerbating the inequities and causing irreparable damage to the environment" had said SR Darapuri, who is a former Inspector General (IG) police and a prominent social activist with National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM).SR Darapuri spoke to CNS when he contested the Lok Sabha Parliamentary seat in last general elections in India.
"We need to change our lifestyles and come up with sustainable ways of development and living to save the planet Earth. The present development model is dangerous as it not only damages the environment irreparably but also is promoting corporate exploitation of natural resources thereby worsening the prevalent inequities for and increasing the marginalization of the most poorest communities who in fact had been guarding these resources." said Arundhati Dhuru, who leads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and is a veteran anti-dam activist with Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA).
She further added it is no exaggeration to say that ecological crisis have affected women more deeply than men.The experiences documented throughout the world have pointed out again and again that women are the worst victims of ecological deterioration since their working days has been drastically lengthened by scarcity of water,fuel and fodder, and their traditional skills and occupations have been adversely affected by new technoloies in agriculture,artisanal work and marketing while new opportunities have not sufficiently developed.My contention is that tackling the ecological crisis is pertinent not only because environmental destruction is close to reaching a level where it is irreversible but its threatening the very survival of human being.
For example, private soft drink or bottled water companies are siphoning away the groundwater in making their bottled water or soft drinks. "Civilizations have been built around drop of water, we will loose our right over this most precious resource when we make water as marketable commodity." said Gurudayal Singh Sheetal of Prakritik Manav Kendrit Andolan.
"Petroleum and natural gas reserves are already depleting fast and the need to find alternative, sustainable and environment-friendly sources of energy is compelling," says Arvind Murti, who is a senior social activist with NAPM in Mau. "Bio-energy, solar energy, wind energy and other sustainable and environment friendly forms of energy need to be promoted to save the planet" said Arvind Murti.
"Our living should be such as to reduce non bio-degradable garbage" said Arvind Murti, who also edits a monthly publication Sachchi Muchchi. "Bio-degradable garbage should be buried in the Earth to make fertilizers" said Murti.
Countries like Japan have committed themselves to become 'carbon zero' by 2050. India should also commit and take leadership in not only making promises but capping the irreparable damage corporations and urban lifestyles are causing to the planet.
Unless sustainable ways of development and living are not evolved, it will be very difficult to sustain the prevalent kind of urban lifestyle where exploitation of natural resources goes on unabated by the nexus of private corporations and the state.
The overriding question is how to create a mode of production which does not depend on the exploitation of nature and labour power but which, in harmony with nature, provides for the survival needs of all.
- Bobby Ramakant - CNS
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