Published in Dwarka Express on 24.9.22

Rogue Elephant attacks agriculture lands! Villager killed by an elusive leopard! Headlines in media like these are quite common nowadays. Time and again, villagers living near forest areas. Making an attempt to re-introduce cheetah or celebrating world rhino day can definitely inspire everyone to do some conservation efforts. Especially the forest departments and the concerned Ministries attempt on such occasions to do some constructive awareness programs. Perhaps, while observing conservation days, arranging a quiz contest, conducting a rally or a painting competition may help creating awareness. To certain extent, such acts may enthuse the environmentally conscious people to awaken the society which is otherwise ever pre-occupied, given the hunt for livelihood is the major concern for any individuals. However, many of us realize or are not able to do anything about the ever-depleting natural resources or the shrinking natural habitats. Re-introducing a few cheetahs not commensurate with sufficient forest cover, are reportedly eliminating the leopard population. Continuous mining activities or commercial use of forest lands will just only erode the pristine natural jungles and will prove detrimental to the conservation efforts. Recently a Supreme court decision to disallow conversion of forest lands in western ghats had received strong demonstrations in Karnataka by the locals and contractors. If the policy makers are serious enough to stop depletion of natural resources or control habitat shrinkage, serious attempts must be made to snatch the encroached forest lands from private contractors who tend to create concrete jungles under the guise of ecotourism or amusement parks. However, the recent amendments in Forest conservation act and EIA 2020 only will do more harm than good!

Published in Dwarka Express on 17.9.22

Lalbagh is ‘recreated’ in Yelahanka in North Bengaluru. Atleast this is what the local MLA S R Viswanath, who is also the chairman of Bengaluru Development Authority says when he wants to open this forest area to public domain in the name of ‘Tree Park’. The proposed multipurpose park will have a spread over 350 acres on the lines of Cubbon Park and Lalbagh. Named as ‘Atal Bihari Vajpayee Park’ the Tree Park is being developed at Jarakabande Kaval, off Yelahanka. “This is going to replace the existing butterfly park which is naturally beautiful. Was that needed?” asks Shantala Rakagopalan, an environmental enthusiast who is not happy with the decision. It appears that the MLA is bent upon converting the natural urban forest into tree park indirectly indicating that this place is going to be converted to a park open to public like any other park. One wonders the logic behind naming it as Tree park when there happens to be trees in any park. According to Muniratna, Horticulture Minister, the Government is waiting to get a nod from Centre’s Ministry of Forests, Environment and Climate Change to conduct the ground-breaking ceremony of the Tree park. The MLA wants to ignore the voice of environmentalists against the conversion of the forest area into a park. According to him, environmentalists are making a fake claim of 300 species of butterflies and ants in this area. ‘This implies the loss of breathing space, encouragement to changing natural landforms to suit anthropocentric needs and then of course the swarming of humans who complain about development that would affect corruption and concretisation. And finally, what little of life sustaining environment is left is destroyed with celebration and pomp of naming, bombastic claims and show of stupidity in all possible forms, says Srikanth Gopinath, who is a nature enthusiast. On the one hand Government is giving a clarion call to save nature and forests, but on the other hand, they make efforts to convert the forest areas into public accessible park areas. Whether the MoEF&CC would give permission to do the same, only time has to answer

Published in Dwarka Express on 10.9.22

When it is raining cats and dogs, it appears that the Social media has time for fun. At least this is what one feels, that too when the whole Bangalore city is floating literally. Bangalore “IT Guys are victims of their own deeds, who asked to put everything on clouds!” reads a e-card which has gone viral. Another card reads, “Bangalore must be the only tech Hub in the world where software developers travel two hours to get to their office so that they can build Apps to deliver groceries in 10 minutes!”. Jokes apart, it is true that the city confronted unprecedented rains in the last few days, with the resultant break down of all government machineries. No one could do anything except playing the blame game effectively. Always, it so happens that the opinions of environmentalists and scientists are ignored as over-reactive or not pragmatic.

Once known as the lake city, the IT Hub is now left with a few lakes which are also in brink of vanishing point. It is due to some relentless citizen activists that the left over lakes are having some breathe still in them. And lots of residential complex have come up in the last few decades to replace the lakes. We built the residential complexes on lakes and now we want that drinking water should be available in these complexes. You can’t have the cake and eat it too! In fact, in May 2022, there was a warning of heavy rains by September. The meteorological department predicted heavy rains in September. But no one heeded to these early warning signals. The IT Hub is floating, Whitefield is now ‘bluefield’ and outer ring road has submerged below the flooded water. Bangalore is inundated with waterlogging everywhere.

The lakes, Rajakaluves (water canals), ponds, rivers, marshes, grasslands and floodplains must be immediately restored on war footing and encroachments must be stopped forthwith. It is reliably understood that the Govt has released 1500 Crore for construction of drains. If Bangalore has to be saved from disaster, the Government must take steps to immediately fix the accountability on the corrupt officials on the one hand and listen to high power advisors from environment and technical background to rebuild the city’s ecosystem. All projects in violation of the RMP 2015 must be stopped immediately or else the once known paradise city will slowly get converted into a hell

Published in Dwarka Express on 3.9.22

As we bid adieu to Lord Ganesha, the celebrations culminated as usual with the visarjan carried out all over India. In Bangalore, the BBMP has made meticulous arrangements all over the city to address the issue of immersion of the idols. An apartment in Bangalore spares Rs 50000 plus to procure a life-size Ganesh Idol, but it does not care to ensure that the idol is eco-friendly. South India has a rich tradition and the lifestyle in the past had always been simple and eco-friendly when many had not even heard of the term ‘eco-friendliness’. In fact, the entire South from time immemorial, had been using clay made idols which used to be immersed in the rivers and waterbodies. There never used to be an idol made of plaster of Paris using chemicals once upon a time. Come Dasshera, Durga Ma will decorate the pandals and party halls in the same way and take leave in ponds and waterbodies. Year after year, the most antagonized environmentalists will make a lot of noise pollution in vain against the move of people in conducting the programs in this way. One of my activist friends was vociferous against usage of SUP and also littering, during festivals, though her voice was unheard or least cared. The organisers of such melas, festivals and cultural events comfortably forget all the laws to protect the environment. She laments, ‘what is below dignity to bring vessels from home to collect Prasad in common functions in apartments.’ Prompt comes the reply, ‘it doesn’t look gracious on festival occasions to bring vessels to public areas’  In the past, we have heard how our sacred rivers are flooded with the broken idols of Lord Ganesh in the past. We have also experienced how in cities like Ahmedabad, people left idols on the banks for lack of space for immersion. We do not say that there is all round callousness. But, there is no conviction or political will to address to the concern. The same society which was once naturally eco-friendly has entered into an era which is materialistic but talks tall about saving environment in air-conditioned auditoriums but are not comfortable in thinking why we need to revert to the life which they were well accustomed to, once upon a time.  Entire North is going to burn and blast Rawan during Dasshera and we are all going to witness it. The personification of the ‘Elephant-headed’ God signifies the very purpose of living and signals the need for being close to nature. There are rules, there is awareness, but these are comfortably forgotten when people’s agenda is something different. No wonder why Indian forests are shrinking and why quality of life is deteriorating day by day.