Different aspects of environmental balance in our country have become a matter of serious concern for the Government, even though the current situation is better than developed countries like United States of America or parts of Europe. Despite measures to lessen the adverse impact of situations like over-extraction of ground water or over flowing of dammed water in North east, and general degradation in environment, there is no easy solution.
In response to a question in Lok Sabha in the first week of September, Minister of state in the Ministry of Environment and forests, S Regupathy informed the house the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, an international non governmental organization (NGO) in their report titled World's Top Ten Rivers At Risk, has listed the river Ganges as one of the world's ten rivers facing risk due to over extraction of water for agriculture.
According to the report, over extraction of water for agriculture in the Ganges has caused the reduction in surface water resources, causing increased dependence on ground water. It has led to loss of water based livelihoods, biodiversity and deficiency in soil organic content.
The reply by the minister also adds that inadequate recharging of ground water impairs the natural clearing of arsenic. The report has suggested that there be reduction in excessive water extraction through efficient of crops, switching to production of less thirsty crops, use of local knowledge, removing agricultural subsidies, instituting payments for water services, developing a network of partnerships that promote sustainable development and bringing community education and awareness.
At a very recent seminar on status of the environment, a report on the subject has pointed out further that India's growth towards economic prosperity has put its environment under stress, based on feed back from 32 states. Compiled after five years by four organizations with the help of state governments under the aegis of Ministry of degradation and areas of concern at the micro level.
The growing human population, industrial growth and natural calamities have been cited as major reasons for environmental degradation. The exotic backwaters of Kerala have undergone degradation due to the tremendous growth of tourism. Similarly, in Himachal Pradesh, the picturesque Manali and Shimla have witnessed ecological losses because of pressure of tourists during peak seasons.
In states like Jammu and Kashmir and Chhatisgarh, law and order problems have been identified as a major hurdle in the protection and conservation of biodiversity and wildlife. For instance, according to state government officials, no tiger census could be conducted in the Indravati tiger reserve in Chhatisgarh as it was under the control of Naxals.
Experts as the seminar, held in August 2007, said there is need for micro-mapping of the losses and formulation of remedial policies. Most of the officials agreed the environment is secondary to development for most policy formulators and its impact there for all to see. The State of the Environment Report sounds warning bells for Kerala, Orissa, Assam and Himachal Pradesh. In Kerala, backwaters have suffered due to sand mining, which has also hit the fishery wealth. The state also witnessed serious aquatic pollution because of industrial effluents, pesticides, chemical fertilizers and sewage being released into the backwaters and the sea directly. Wetlands, mangroves, mudbanks, beaches, estuaries and cliffs are in various stages of degradation.
In Assam because of gradual destruction of Brahmaputra Valley wetlands, the state has lost a spectacular natural beauty of thousands of water birds. An analysis of lake and ponds have revealed that most of them have either no vegetation or have partial vegetation. As many as 495 rhinoceros have been killed by poachers in the state since 1985.
In Orissa, a serious threat has emerged to Olive Ridley turtles because of deep water trawling used for fishing. The quality of aquatic life is in very poor shape because pollution and industrial sewage. The state has lost a large number mangroves because of rapid urbanization while tribal area have witnessed forest destruction because of industrial activity.
About Himachal Pradesh, it has been noted that malting of glaciers is a major cause for concern while hydro projects are causing loss of ecosystem around the Sultej and Beas rivers. Forest depletion and misuse of forest produce has been recorded at some places and ecological degradation in Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti have been reported. Hopefully, at some stage these issues will be addressed by either Centre or state government or by active non-governmental organizations.
The Environment Minister's reply to questions in Parliament has listed several measures taken to check over exploitation of surface and ground water and its recharging. It included identification of 4.5 lakh sq. kms area in the country, needing artificial recharge of ground water. Ministry of Water Resources has proposed a scheme on artificial recharge to ground water through dug wells in over exploited states including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. An advisory council has also been constituted for this purpose.
Shibani Dasgupta, NPA
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