According to leaked US diplomatic cables from India, released by WIKILEAKS, politics in Kashmir is as filthy as Dal Lake. Leaving politics aside and talking of Dal Lake as an environmental issue in global context, it is evident in the world around us that drastic environmental changes are taking place as the climate instability, global warming, hurricanes, intensification of draught, flood, cyclones, earthquakes etc., occur with increased intensity. We are witnessing an unprecedented and massive collision between our civilization and the earth. Scientific understanding of environmental changes is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt actions.
The fundamental relationship between our civilization and the ecological systems of the earth has been utterly and radically transformed due to the powerful convergence of three factors:-

First Factor: POPULATION EXPLOSION
Rapid population rise drives demand for food, water, energy and for all natural resources. It puts enormous pressure on vulnerable area like forests.

Second Factor: TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION
That has transformed our relationship to the earth is the scientific and technological revolution. For all the advantage we have gained from our new technologies, we have also witnessed many unanticipated side effects i.e., when we divert too much water without regard for nature, rivers sometimes no longer reach the sea.

Third Factor: CLIMATE THINKING
The third and final factor causing the collision between humankind and nature is most important - our fundamental way of thinking about the climate crises.
Our state still has the potential to confer on the average citizen the dignity and obligation to pay attention to what matters. An opportunity to rise and make comprehensive evaluation of disaster impacts.
More green areas with different types of vegetation within the city should be encouraged to make natural surface cool. Agricultural development has to be on scientific lines. Promotion of organic agriculture to increase climate and water security. Plant behavior and flooding regime viz socio-economic profile of floods. Scientific approach to collection of data on floods/flood damages, viz creation of more rainfall date collection centres. Prevention of biodiversity in flood prone eco systems. Water management requires innovative solutions. Advances in anaerobic technology and acceleration of sanitary coverage. Hazardous solid waste management need to recycle processed food, paper, steel, plastic aluminum etc. Use of renewable energy like solar energy, water to energy solution, check on carbon emission, no use of CGI sheets as roofing material.
With the application of environmental standards, Amarnath Yatra pilgrims could benefit us as censors for earthquakes. In December 26, 2004 Sumatran earthquake and tsunami that caused nearly 2,50,000 deaths in 23 nations, abnormal animal and human behaviour was a precursor.
A few hours before its occurrence elephant rides in one of the most popular tourist attraction in Thailand got disrupted as the elephant refused to obey their mahouts and threw off their mounted tourist before the earthquake struck.
In the Andaman, marine animals like snake, toads, turtles, crab and some fish became uneasy and jumped on shore before the quake struck.
The famous Kangra earthquake of April 4, 1905 was sensed the previous night by animals in Lahore Zoo, some 200 kms away, that started roaring and making unusual noises. According to observations the then British Zoo superintendent recorded in his office diary- all animals were refusing water and food. He kept thinking the whole night about it without sleep and at about four the next morning the earthquake struck.
Al Gore in his book An Inconvenient Truth describes the climate crisis as extremely dangerous. He says global warming along with the cutting and burning of forests and other critical habitats is causing the losses of living species. Warming is causing reduction on mountain glaciers and advance the timing of melt of mountain snow peaks. In turn, runoff rates change and flood potential gets altered in ways that are currently not well understood. These changes get further complicated by shifts in precipitation regimes and a possible intensification and increased frequency of hydrological events. At stake is the survival of our civilization and the inhabitability of the earth.
Global warming pushes all boundaries in the wrong direction thereby increasing vulnerability to knew and unfamiliar diseases.
Sean Paul Kelley, in Reflections on India says, India is a mess. It’s that simple, but it is also quite complicated.
In my opinion the filth, squalor and all around pollution, indicates a marked lack of respect for India by Indians. I do not know how cultural the filth is, but it is really beyond anything I have ever encountered. At times the smells, trash, refuse and excrement are like a garbage dump.
Right next to the Taj Mahal was a pile of trash was so foul as to almost ruin the entire Taj experience. Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai to a lesser degree were so polluted and make me physically ill. Sinus infections, ear infection, bowels churning, was an all too common experience in India. Dung, be it goat, cow or human fecal matter, was common on the streets. In major tourist areas filth was everywhere, littering the sidewalks, the roadways, you name it. Toilets in the middle of the road, men urinating and defecating anywhere, in broad daylight. Whole villages are plastic bag wastelands. Roadsides are choked, air quality that can hardly be called quality. Far too much and far too few unleaded vehicles on the road. The measure should be how dangerous the air is for ones health, not good it is. People casually throw trash in the streets, on the roads.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST