Article 51 A(g) ofthe constitution of India constitutes part iv of the same and relates tofundamental duties of a citizen thereby inter-alia other dutiesprovides for protection and improvement of natural environment includingforests, lakes, rivers and wild life etc. I have, as a legislator, tried my best to enjoin upon the concernedpersons and departments to launch publicawareness schemes and programmes through print and electronic media so thatpublic at large gets sufficiently educated on the subject and side by sidewhile projecting their rights, they are made conscious about their dutiestowards the society. Normally it is said that by their nature it is notpracticable to enforce the fundamental duties and these must be left to thewill and aspirations of the citizens. However, in the case of citizens holdingpublic office each and all fundamental duties can be enforced. By suitable legislation and departmentalrules of conduct but it is most unfortunate that our socio political system isso dilapidated that not you speak of its restructuring, no efforts have beenmade to even cement the cavities of this broken system. I happened to beChairman of House Committee on environment and I worked hard on the subject butto my desperation most of the officers were not cooperative or to myastonishment they lacked the requisite knowledge on the subject. When I noticed the imperviousness and apathyon their behalf and despite polite exhortation on my behalf, I was aghast to see that there has not been aqualitative change in their attitude.They thought that these sittings arelike nishastan guftan and barkhastan – come, talk, and disperse. So I had noalternative except tendering resignation from the said committee. Our politicalstuff is also responsible for the system having fallen on evil days. We shouldhave at least educated people who could better appreciate the problems faced by the people and having sufficient wisdom to solve themwithout their party affiliations. I may quote an example of Hon’bleMinister heading irrigation and flood control department. On my askingand requesting simultaneously that Haigam wetland and Nallah Ningli need to be de-silted as the level of bothhave raised to an alarming extent due to which the water coming from Verinagthrough river Jehlum and its tributaries may overflow from the embankments and would cause havoc in dozens of villages, the reply of the Hon’bleminister was very saddening, and I maysay most horrible. He was pleased to saythat “he has directed beacon people to do the needful” Hon’ble chairmanwas compelled to defer the question. This can be seen from the records of thecouncil. There are dozens of such examples but the political compulsions aremainly responsible for such ugly incidents and episodes.
All know that forests are important renewable naturalresource. The major part of the earth say lithosphere is covered by forests.these are considered the centres of biodiversity and valuable from the economic.historical..Cultural..Recreational and aesthetic point of view. Loss ofbiodiversity is not reversible, once aspecie is lost it’s lost for ever.
In 1990 a group of geology students studied the soil stratawith Dr A M Dar and Mr M S Lone. Theyfound an elephant tusk in the village Galandar, Pulwama. So it means thatelephants were in existence at a particular time. But human incursion hasbecome one of the reasons for deforestation. So global warming and pattern ofcrops changed. Unexpected devastating floods have made human life miserable.Governments have been surviving on confessions. The helmsmen do not bother toundertake awareness programmes to educate masses about the deleterious effectsof global warming, ozone depletion etc. There should have been stringent laws forensuring safety of forests. Chipko Movement dates back to 1731 and needs keenconsideration of men at the helm ofaffairs. One village woman Amrita Bhai led the Bishnoi women against Maharaja’smen to prevent them from cutting trees. She sacrificed her life along with thelives of her husband, three daughters, and 363 people. She hugged the trees andtried to save these at the cost of her life. Can Mr Satiya Pal Malik, Hon’bleGovernor take measures to save differentparts of Kashmir from devastating floods which I have premonition would causehavoc in Kashmir within some days if rains continue to fall. Let us hope forgood and contribute our part as civilized citizens.
Advocate Mohammad Muzaffar Paray. Is Ex MLC, J&K