Development doesn’t mean a random growth of resources. It means a fine balance between human resources and natural beauty. But with us the case is different. We lose our health, our beauty, our balance. Here is an example
Our environment is worsening day by day. The problem is not only seen in India but also in the entire world. The blind run for the so-called development with utter disregard to natural beauty and ecological balance is threatening the planet. The private corporate players are misusing our natural resources without implementing a law related to the protection of the environment. And it is the bitter truth that the state or central administration are falling down in front of those private corporate players. Enemies of nature don’t take the Supreme Court Orders or Directions of National Green Tribunal into consideration.
Even the valley of Kashmir counted as a Heaven on the Earth is not exception to that.
The valley is only not having the amazing natural beauty but it is really a rare place of bio diversity too. It is our moral obligation to save not only the beauty of nature but this biodiversity too which is playing an important role in balancing ecology. Being a place of great natural resources, many land mafia and profit hungry players have eyes on the land of the valley.
Apart from so many examples, I want to give the example of Budgam District of Kashmir Valley as I am the resident of it. Jammu and Kashmir RTI Foundation has launched a ‘ Save Budgam Movement’ against the illegal brick kilns running under the nose of administration. There are near about 230 Brick Kilns only in Budgam district in which most of the people are working as cheap labourers. It is a big question how they have arrived at these Brick Kilns. This brick factory is affecting our rich natural resources too. Many water bodies and springs have been polluted. The smoke coming out of the chimneys of the Brick Kilns have lethal gases. They have carbon particles and a high concentration of Carbon Monoxide and Sulphur Oxide which can cause common occupational lung disease like asthma and silicosis. Already there are numbers of patients of Tuberculosis existing in the Valley. In such situation, these 230 Brick Kilns will be proved as a serious life threat to the people of Budgam District. Even the tipper transporting bricks throughout day also affect the health of people badly. The noise and air pollution not only are affecting humans but other creatures too.
Before few time the entire world has witnessed world wide voice of dissent in Paris on environmental issues. The new development models are in the most of the cases proved threat to the ecological balance and to the natural resources too. The rich mineral resources are always in the target list of the land hunger players. It is need of the time to stand to save our Ecology and our Nature too in order to save entire human civilization.
The writer is chief spokesperson of Jandk Rti Foundation and can be reached at sheikhmaqbool2012@gmail.com