The earth is home to a rich and diverse array of living organism, where genetic diversity, its relationships with one another and with their physical environment constitute our planet’s biodiversity. This biodiversity is the natural biological capital of our earth. Biological resources provide food security, clothing, medicine, services essential to support human livelihood and aspirations. The ethical, aesthetic, spiritual, cultural and religious values of human societies are our integral part of these complex resources. The Government does not feed its population, but nature does. Destruction and pollution of nature is a heinous crime.
1. INDIA LACKS DIRECTION AND SENSE OF PRIORITY: As a consequence of pollution of nature, “more than one thousand children die of diarrhea alone everyday in India” – UNICEF. Being an open, free society with deep rooted casteism, India has largely affected its environment and sanitary practices; so-called superior classes have got too comfortable depending on others to clean up after themselves. This cultural ethos play a major role in the social practices of people in destruction and pollution of our country’s biological resources through random sewage, effluents and waste disposal and rampant use of chemicals and pesticides. Not to speak of the high deterioration in the quality of most of India’s 14 major, 55 minor and several hundred small rivers. But also almost all underground water, surrounding oceans, cities and highways are polluted; including our food grains, vegetables, meat and fish, even mineral water and cold drinks are not free from pesticides.
A European friend of mine was apprehensive about eating anything except a particular brand of imported mineral water and some tinned biscuits during his 7 (seven) day visit to India. Our palatial buildings and luxurious cars are not a pride of our country but only an expression of selfishness and covetousness. The early 1980s incident is a good example in this connection where a group of officers killed a Chittal deer at Corbett Tiger Reserve, at Nainital District, were arrested by Brijendra Singh. This group consisted of the entire senior brass of UP, such as District Commissioner, District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, Sub- Divisional Magistrate and Police Station House Officer. This shows the uncontrolled destruction, encroachment, corruption and pollution of our biological resources.
2. HOME FRONT: The situation is no better at the home front. As the official hill-top capital city, Kohima is blooming day by day. However, our apparent civilized population fails to change the old fashioned culture of extremely careless ways of waste disposal. These horrible waste matter of all kinds go to our rivers through streams and poisons the water and fish and we are left no choice other than to continue to consume the poisoned, unhygienic substances. Rural habits are no different from those of city dwellers which explains the poor community health conditions of our State. This has gone on for more than half a century and hardly any significant action has been taken. And our dwindling biological resources deserve nothing less than prompt drastic political decisions and actions for our survival before it depletes.
3. FAVOURABLE CULTURE: It is fortunate atleast that Nagas do not practice discrimination or cultural indoctrination based on social levels, unlike that witnessed in parts of mainland India. Otherwise we would not have the following examples: I had the pleasure to clean the toilet with Mr. Alem Jamir, the Addl. Chief Secretary, during NBCC Platinum Jubilee. Again, a member of the NBCC Environment and Sanitation Committee personally witnessed and observed that Jamir might have possibly the cleanest Govt. office toilet in Kohima. I feel proud to be a Naga when on various occasions I saw an elderly man such as Hon’ble Minister, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu, sweeping the NH–61 along with Meriema denizens and also with his colony members. Mr. Neiphiu Rio, Hon’ble Chief Minister , one early morning in Oct 2011 swept the APO Hall, Kohima. The very well initiated service by our young bloggers of The Naga Blog, at the Dimapur Civil Hospital’s Maternity Ward and the NBCC’s Sanitation and beautification works are commendable.
4. OUR ORIGINALITY AND HOPE: These are indeed expressions of patriotism, cultural identity and originality that profess we are a different people. Sense of honour and patriotism inherited from our forefathers is a priceless asset which must be passed on to our coming generations at all costs, so that we may become a people and a nation who can take pride in having built what we claim to be ours.
Our leaders and right-thinking citizens are today alarmed at our apathy concerning our natural resources and civic sense. The demonstrations of the dignity that belongs to labour, are actions that speak volumes about the importance of sanitation and civic sense for a habitable land. It must help to realize that we are not the sole subjects of crisis. Let us take the example of California whose population is estimated to reach 60 millions by year 2050. This crisis has alarmed the state machinery to do hectic planning and execution to suitably meet this challenging phenomenon. Decade-wise planning and budgets have been made for upto 2050, that include aspects as to how many diversion roads, road expansions, toll roads, tunnels, decked freeways, railroads to be constructed, augmentation of water supply, electricity, cooking gas, etc.
There can be no human development without struggling to crisis. Crisis is always accompanied by opportunities. Any crisis countered honestly, with commitment and properly handled without element of selfish interest can become an opportunity. It is not the size, age and resources of a state that matters; it is the size of the effort and quality of attitude of its people of a state that matters. There can be community health, life longevity, dignity, socio-economic development and tourism when we take care to sanitize our environment.
Kuolachalie Seyie
Member
Advisory Council of Nagaland
Town and Country Planning,
Government of Nagaland
