Open house: What steps should be taken to check environmental degradation?

Follow reduce, reuse, recycle principle

Environmental degradation is a significant issue that affects our planet. This has resulted from our activities like overpopulation, overconsumption, unplanned urbanisation, industrialisation and deforestation. However, the administration and the public can together take certain drastic steps to prevent and check further environmental degradation. The most effective way is creating provisions for strict family planning and compulsory education for all to reduce stress on precious natural resources. Additionally, biodiversity is crucial for maintaining ecological balance. Hence, planting more trees at public places and by the roadsides can produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, protect endangered species, and check soil erosion. These also provide habitat for various species and regulate temperature and rainfall. Harvesting rainwater and promoting sustainable water management can reduce the strain on freshwater sources. Following the principle of 3Rs— reducing consumption, reusing items wherever possible and recycling materials to minimise waste, can preserve natural resources. Limiting chlorofluorocarbon use, commonly found in refrigerants and aerosols, can help to protect the ozone layer and atmosphere. Reducing fuel consumption by promoting public transportation, carpooling or energy-efficient vehicles can check greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Strictly clearing garbage dumps, creating an effective drainage system, and checking the treatment of industrial effluents before releasing them into water bodies, reduce pollution and safeguard aquatic ecosystems. By using fertilisers and pesticides judiciously, soil and water pollution can also be checked. Lastly, making people aware of environmental issues can inspire collective action and drive positive change to safeguard the earth’s planet for our posterity.

Kulwant Singh Phull

Emphasis on green lifestyle

There is no doubt that environmental degradation has made a drastic impact on inhabitants. From a public perspective, residents should focus on planting more plants and trees in their localities and homes, as plants absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen which would be beneficial for the health of dwellers. Also, there should be a need to change lifestyle like giving preference to cycling and walking. These would improve physical health and also the quality of air in the city. From the administrative perspective, laws and regulations for local industries are implemented to check the cause of air pollution. Besides, the municipal corporations should impose heavy penalty when they find garbage burning. Also, bring some attractive schemes like incentivising the individuals, industries or groups who give their best in planting more trees and adopting green energy.

Bharti Thakur

Plant more trees, end stubble burning

In order to check environmental degradation, drastic steps need to be taken, both by the administration and public together, first by planting the maximum number of trees in all areas. Tree planting should be encouraged by giving monetary prizes to voluntary planters. Air pollution too has risen to alarming and dangerous proportions due to stubble burning, industrial waste and an increasing number of vehicles on roads. Steps must be taken to control it by eliminating stubble-burning, imposing fines on industries whose appliances are found polluting air and vehicular traffic. Under the odd-even scheme, vehicles should not be plied on consecutive days on roads. Water pollution can also be controlled by imposing heavy fines on industries oozing waste water. Moreover, the public can reduce water pollution by not allowing accumulation of water, especially where garbage is being thrown by residents.

Sanjay Chawla

Residents should own up responsibility

Forest cover across the world is shrinking and the speed is not showing any signs of the slightest deceleration. In fact, forests are paving the way for ‘development’. In Punjab, the government still renews annual contracts for felling trees. The drive, undertaken by various well meaning NGOs, to plant more and more trees, appears in the print media regularly. Names like PS Bhatty, Sant Seechewal, DS Kohli and many others come to mind with their lifelong contributions. Unfortunately, fully grown trees with a girth of 20 feet or even more are not given any attention. Rats have ruined the roots of mighty oak trees in Company Bagh. I have seen that thick and green Bohar (banyan) trees and peepal trees are pruned fatally and there is no protest. There is no dearth of awareness programmes on the need to save water, but I have not seen a single case of action against this practice. Rampant wastage of precious water can be seen during prime hours. It has become fashionable to criticise the government, but residents forget their own responsibility. I think Amritsar should carve out vehicle-free zones inside the walled city and introduce vehicle-free days even if with limited success. We have perhaps crossed the point of no return, but must remain ready to face extreme events.

Prof Mohan Singh

Population explosion has its effects

Revolutionary infrastructure, industrial development, vehicular emission and declining green cover in the cities are responsible for ecological imbalance. Environmental scientists have already highlighted future threats of global warming/climate change. Unexpected snowfall and rain in those areas where the people had never ever dreamed, is on witness, especially in the Middle-East. The recent unexpected snow in the Himalayas and rains has brought down the temperature early in May. Until and unless the administration as well as the public becomes serious on this sensitive issue, no positive results are expected. Agriculture land in urban areas is declining and conversion of agricultural land into urban areas is taking place. No green belts are being left in the converted areas, from agriculture to residential. It is not only the duty of government officials alone, cooperation of the masses is also necessary. The government during the monsoon days highlights the importance of celebrating Van Mahotsav and appeals to plant a sapling and nurse it. Achieving the target of a developed country by axing trees in large numbers creates ecological imbalance and the remedy is to go for mass plantation of new saplings. Even though the new concept of electric driven vehicles like e-rickshaws, e-cars and e-railway engines has certainly brought down pollution, population explosion can also be the reason for ecological imbalance. There are certain categories of trees like peepal which release oxygen 24X7. The planning should be to plant fresh saplings of peepal trees in maximum numbers to bring down pollution in the coming years.

Rajat Kumar Mohindru

Pollution a result of modernisation

Not only in Punjab but across the world, pollution has spread like a virus and is a result of misuse of modernisation. However, many foreign countries have devised ways to deal with this seemingly inevitable situation through various steps. The Punjab government can take inspiration from them and learn from the mistakes of the past to prevent a dreadful future. It is important that both the authorities and the public awaken to the reality of the world we live in and take action to minimise the harm we are causing it. The consequences of our continued negligence towards the environment are dire, and it is high time that we start taking responsibility for our actions and work towards a sustainable future. Since Grade 1 and 2, children learn about the different types of pollution and how to prevent them but as matters are taken lightly, the situation keeps worsening at a formidable rate and will continue to be so if certain steps are not followed. The first and obvious step is to organise social awareness campaigns, be it a governmental or a local fundraising campaign. This will introduce the level of threat due to water, land and air contamination to people who are unaware of it or take it lightly. One effective way in which individuals can contribute to keeping their environment clean and healthy is by taking responsibility for the garbage and recycle bins in their area. By organising the disposal areas and ensuring that they are well-maintained, people can make it easier for the authorities to manage waste and minimise contamination at the dump yard. Additionally, it is important to avoid littering on the roads and in the rivers, as this can have a negative impact on the ecosystem and the overall health of the community. The last point to consider is that the government should not permit any kind of industry or factory to be established in close proximity to drinking water sources or any other usable water source. This will help to prevent air and water pollution, saving the environment in turn. Additionally, it is recommended that we all contribute in our own way to improving the environment by planting more and more trees, helping to bring back the greenery and life to our surroundings.

Lakshit Jindal

Miyawaki technique may help restore land

Punjab is an agrarian state with a drastically low forest cover of only 3.67 per cent. As global temperatures rise, pollution and soil erosion increase and green cover dwindles. The need of the hour is a rapid and community-based restoration technique that can return Jalandhar’s degraded land to its former glory. The Miyawaki technique of afforestation meets all these criteria. It is based on the method of dense plantation of native trees and was designed for urban areas. The technique can be employed on any type of land including parks, near railway lines, and even on road crossings. After two years of weekly watering, the micro-forest becomes self-sustaining and doesn’t need any more human intervention to grow. The native flora attracts many birds and insects, thus increasing local biodiversity. These species thrive and grow faster naturally because they are adapted to the eco-region and provide a multitude of ecosystem services. The cooling effect of the micro-forest canopy protects traffic and concrete roads from extreme temperatures in the hot summers of Punjab. The administration should implement Miyawaki micro-forest plantation drive on a large scale by identifying waste land in the city that can be turned green.

Arohi Mahajan

Make garbage mgmt profitable

Never before were there so visible signs of real threat to our environment as are now. Though climate change is a global phenomenon, its local adverse effects have started taking their toll, mainly because of criminal apathy on behalf of the administration and the lack of even basic awareness among the people. Most significant aspect, both the people and the administration can urgently consider, is creation of garbage and its management. The generation of garbage at source must be minimised and segregated according to their proposed treatment at macro level. Reducing, Reusing and Recycling of waste is a big arena with potential where the administration and the public can cooperate and coordinate with each other to obtain excellent results, not only in managing the wastage but also in making it a profitable venture in creating environment-friendly products. Fallen leaves from the trees and the garbage need to be prevented from being burnt and the violators, both from the administration and the public, must be punished. The guidelines regarding the prescribed use of plastic items have to be strictly implemented. The scientific and effective management of garbage and enforcing plastic ban will definitely help curtail the greenhouse gases, which in turn, leads to pollution-free environment as laid down in the norms.

Jagdish Chander

Environment not A priority for parties

There has been a paradigm shift towards infrastructure development over the past few years. Trees are being cut and the natural green cover is shrinking for widening the roads and laying new residential/commercial projects. Consequent thereof, air and water pollution are increasing rapidly which poses a serious danger to the health of humans and other living organisms. Ironically, despite pollution being a silent killer, the required safeguards have least been contemplated in election manifestoes of political parties during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. Thus, there is an absolute need to take effective measures to prevent environmental desecration for maintaining the ecological balance. Notwithstanding that infrastructure upgrade is essential to cater to the growing needs of our vast population, ruthless cutting of trees and undue mining of forest lands has to be restricted, specifically on account of the drastic climate change and multiplying environmental risks. Moreover, as the forest greens and mountain ranges help us to conserve water by inducing rainfall at regular intervals, they have to be preserved by all means. For the sake of biodiversity, however, fruit and medicinal plants should be given due importance in addition to high value commercial plants. Proportionate green belts ought to be reserved mandatorily in future while according approval for urbanisation and industrialisation projects. At the same time, vacant lands along the highways and water bodies must be covered through a vigorous plantation drive. On top of it all, treat ‘grow more trees’ as a national priority. The civic bodies and the public together will have to put in earnest efforts to check environmental degradation.

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

Master plans should demarcate green belts

Green belts and forest areas are being eliminated from residential colonies and covered with commercial buildings in the name of development. This is a matter of worry for all residents. This is leading to environmental degradation. Above all, the public is unaware about these developments. This is leading to congestion of the area and hence air pollution and reduction of fresh oxygen in the residential colonies because of which our future generations will suffer. Basically, whenever the town planning department makes a master plan of new colonies, zoning of the whole city area is done that includes proper demarcation of commercial, residential, green belts, green parks, land for future planning etc. Thereafter, green belts are required to be maintained by urban development authorities. Master plans are prepared for cities with participation of all concerned departments and then individual layout plans are prepared for individual colonies. Basically, once a layout plan is finalised with distinct demarcation, it should not be then changed. Unfortunately, many times urban development authorities change layout plans under political pressure or influence of capitalist corporates, that too without objection-raising exercises from the residents. Green belts are allocated to capitalist corporations for making buildings which is the cause of traffic congestion and air pollution in urban areas. To combat this problem, proper guide maps should be put up in all colonies with a paste copy of original layout plans of colonies so that residents should know the green belts of their respective areas and develop these through planting trees by their respective welfare societies. A proper policy should be made to develop these green belts. Any encroachment on green belts by the public should be handled through strict laws. The NGT should also issue guidelines to urban development authorities which should be followed. Strict action should be taken against officials who change original layout plans of colonies for their own selfish means.

Harvinder Singh Chugh

Question for next week

Repeated incidents of fire, especially in summer, in garbage dumps are causing serious health issues to those living in nearby housing societies. What steps should the administration take to check such fires and ensure the safety of residents living around the dumps in the city?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to [email protected] by Thursday (May 9)

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