chapter 6
CHAPTER NO.6 ROLE OF SOCIETY IN
DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT
The natural resources are rapidly depleting day by
day and the environment is getting degraded by human activities. It is not only
the duty of the Governments to prevent this degradation. Rather every
individual or social institute like non-government organisations, cultural,
professional and reli-gious institutions, schools and colleges need to create
public awareness about well being of the environment. In democratic country,
politicians do support public supported movements positively.Thus when we all
are concerned about the environment, the policy makers will certainly make
green
policies. There is a common proverb that prevention
is better than cure, and hence the protection of the environment is
economically more viable than cleaning or repairing, once it is damaged.
PUBLIC AWARENESS
For the present purpose, public awareness refers and
makes the people conscious about the environment, its degradation and the
future consequences. It also advocates environmental protec-
tion at all levels. The policy makers will also
think and act if there are large numbers of voters, who insist environmental
protection. Such awareness can be created through education, eco-clubs and
population education programme compaigns.
Education : From the Vedic period, role of the
education was to teach a child about his surroundings and his duties toward the
protection of its surroundings or environment. Educational
institutions such as schools, colleges and
universities can play a major role in creating public aware-ness for the
protection of environment. Keeping this in view, the Hon ble Supreme Court of
India has made environmental education, a compulsory subject at the school and
college level. In developed nations literate people are very much concerned
with their environment and avoid all actions which pollute the environment. In
the developing countries, the literacy rate is relatively low that is why they
are facing many environment related problems, For example, they do not
understand the harm done by the plastic bags. The use of these bags has led to
pollution of the environment in many ways.
At the government level, many centers of excellence
have been set up to strengthen public awarenes and research in different areas
of environmental science and management. These include
Center of Environment Education (CEE), Ahmedamad;
CPR Environment Education Center (CPREEC), Chennai; Center for Ecological
Sciences (CES), Bangalore and Center for Mining Environment (CME), Dhanbad
since 1986,
The Ministry of Environment and Forests has been
organising National Environment Awareness campaign every yeat, The main aim is
to spread the message of environment conservation.
Eco-clubs : Public awareness can be created and
executed through Eco-clubs. Such clubs should be formed in all educational
institutions, villages, colonies and streets of different cities (Fig.6.1),
Their aim should be to “think globally and act locally” to improve the
environment.
on various environmental issues. Eco-clubs can
undertake the following projects for spreading the message of clean environment
:
They can celebrate days of special environmental
significance given below to create environmental awareness.
With help of the Pollution Control Boards, the
International Organisations like Rotary Intemational Organisation, Red Cross
and Nationalized Banks, awareness can be cte-ated in the fields of biodiversity
conservation, habitat preservation, soil, water and en-
ergy conservation and disaster preparedness.
Discussion and debates on local and national
environmental hazards.
To undertake exhibitions in different regions on
different themes of environment.
To spread environment protection message through
newspapers, radio and television
programmes, multi-media CDs, publications, posters and wall charts.
To arrange awareness programmes on different issues
regarding environment through puppet shows and folk performances.
To arrange contests and competitions in educational
institutions on environmental issues.
To propagate the creation of Biodiversity parks in
different locations so that people can see different species, including
endangered as well.
Population education programme cmapaign : The Government
of India started an effec-tive Family Planning Programme, renamed as Family
Welfare Programme to make the people aware about the dangers of population
explosion. Though the slogan ‘isan do hanare do’ was given, yet it has not
produced desired results and lot remains to be done in this direction. The
healthy and family welfare agency of the Government with the help of eco-club,
extension workers and other Non-Government Organisation should make the people
aware about benefits of small family. The
mass media should also inform the people about the
family size and ill effects as a growing population on different world
resources.
The world is facing a major challenge as to how to
fulfill the needs of increasing human popula-tion with limited resources.
Accarding to a survey, there will be around 48 countries facing paucity of
water by 2025. The air will become moer polluted. The growing population also
adds an enormous amount of waste in the environment. Therefore, the family
welfare programme has become rather
more important because population growth and the
environment are closely linked and dependent upon each other,
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN DECISION MAKING
The participation and involvement of general public
is very important for the development and environmental protection. With the
help of public, it is rather easier to implement any plan or programme related
to environment.
At the international level there are so many well
known environmental thinkers. Say for instance,Ralph Emerson (1840) long times
back spoke about the danger of commerce to our environment.
Henry Thoreau (1860) wrote that wilderness should be
preserved. John Muir is remembered for saving the great ancient Sequoia trees
in Califomia forests, In 1890, he formed the Sierra Club for the conservation
of environment in U.S.A.
Tn India also, there are number of persons who have
been instrumental in shaping the environ-ment history in the country. Salim
Ali, the Birdman of India was a leading coservation scientist. Mrs.
Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister played a very
significant role in the conservation and preservation of
India wildlife. Similarly S.P. Godrej was one of the
India's greatest supporters of wildlife conserva-
tion and nature awareness programmes. He was awarded
Padam Bhushan in 1999 becanse of his conservation activities. Dr. M.S.
Swaminathan, the famous agricultural scientist of India is also con-cerned with
various aspects of biodiversity and has laid emphasis on the issue of
conservation of
ment. Sunder Lal Balmguna's Chipko movement has
become an intemational example of highly suc-cessful conservation action
programme with the help of local people to protect their forest resources in
the Garhwal region of Uttranchal State. Mr. Bahuguna will always be remembered
for his dedica-
tion to the environment conservation. In support of
this cause he was walked over 20 thousand kilometers. This movement inspired
the farmers of Sirsi region of Kammataka where they started the
Appiko movement to protest against the felling of
forest plants including Teak and Eucalyptus. In Punjab, the best example of
public participation is of Sukhomajri village in the Shivalik hills near Sukhna
Lake of Chandigarh. Due to deforestation, the hills in this region got deunded
and created certain problems for the region. Revegetation of hills and
prevention of overgrazing were undertaken by the villagers themselves. This
resulted in the dramtic improvement of the region. The soil erosion
has stopped and the irrigation needs of the village
stand fulfilled. The crop and fodder production too have increased. The
availability of fodder led to an increase in milk production. Such an attitude
of the people of India as torch bearers will help in making the environment
clean and healthy.
Exercise
(A) Very short answer type questions (1
mark each) :
1. ‘Who started the Chipko Movement?
2. Name the ministry associated with environment and
forests.
3. Where is the Center for Ecological Sciences located?
4. Where did the farmers start the Appiko Movement?
(B) Short answer type questions (2
marks each) :
1. Name two intemational environmental thinkers.
2. What was the Chipko Movement?
3. Give two suggestions for creating public
awareness.
4, Name two environment related community movements
that started in India.
(C} Short answer type questions (4
marks each):
1. Write a short note on role of eco-clubs.
2. How does education play a significant role in
creating public awareness about environ-ment?
3. What are the major ill effects of the population
explosion?
(D} Long answer type questions: (5
marks cach):
1, Highlight the need and role of community
participation in development and enviranmen-tal protection.
2. Discuss some important ways for creating public
awarness about environment.
