Logic of sustainability
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: June 05 2015 -
On an occasion like the World Environment Day, it is imperative for the people of the Northeast region in general and the environmentally conscious citizens to raise certain uncomfortable questions not fully addressed by the government.
For instance, certain predominant belief supposedly triggered by scientific approach to environmental issues needs to be reviewed.
This has been necessitated by a paradigm shift even in the so called scientific approach. In the name of science policy makers have drawn conclusions quite opposite to the age old knowledge system of the people in the region.
For instance, the practice of Jhum cultivation in the hills has never been subjected to systematic research that take cognisance of sustainable environmental approach.
The issue of whether or not Jhum cultivation has been beneficial to the people have been at the centre of heated debates.
Tinged with scientific jargons, at least the generation in the post 1960s has been taught just the negativity of Jhum or slash and burn cultivation that had been practised by the tribes and communities in the region.
Jhum cultivation had been blamed for contributing to the deteriorating climate change in the world without taking into consideration how this method had immensely benefited the communities for centuries.
The narrative of the state had been taken as the absolute truth thereby allowing certain steps to be initiated without raising questions against the validity of a rationalization prompted by the new found love for industrialization.
In the age of globalization, the predominant belief needs to be probed further.
With increasing focus on consumerist culture, twentieth century agriculture sought to shape the environment to its needs and methods leading to unnecessary prioritization of higher yield with imported technologies.
The attempt to homogenize crop production had been given priorities ahead of the actual need of the people based on time tested method of the tribal and indigenous communities moving from burning small areas to farm and allowing other areas to lie fallow.
This practice eventually came in as direct challenge to the set objectives of organized farms.
This is where, the tribes and communities in the region need to urge the authorities to have a relook at its policies against the age old practice instead of demonizing indigenous culture and lifestyles of the highlanders.
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