Conserve Nature, Save Mankind
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 08 2016 -

Whereas the whole country has been observing Van Mahotsav or Forest Day from July 1 to July 7, the State Govern- ment came up with a fascinating claim that ëForest Department (of Manipur) is no longer considered a revenue earning or- ganisation and more emphasis is given on conservation and natural resources.

The other day, the State Governmentís Direc- torate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) reported that forests in hill areas are under stress due to shifting cultivation and illegal felling (of trees) and extraction of other forest produces. Deforestation in the hill areas has led to soil erosion, land- slides and siltation of rivers.

By analogy, rampant deforestation is also responsible for flash floods, droughts, scarcity of water, outbreak of diseases and climate change. To cut it short, the importance of forests to mankind is simply immense and the planet Earth is fit for human habitation only because of trees/forests.

It was man- kind or more precisely his greed which exploited forests beyond their regenera- tive capacity and the whole mankind is facing drastic climate changes at the glo- bal level.

The basic idea behind celebrating Van Mahotsav every year in the first week of July across the country are conserva- tion of forests/environment for future generations and promotion of afforesta- tion activities at the national level.

It is a widely accepted view that protecting the environment constitutes a net expense to economy. Corresponding to the global cli- mate change (sic rising temperature), mankindís concerns for environmental pro- tection have grown multiple times in the past decades.

However, despite the much enhanced knowledge and concerns for en- vironment and its preservation, all the human efforts are still not enough to pre- serve a sustainable environment.

Notwithstanding the numerous global sum- mits on the fast degrading world environment and ecology, very little has been realized in terms of arresting envi- ronmental pollution and depletion.

It was reported that the (forest) de- partment was trying to strike a balance between conservation and fulfilling peo- pleís need. This is one area which would be most crucial and demand a strong political will, technical expertise and sub- stantial amount of investment not only in the form of money but also in the form of knowledge and mass awareness.

It is everybodyís knowledge that jhum cultiva- tion is a widespread, traditional practice of cultivation in hill areas of Manipur but jhum cultivation always remains an anathema to environment or forest conservation meas- ures.

Yet, jhum cultivation is driven by peopleís need. Now the moot question is, can the Forest Department strike a bal- ance between peopleís need for jhum cultivation and the ever growing need for conservation of natural forests.

Despite the devastating effect on environment and ecology, the State never bothered to transfer the shifting cultivators to another source of livelihood or replace it with other income generating occupations.

The Gov- ernment needs to devise an effective regulatory mechanism to control un- checked quarrying on river beds, hill slopes and catchment areas although these ac- tivities have noticeably aggravated cases of breaching river banks and landslides during rainy season and also siltation in Loktak Lake.

It was only with the inter- vention of the Supreme Court that open timber trade was restricted (not stopped). Silence of the Forest Department, when several pine trees were cut down right in Langol reserved forest area a few years back told a very disturbing tale.

What is happening in the vast unreserved forest lands in the hills, far away from the eyes of the state, is anybodyís guess. Whereas Manipur valley is now facing a flood like situation, many areas in the interior parts of the State are experiencing water scar- city as a result of rampant deforestation.

Even if the Forest Department is no longer considered a revenue generating organisa- tion, forests will always remain invaluable wealth of mankind, and source of life and livelihood.

But the supportive capacity of our environment has already been stretched beyond its limits and the cost is heavy.

The clarion call of the hour is, “Conserve Nature, Save Mankind.”