By The Editor
Humans are not sole inhabitants of this planet; there are also animals, birds, insects numbering billions of them, various tiny parasites, etc. Besides these, trees, plants, leaves, shrubs, etc. too share the planet and which scientists have proved that they too are living beings. All these different creatures of the world are, directly or indirectly, inter-related and inter- dependent. Today, the conservation, protection, and improvement of human environment which has been degraded by human itself are major issues all over the world which affect sustainable development. Population increase, urbanization, over-exploitation of resources, disruption of natural ecological balance and loss of biodiversity are main concerns of environmental degradation. Human beings have to realize that they can no longer live in isolation; this is the age of holism and there is only one world. According to demographers, India has become or is soon to become the most populous country in the world and thus it has to face a lot of problems to meet the many requirements of the people. Consequently, there ought to be balance between development and environment failing which there will be great disaster affecting human lives and properties.
First United Nations (UN) Conference on Environment held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972 issued a 26- principle Declaration which declared protection and enhancement of environment to have become “an imperative goal for mankind”. Michel de Montaigne advised, “Let us permit nature to have her way; she understands her business better than we do”. Human excessive greed and unsatisfied desire for wealth and richest, however, has led to deterioration and destruction of an environment which pose great danger to existence of the planet. It is therefore high time for countries of the world, especially rich and affluent nations to rise up to the occasion and to take necessary action for preservation of the planet.
Recently, Joshinath town, Chamali district in Uttarakhand State was badly hit by natural calamities in which cracks and landslides became so severe that many buildings started sinking and which became worse day by day. Bulletin from Disaster Management in Chamali district has urged families to shift to safer places because Joshimath town has become a sinking town. District administration has identified many houses in sinking town which are unsafe and put red cross marks on them asking occupants to shift to temporary shelter or relief centers for which each family will be given assistance of Rs 4,000 per month for next six months. State of Uttarakhand lies along Himalayan mountainous belt on the northern part of India which stretches from Jammu and Kashmir to North Eastern (NE) States. Scientists have found that these regions are vulnerable to landslides owing to random cutting of trees and destabilizing slopes. Uttarakhand received exceptionally high rainfall in September and October 2022. Our NE states need not wait for disaster to happen and therefore must be prepared for any eventuality.