World Biodiversity Day
What if Lockdown be made Annual feature for Global Health?
Capt. Lalit Sharma, IFS
Earth has an inbuilt automation mechanism for her sustenance and vibrant health. Mother Earth feeds her progeny comprising billions and trillions of living beings which include humans, domestic animals, plants and wildlife. The wild fauna and flora are part of its eco-systems, food chains and their populations are regulated by nature ecologically without ever damaging the earth resources. The problem arises with man and domestic animals. Man today tends to control ecological regimes and is playing havoc with global resources for ruthless development and greed. To quote father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi, “There is enough for every body's need but not for one man's greed”. The entire environmental philosophy is contained in this small quotation of Gandhi Ji .The ruthless development for securing comfort zones for humans is on. Keeping development and conservation in equilibrium is master key to the principle of sustenance.
Our over exploitation of Earth resources beyond permissible limits to enhance the levels of energy consumption are telling upon the earth resources, heavy emissions are weakening our planet. Increased emission levels lead to problems like perforation of ozone layer, increase in the green house gases leading to global warming, large scale soil erosion, fast melting of glaciers leading to rise in ocean levels, snow, rain and sea tsunamis etc, all lead to climate change .The negative effects of climate change ultimately threaten the existence of life on this planet.
World today is stratified into developed, developing and poor countries. The developed nations consume high energy levels and also contribute to the higher levels of emissions which tell upon the quality of life of developing and poor countries which otherwise consume less but share the ill effects of harmful emissions of developed countries. This trend also gives us an insight that if all developing and poor countries ultimately adopt the present model of developed countries then the fate of the globe in terms of consumption of energy levels and likely quantum of emissions and their net effect on environment and global health can be well imagined. Is this not the valid reason to review our development models world over for low energy consumption and least emission levels? Community of world nations shall have to examine this seriously before it is too late.
The road transport, railways, aviation, boating, shipping cum other marine operations are telling upon the quality of water and air. The over industrialization has further worsened the scenario. Unplanned urbanization, illegal encroachments, untreated urban and industrial wastes are chocking our rivers and other water bodies and destroying our aquatic life as well. High pollution levels in major cities are creating severe health problems.
The unchecked use of insecticides , pesticides and the chemical fertilizers are not only spoiling the fertile soils but are instrumental in causing deadly diseases in humans and animals. The deforestation in river basins and catchment areas are weakening the perennial character of our rivers which are tending to be seasonal. The ecological disturbances are rendering many floral and faunal species as endangered and extinct which in the bargain are disturbing the food chains.
In nutshell the over exploitation of earth resources and unplanned development are triggering series of problems which are now threatening the human survival and damaging Mother Earth. If this fatal trend is not checked, the Earth shall not remain in a position to support this anti-environmentally planned human empire which is bound to collapse and perish. Therefore, for our own survival, we shall have to learn not to over burden and over exploit our resources of Mother Earth beyond our bonafide needs and we will have to learn to respect our soils, flora, fauna, air, rivers, oceans, lakes, springs, glaciers so on and so forth . We shall have to correct the prevalent aberrations and strictly follow the principle of sustainable development.
Ecological wisdom has to prevail and over ride all projects to strike a perfect balance between development and conservation. It is better to be moderately rich than to be filthy rich. Let our wisdom follow the right and positive path because the knowledgeable person with greed and negative tendencies and thought can be disastrous for the society and the environment.
To protect Earth and its resources eco-friendly and environment friendly approach is must. Clean energy and ‘clean development mechanism,' massive deforestation drives on ‘integrated watershed management basis', organic farming, proper muck and debris disposal during construction of roads, railways and tunneling, training works of rivers and nallahs, eco-friendly agronomical practices, land use as per ‘land use capability classification, eco-tourism instead of conventional tourism, proper solid waste management, treatment of effluents, encouragement of village and cottage industries, major industries perfectly as prescribed norms, sound forest management, polluted water treatment plants, eco-friendly houses and urban inhabitations, protection of our water bodies, restoration of eroded river basins and catchment areas, creation of sound health infrastructure, protection of ground water, provision of clean potable water for the populations, etc. are some of the areas requiring focused attention .
The world need to join hands and unite to ensure a clean and vibrant environmental health as environment is a global issue with global concerns. Besides these universal measures and practices, the time has come to have global consensus for a compulsory global lockdown of twenty one days as regular annual feature to allow mother earth to refresh, recoup and rejuvenate her. This is in fact necessary for human survival and shall be our duty and not a favour to the Mother Earth.
Covid-19 pandemic through threatening the survival of mankind has taught us best environmental lessons. Worldwide lockdown in the human battle against Covid-19 pandemic has exhibited to us rejuvenating and recouping power of Mother Earth and has proved man as a clear cut culprit for the present deplorable condition of our planet. The Covid-19 dark clouds have enlightened us with a silver lining and given us golden tips for a healthy and disease free life. The story of global lockdown also exhibits before us a comedy in this big tragedy.
Seventy five percent of the infectious diseases come from animals. This transmission is connected mostly with our abuse of nature. The increased proximity with wild animals in terms of man-animal conflict i.e., monkey menace, hunting , pouching and setting up of ‘wet markets' are some of the bad tools facilitating pandemic of fatal viruses entering the humans via animals and threatening our survival creating severe mass health and economical problems for the countries and the world. In the UK only one lac hedge hogs, thirty thousand deers, fifty thousand badgers and one lac foxes are killed due to traffic accidents annually. Violations of the laws of nature bounce back on humans. The pandemic also shows that air pollution lowers our resistance, weakens our lungs and heart, affects our brains, diminishes our output at work and renders us disease prone. Sizeable percentage of casualties of Covid-19 are vulnerable people laden with cardiac, lungs, diabetic, kidney and blood pressure ailments and all these diseases are also caused and boosted with higher pollution levels .
The lockdown have tremendously dropped the emission levels. Carbon dioxide and Nitrogen dioxide levels have dropped by about forty percent. Air quality has improved. Risk of heart and lung diseases has reduced. Seismologists report lowered vibrations from social and cultural noises. In China between February and March Carbon emissions are down by eighteen percent. Millions of tons of carbon levels have reduced. The forecast in Europe sees a reduction of around 399 million tonnes of Carbon. In passenger vehicles the Carbon emission has fallen by 40 percent. The heat of the planet caused by carbon is reducing. In North-Eastern part of the US, air pollution has declined by about thirty percent in March 2020 as compared to March 2019 .
In 103 Indian cities Air Quality Index (AQI) has improved. In Mumbai the pollution levels have dropped by seventeen percent. In Venus (Italy) fish is returning in canals due to stoppage of boating operations and the waters turning clean. Clean air is facilitating recovery of old people because of fresh air in Bangalore, Calcutta and Chennai. Due to cut in biotic activities South Africa is getting un-interrupted power supplies.
In UK delay in cutting grasses on road side verges have attracted wild flowers which bring colours and more pollen for bees. Some wildlife species thought to be extinct are re-appearing. Swans and dolphins are re-appearing in canals of Venus (Italy). Deers are seen grazing near Washington few miles away from White House. Wild bears are becoming bolder in Barcelona and Bergamo, Italy etc. In Wales, peacocks have strutted through Bangor. Elephants are seen roaming in China. Decreases in pollution levels and least resistance to wild animals like deers and monkeys is encouraging their entry in the cities in Japan and Thailand. Turtles are reclaiming Brazil's usually crowded beaches. Noida sector -18 had unexpected guest Nilgai walking leisurely on road perhaps visiting her erstwhile habitat. Similarly in Kerala's Kozhi Kode, a Malabar Civet which is a critically endangered animal was spotted walking on road. Many species are coming to their erstwhile habitats now encroached upon and urbanized by humans.
Animal health is related with quality of environment with abundance of food and protected habitats .China has declared wild animals as national resource and is trading for revenue earning which is thwarted with detrimental consequences for the entire world.
In China twenty percent is decrease in emissions as per a study in February 2020 as compared to same period in February 2019 due to decrease in coal, crude oil, POL use. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) has decreased by thirty six percent. In Delhi AQI sank to 93 in April, 2020 from 161 in March, 2019. In Delhi 9 out of 10 persons breathe air with high level of pollutants. Global death toll due to pollution is seven million per year. Out of this 9400 deaths occur in London city alone annually. Satellite images show nature scoring victories. As per Columbia University studies, Carbon Monoxide levels in the New York City have been reduced by fifty percent and of Carbon dioxide by ten percent.
The world's ten percent population is producing worlds about fifty percent green house emissions. About 3.5 billion produce just 10 percent of the pollution . This leads not only to financial disparity among world communities but also energy consumption disparity as well. The lockdown shall considerably put an end to this disparity. The lockdown leads the world population to focus on health and hygiene, less traffic congestions; noise pollution gets replaced by chirping of birds. It leads to strengthened global unity, establishes close proximity with nature, no trade wars, no border disputes, habitat improvement of wildlife, less purchases and more savings, less pouching and hunting, less pollution, saving of non -renewable energy sources , better AQI , strengthen mutual bonds with relatives and friends, rest and adequate sleep, no eating out, less infections, greater self introspection, lessens smoking and drinking, reduces global temperatures, increases Oxygen levels of rivers, lessens thefts and crimes, reduces ‘green house gases', declines disease levels, provides time for collective annual domestic planning, betters understanding levels in families, reduces mental tensions and conflicts, inculcates reading and writing habits and provides time for personality development etc .
After the lockdowns are over and battle against Covid -19 won, a comprehensive commemorative study needs to be conducted country wide and then globally for the economical losses and savings incurred on account of lockdown and the economic gains both tangible and intangible accrued on account of improved environment.
The parameters could be health gains , decline in levels of various diseases because of declined pollution levels, increase of oxygen levels of rivers and other water bodies, increase in fish populations and impact on future yield, rejuvenation value of endangered flora and fauna, evaluation on account of reduction in green house gases, healing up of wild animals, decline in number of cases of various diseases and deaths In April , 2020 vis -a-vis death toll in April, 2019 in the country.
The value of POL saved and other savings made on account of lockdowns, fuel saved on account of shutdown of factories, aviation, marine transport, and other machinery, the improvement of ocean health, the power saved, the quantum of cleaning of rivers and water bodies, improvement in AQI of polluted cities, the reduction in medical expenditures, the human lives saved on account of decline in accidents, decline in consumption of medicines, the wild animals saved, annual oil leakage by marine transport and leakage saved during lock downs etc .
Similarly, the economical losses to industries, business ventures, railways, aviation, tourism, hotel industry etc. need to be calculated.
Based upon the above analysis country wide and then globally, many significant inferences and lessons will emerge and based upon these studies a logical case can be built up for planning a global lockdown for the Earth's rejuvenation.
There is provision of holidays for government and public sector employees , hospitals for treating the ailing humans and animals , specified maintenance spells for factories, automobiles, ships and planes, vacations in schools, then why not annual global holidays by way of 21 days lockdown for Mother Earth. This lockdown shall be in the form of vacations for man and his activities but shall reduce biotic pressure on Mother Earth enabling her and her resources to rejuvenate for ensuring healthy and vibrant life on this planet. This proposed lockdown vacations should form integral part of the annual planning charter of the countries, governmental organizations, business companies, educational institutions, surface, air and marine transport, companies and offices .Since the survival of man is dependent on the survival of the Mother Earth, therefore, the proposed lockdown as annual rejuvenation feature for the well being of Mother Earth is dire need of our times.
The author is working as Addl Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Retd.)
