Environmental Degradation in India

Environmental degradation

" In nature there are neither rewards nor punishment, 

there are only consequences "

          Environmental degradation is a process in which due to human interference environment and its elements get damaged in every way. This cannot be measured directly but the degree to which it can affect ecosystem. Our weak anticipation of human progress and its effects on environment which can lead us to environmental degradation. Deforestation, E-waste, lowering level of ground water, uncontrolled and intolerable industrialisation, poor farming, use of fertilisers, unbearable mining and use of rivers as a gutter are making our earth no more than hell. As we know environmental degradation is not curable disease which can be only prevented. We are already late to move our efforts in right direction. Still there are chances to save earth (being optimistic). For India environmental degradation costs 5.7% of GDP. Our mammoth population is putting pressure on environmental resources by extracting it more than its availability.

         There are three main areas which gets affected by environmental degradation directly. These are land degradation, Forrest degradation and water resources depletion.Because human interference is more in these areas. other elements of ecosystem are directly or indirectly connected to it.

       As per the state environment report, 50% of total agricultural land is degraded and remaining is on the way. Land degradation affects production of agricultural commodities. Which is becoming unbearable due to uncontrollable population. Main causes of land degradation are water logged soil, wind erosion, poor farming etc. The land degradation is long process and prevention is less effective process because natural calamities itself are main causes of it.

        Forest degradation shows instant effect on environment and its remedies are also plausible as compared to other. Main threat to forest is deforestation for industrial, agricultural and domestic use. India's large population lives in rural area and it uses forest as natural resource. Today their need is increased and it is becoming major cause of deforestation. From 2007 to 2009 around 100,000 hector went under deforestation. Now it has become imperative for us to save forest.

          India has abundant rainfall as compared with global standards most of this rainfall occur in mansoon and intensity of which varies by geographic regions. Mansoon stays in India for two months and after that there is low rainfall which makes India to be dependent on underground water. We are not developed in water harvesting so whole India is sucking ground water. It is estimated that 60% of ground water resources are in critical condition and north west of my India is seriously affected.

           So India's ' zero investment, but full expenditure' policy degrading its ecosystem. Environmental degradation is third world term for Indians. So Indians, for now, are not concerned about it. And if we pass more 10 years like this then it will vanish India's environmental diversity.

                                                          Jay Hind