In the recent (8th June issue) issue of new Scientist, (http://environment.newscientist.com), it is reported that the level of concern about environmental pollution in developing countries (India, China etc) is much more compared to industrially developed countries. For example, the report says, "Indians cared most about carbon emissions, with 55 per cent describing themselves as "very concerned"; just 32 per cent of Britons felt the same way." I find it a little hard to believe..
I have my own reasons and these are well known. For exmple .. in a country where one third of the population is illiterate (simply literate and educated have lots of difference) we cannot expect 55% of the total population to be very concerned about emission level and all. (Thou I'd have been very happy, if the report were wholly acceptable.).. I mean, it is not wrong to assume that to be able to gauge the actual danger from emissions, one needs to have a minimum level of education.. which is much much above than the level (for a person to be literate) accepted for census. Moreover, we dont have the complete report and we dont know much about the samples too.. like how many samples were taken where.
But I agree on one aspect, that we are the most worried. This is but natural. We have a huge rural population, and most of them depend on agriculture. Again most of the people depending on agriculture depend on the weather, which has been showing an erratic behaviour for quite some time. Let me give an example from my state Assam. In my lifetime, I have not seen any drought in Assam except during last year. Whoever has been to Guwahati 'd have seen the temple of Umananda on the peocock island. But last year there was so less rainfall that people could actually walk from kachari ghat (on the bank of the river Brahmaputra) to the temple.. there was no water on the river in that particular area!! Never did it happen in last 60-70 years, so say people of older generation. Similar examples can be given for other regions in India as well. Whether from heat, cold, flood.. somehow, directly or indirectly most of us, Indians, have suffered. Most of us whether educated or uneducated, have seen these happenings, and are natuarally worried that something is wrong somewhere. And that is the real cause of the worry.. it does not matter whether we can locate the reason or not!
Most of the people who are "very concerned" dont know what to do. We don't know how to control the necessary evil. Take the example of plastics and polythese packs.. I think they are the second major reason of artificial floods in a city like Guwahati (after destruction of trees and green cover on the hills). We just cannot dump it on the ground. It will remain there, as it is, for hundreds of years..or if chance comes, it will block the drainage system and cause flood. If we burn it.. again emission. We know the reason, but we cannot immediately do away with polythene either (though once, the Govt. of Assam banned it. the ban was lifted because of the pressure from industries related and the employees..). Ok, we have to think about everybody.. then why not recycle plastics and try to make people aware of it!
I have my own reasons and these are well known. For exmple .. in a country where one third of the population is illiterate (simply literate and educated have lots of difference) we cannot expect 55% of the total population to be very concerned about emission level and all. (Thou I'd have been very happy, if the report were wholly acceptable.).. I mean, it is not wrong to assume that to be able to gauge the actual danger from emissions, one needs to have a minimum level of education.. which is much much above than the level (for a person to be literate) accepted for census. Moreover, we dont have the complete report and we dont know much about the samples too.. like how many samples were taken where.
But I agree on one aspect, that we are the most worried. This is but natural. We have a huge rural population, and most of them depend on agriculture. Again most of the people depending on agriculture depend on the weather, which has been showing an erratic behaviour for quite some time. Let me give an example from my state Assam. In my lifetime, I have not seen any drought in Assam except during last year. Whoever has been to Guwahati 'd have seen the temple of Umananda on the peocock island. But last year there was so less rainfall that people could actually walk from kachari ghat (on the bank of the river Brahmaputra) to the temple.. there was no water on the river in that particular area!! Never did it happen in last 60-70 years, so say people of older generation. Similar examples can be given for other regions in India as well. Whether from heat, cold, flood.. somehow, directly or indirectly most of us, Indians, have suffered. Most of us whether educated or uneducated, have seen these happenings, and are natuarally worried that something is wrong somewhere. And that is the real cause of the worry.. it does not matter whether we can locate the reason or not!
Most of the people who are "very concerned" dont know what to do. We don't know how to control the necessary evil. Take the example of plastics and polythese packs.. I think they are the second major reason of artificial floods in a city like Guwahati (after destruction of trees and green cover on the hills). We just cannot dump it on the ground. It will remain there, as it is, for hundreds of years..or if chance comes, it will block the drainage system and cause flood. If we burn it.. again emission. We know the reason, but we cannot immediately do away with polythene either (though once, the Govt. of Assam banned it. the ban was lifted because of the pressure from industries related and the employees..). Ok, we have to think about everybody.. then why not recycle plastics and try to make people aware of it!
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