Ruthless Urbanisation

RUTHLESS URBANISATION​

It is very disturbing to know what is happening to this beautiful planet. Greed of money is driving humankind to senseless destruction of natural resources. How can humankind, gifted with a sixth sense, be so dumb not to realize the catastrophe that all their actions are leading to?

The tribal communities lived in total harmony with nature for centuries, protecting the forests and wildlife and leading very simple lives. Unreasonable urbanization is driving man to dangerous levels. He is using all the technology for destroying forests at a faster pace in the name of ‘development’ and displacing those innocent communities and also the more innocent wild animals. Man-animal conflicts are rising and it is always the animals that are at the receiving end, because they do not own arms and ammunitions!

For the sheer fault of their treading into human territory to feed their hunger or quench their thirst, they are butchered heartlessly. Man has many ingenuous methods of killing these innocent beings. He puts up electrified fences, he suddenly divides their home with his roads, brides and power plants and they unknowingly fall prey to his lethal weapons or deadly vehicles. Where should the poor animals go?

It is heart-rending to read about the way police and armed forces hunt for naxals or goons or poachers or dissidents or terrorists. Thousands of innocent people, especially women and children suffer the brutality every day, around the world. There is no way to bring sanity to humankind. The cries for change are very few and are never heard over the glamour and glitter of urban fascination. Immature urbanites are blinded by the glamour of high rise buildings, multiplexes, vehicles, ACs and what not. They refuse to even think of the atrocities that are going to on to build modern cities.

Does anyone think twice before ordering wooden furniture, wooden flooring, wooden walls and wooden accessories to their homes as to how many trees are laying down their lives to beautify their homes? How many of us think twice before wasting paper or water or energy as to the damage that we are causing to this universe? How many of us are worried about the permanent damage that we are causing to so many forests by switching over to western habits like using paper napkins, tissues, disposable inner garments, chopsticks and the like? Have you ever seen the difference in the quantity of water used in a Western toilet and an Indian toilet? Have you noticed how over years, water is becoming the topic of discussion all over, while it was taken for granted in our childhood? Do you realize thousands of people are buying bottled water, which was unheard of in our times? Do you analyse how these changes came about?

Each one of us has to sit down, ponder on how our lifestyles are causing so many repercussions of the universe and change at least a bit to save this beautiful planet!

Sudha Narasimhachar