Afforestation and Environment

                              

What we know until today, the Earth is the sole planet in our Universe that is competent to support and sustain life. Water, air, soil, sunlight and biotic resources are constituents of the environment of the Earth, capable of maintaining the optimum sustainable productivity of the Life Support System. However, overuse and undue exploitation of the available resources have increased to an extent that in near future, the human race will have to face a potential threat of polluted environment, imbalanced ecological system and chaotic situation for use of whatever would remain.

The existence and evolution of the plants and animal kingdom on the Earth could be possible just because of the presence of these resources. Man is also seated there at highest step of the ladder of evolution. But he should not forget the fact that primary producers are responsible for the whole process of evolution being at the first stage of the food chain. One cannot imagine life on the Earth without the link of plants functioning as the primary producers.

Energy pours down from sunlight and is captured by green plants. The transformed Chemicals from soil, air or water flow through the system along complicated pathways. This is used by the plants to grow and store starch, proteins etc which is further used by animals in transformed state. The role of the plants and trees does not end here, as we know that the ratio of oxygen in atmosphere is maintained by them using carbon di oxide and releasing oxygen. Discussion about environment is just for highlighting the style of functioning of trees and their role in the intricate system and that there would be no life without them.

           What should be the direction and speed of development? This is a very important point to be decided. However, this much should be ensured that in the light of the above situation we must not opt for any developmental activity at the cost of the Life Support System of a balanced environment. The theory understood and accepted very recently by western world about conservation of renewable resources of an environment as a whole was founded by our sages and teachers more than few

thousand years back and they propagated the same through Vedas and Puranas while teaching in their own Gurukuls and Ashrams.

 It is mentioned in the Yajurveda that for peaceful and  prosperous life in the world there must be a peaceful relations and friendly atmosphere amongst air, Earth, water and plants, by chanting a shlok about vaayuu-shanti, pruthivi shanti jala shanti, vanaspatih shanti. But unfortunately, in due course of time, man neglected these teachings. Man has forgotten about his duties and friendly relations with the environment and destroyed the cool and calm fabric of nature running blindly after so called development. The result is that instead of friendly treatment, the environment has become very hostile and unconducive. The Life Support System looks like non existing before the huge ugly size of human population.

There can be no existence of any living being out of his own environment. Every living being, including  human beings,   is an integral part of a biotic community and it   is all the time actively involved in interaction with its environment. The habitat of a living being and the interaction of the biotic and abiotic substances of that place with which the living being interacts is called the environment of that living being.

           Depletion of the forests and greenery (trees on bunds and community land) in and around villages in rural areas has been a matter of great concern. This is a potential danger to the health of our environment and this can be replenished by planting trees. At the same time we need to learn sustainable harvesting of these renewable resources and should never exploit more than what they can reproduce. Our wise sages have long back inscribed.

“हे धरती माँ ! जो कुछ मैं तुझसे लूँगा, वह उतना ही होगा जिसे तू पुनः पैदा कर सके.                                       और तेरे मर्मस्थल पर कभी आघात नहीं करूँगा.”

(Oh Mother Earth! Whatever I will take out from you, it will be limited to that you can reproduce , and that I will never attack on your vital organs  ).

         Most people think that a group of trees and bushes constitutes a forest. Under this notion, they begin to think that they can compensate for deforestation by planting a few trees here and there on fallow or barren land. However, a forest is not only a group of trees but also a world in itself – fully developed and established by continuous interactions of biotic communities: much more than a group of trees.  For instance, hydrogen and oxygen make water even then the properties of water are not separately found in hydrogen and oxygen and the properties of hydrogen and oxygen differ from the properties of water. Despite having their own content and properties, all trees, bamboos, climbers and bushes growing in a forest, the content and properties of such forest are much more than the sum of the contents and properties of its species: ‘the whole is more than the sum of its parts’.

Greenery and trees outside forests may be helpful and useful for a pleasant environment and prosperity; even then, forests shall have to be protected because such type of plantation can never become a forest ecosystem. Due to immense biotic pressure, unwanted human interference and overexploitation of forests, there may remain a few small or big chunks of tree covers but they will definitely lose their status of an ecosystem and expected role of forests. It does not mean that we will stand against each and every artefact without assessing its need and interest level. It is highly required to have a friendly approach while considering any of the developmental proposal likely to affect the forests or standing trees adversely. And if decision goes in favour of the developmental proposal then afforestation or planting trees at any suitable place is welcome to compensate the losses of density or areas of forests.Thus, afforeswtation is very essential for us because -

Because:

·         Man needs three basic requirements, food, cover, and shelter. All these three were being provided to him by the forests or trees since beginning.

·         Man has evolved along with the environment of  the Earth, plants being one of the major constituents, primary producer and food for man , therefore, all that is needed as medicine or deficient is available there in or from these plants only.

·         The trees standing in towns, on road sides, in streets, wards, parks, and open community lands are source of avenue, fuel and oxygen in addition to their other environmental values.

·         The trees are natural sink for the air pollution.

·         Wherever the trees are there, it may be in a house, campus, backyard, ward, colony, town, along road side, rivers, rivulets , ponds fields or farm grounds, they provide you a cool shade readily with their umbrella canopy.

·         Fruit trees provide food and nutrients too.

·         The tree lines in and around a factory or any sound pollutant do soak the pollution to an appreciable extent.

·         Trees are best soil conservators most effective along rivers-rivulets, higher slopes and such other places prone to soil erosion.

·         Trees are capable of reducing the speed of fast winds.

·         Maintaining the proportion of oxygen in the air by releasing oxygen and absorbing CO₂ is the most important role of the trees.

·         The plants are primary producers and produce starch and proteins with the help of the sunlight and intake of required chemicals from the soil, water and air.

Shri K.M. Munshi, in first week of July 1950, planted few saplings in a festive mode calling it Van Mahotsav. He appealed people to do so every year. This is now traditionally observed as Van Mahotsav in the country and a large number of saplings of different species suitable to the site are planted but more than 90 percent of them die in want of proper care. This is good that people have adopted the idea and really observe the festival of planting trees and plants.  

         The rainy season is a growing period for the plants. For germination of seeds, lying for few months in the soil and also for propagation from the other vegetative parts of wood, the climate is most suited and so we get a green carpet of plants all over the area. However, the phenomenon is very short lived. Again the decimating factors destroy the whole to repeat next year.

        If a good sized sapling of suitable species, at least about 2-3 feet height, is planted in a pit, 2x2x2 cubic ft size, dug and filled in properly with a manure mixed soil and the plant is watered and cared for about 4-5 years we shall get more than 90% survival results.

            The concept of Plantation along road sides is as old as the construction of roads . Every year road sides were being planted but success rate was too low because of numerous factors. I have, for the first time, seen a draft document “Green Highways policy and Guide Lines” launched by the Hon’ble  Minister Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, Shri Nitin Gadkari ji. For this visionary idea and the courage to implement the same, the Government of India  and the officers deserve salutations. The Policy envisages planting selected species all along the lengths of roads on both sides at fixed spacing under well planned site specific proposals including PPP model, in multiple rows depending upon the availability of space. The arrangements are so designed by the Country Head that almost all the decimating factors and carelessness are removed. There is no doubt that a huge task of planting over all the roads within five years is a big and commendable work. This is an exemplary plan that testifies commitment to care environment. Road side plantations are most needed for mitigating Pollution of sound, air and emissions. The Government  of India has admitted in a message from the MD that “loss of vegetation is one of the inevitable consequence of highways development and, therefore, it is the responsibility of the highways development agencies to compensate this loss. The highways are not merely a means of transport but an integral part and parcel of the physical environment and socio economic milieu.”

          From the walls of the Red Fort, Shri Narenda  Modi,  the most popular Prime Minister of India, in his speech, on the Independence day 2014, announced his prioritized plans of conservation of environment and cleanliness, that shows his concern and seriousness about the commitment of eco-friendly approach in government programmes. He appealed to every citizen of India to keep his environment clean. Let us all rise to his call and the call of the time to plant as many plants as we can protect. And let us fight against the fear of Global Warming. 

-By Shri Dharm Veer Kapil