Everybody talks about environment, What about ground action?

PERTINENT SUGGESTIONS

- The world is observing April 7 as the Health Day with the theme – Our Planet, Our Health. Ideal time to start talking about the Health of the Environment

- The well-oiled machinery now should be used for much more than drawing political mileage

- Caring for land is more than a conservation issue, it's an existential one. Ensuring the land stays healthy, productive and available sustains life

- The talk about ecology must go beyond intellectual discussions and debates limited to air-conditioned auditoria

The talk about ecology must go beyond intellectual discussions and debates limited to air-conditioned auditoria. The fashionable inclusiveness must go beyond political and electoral cacophony. It should transcend much beyond budget allocations and spending all that money on theoretical aspects and a couple of show-case projects

From world leaders to economists to scientists and now even religious gurus have been talking a lot about the environment and the print media of different languages give a good amount of coverage to these statements. TV channels are of course still obsessed with Tu-Tu-Main-Main debates. Environment does not appear to be their priority.

One statement that has really caught on is the one from Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev who said "right now, it looks like climate change and ecology are the playground of the rich and elite." This, he said, must change. Individual human beings should become conscious about the danger that we are facing. It is very important that thought leaders such as Sadhguru talk about the climate issues that impact each one of us. He is absolutely right when he says these must become election issues. Currently, he is on a motorcycle ride across 27 countries, covering about 30,000 km to create awareness about our precious soil. In a tweet he said: If life has to flourish on this planet, it has to flourish beneath our feet because that is where the foundation of our life is.

Meanwhile, Bio-agri Input Producers Association (BIPA) KRK Reddy has said by the year 2050, major soils will be dead. By 2050, around 50 per cent of the arable land would be salt-affected, Reddy said briefing media about the BIO AGRI-2021, to be held in Hyderabad on October 28 and 29. Quoting the UN reports, Reddy said only 60 years of farming is left. The world will face a food crisis and even encounter a famine situation.

The UN and FAO say generating three centimetres of topsoil takes 1,000 years. Maria-Helena Semedo of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) "Caring for land is more than a conservation issue, it's an existential one. Ensuring the land stays healthy, productive and available sustains life." Even some Oxford scholars who do not agree with this data agree that soil care must not be taken lightly.

It is heartening to see global messaging on this very serious issue that can lead to food riots and wars as the impending famine in most parts of the world will be uncontrollable if we continue to neglect it. The talk about ecology must go beyond intellectual discussions and debates limited to air-conditioned auditoria. The fashionable inclusiveness must go beyond political and electoral cacophony. It should transcend much beyond budget allocations and spending all that money on theoretical aspects and a couple of show-case projects.

Easier said than done? No. Don't many of us give credit to Amit Shah's election strategy? What is it? Does it not go beyond the BJP headquarters? I have studied his style. The political messaging goes to the poll booth level and involves the grassroots. It began with an aggressive enrolment drive to make BJP the largest party in the world with over 100 million members. The cadre plays a big role in ensuring that its committed voters come to the polling booths. The membership also ensures that the 10 crore people subscribe to Narendra Modi's philosophy. Be it demonetisation, Swachh Bharat or Covid vaccinations, BJP has used its cadre very well to spread Modi's message. The well-oiled machinery now should be used for much more than drawing political mileage.

Now let me come to the ground level since we are discussing the issue of soil. UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw has an excellent message: "Caring for land is more than a conservation issue, it's an existential one. Ensuring the land stays healthy, productive and available sustains life." The government or the BJP will do well if they make use of this 10-crore strong army to spread the message on issues that affect the man in the street. To begin with, the messaging about ecology, soil, and water must go to the people who matter most – the farmers. What is the point in talking big about soil and flooding the social media with likes and comments when we do not involve the farmer? Mere rhetoric and slogans won't lead to any solutions. The seriousness that the government shows must be demonstrated in action.

In this context, I would like to draw the reader's attention to another grassroot work being done by Waterman of India Dr Rajendra Singh. I was fortunate to have been associated with a Virasat Bachao Yatra under the aegis of Indian Peninsular River Basin's Mumbai chapter to focus on the depletion and contamination of waters – from rivers, creeks to wetlands. Standing on the banks of Mumbai's rivers he declared these are now dirty sewer drains. And he did not mince words when it came to calling spade a spade. His two-pronged attack – focusing from the ground to involve the youth culminating in some candid talk with the authorities – was quite impressive. With his characteristic smile on his face, Dr Singh told Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray to spare the rain catchment areas from urban development in Mumbai Metropolitan Region. He suggested to Konkan Divisional Commissioner Vilas Patil to adopt at least one river and ensure that sewer lines do not lead into the fresh waters. Even the treated water must be recycled for non-potable purposes such as greening the city. It should not be drained into the sea or rivers, he said.

Non-controversial and non-political leaders such as Jaggi Vasudev and Dr Rajendra Singh could be involved in reverse (and rivers) messaging from the government to the people.

As I have been harping, the Diamond Jubilee of Independence is an excellent opportunity to use inclusiveness effectively. Environment must also be taken as a national agenda. In fact, it should be the Item Number 1 in the national agenda. Modi-Shah (and now Yogi) must take all criticism in their stride and show some statesmanship.

Wishful thinking? Well, Modi has done it with his flagship Swachh Bharat drive involving media critics and political opponents. With ecology, he can go a step further and involve the opponents among farmers too. The Centre and farmers too must bury the hatchet over the Farm Acts since the laws have been repealed after a prolonged hatred. The Centre can also leave the issue to the States – as it has done while managing Corona Care – and promote the cause of the environment too in true spirit of Federalism. The Centre can take the initiative with a CMs conference to be inaugurated by the President of India and concluded by the Prime Minister – with the PM sitting through the conclave to listen to all CMs and understand the States' typical issues. The messaging then must flow through till the Panchayat level.

The world is observing April 7 as the Health Day with the theme – Our Planet, Our Health. Ideal time to start talking about the Health of the Environment as well covering water, soil, air, hills, forests and so on.

Finally, here is one idea for the media friends: Henceforth, let environmental care index be one of the key criteria for judging the governance of the States.

(The columnist is a Mumbai-based media veteran now running websites and a youtube channel known for his thought-provoking messaging)