The news of large scale deforestation in Chhattisgarh is disturbing and deeply problematic. Hasdeo has been in news for quite some time now, where the tribal villagers have been waging a protest for years now, and have lost. Some 2000 acres of pristine virgin forests have been felled, for Adani’s coal mines, in what had been declared a “no go” zone by the previous UPA government and was revoked by the modi administration soon after coming to power. Now there are news of even older and untouched forests of Bailadila hills, being stripped down for iron ore mining by nmdc. This time too two notified reserve forests are being brought down.
Read More: US tariffs or Russian oil… It’s a tough choice
It’s not a problem limited to Chhattisgarh though. The balance of environment and development is perhaps the single most important national interest imperative. Destroying the future for some perceived value today is dangerous. After all it is a truism that we have not inherited the planet from our parents but borrowed it from our children.
Read More: Hurting Rahul’s campaign
Environmental issues and disasters are the biggest threat to our growth and rising inequality. It costs us around 4% of GDP growth annually. With growing climate change concerns, the situation can worsen in coming years. We already have one of the lowest per capita tree cover in the world. At about 28 trees per capita we are about a tenth of the global average. We may boast about 23% of forest cover, but only 3% of it is dense forest. We are destroying the best of our forests. These can never be replaced by plantations and monoculture. Unimaginable biodiversity is being lost. Bailadila is home to some of the oldest pteridophyte species in the world.
Read More: Fiscal federalism should not be ignored
The predatory economic system we are espousing will destroy our civilization and future. The last decade has seen absolute disregard for environmental norms, in the name of business and investment friendly policies. This needs to stop immediately.
These forests are more than just geographical areas, they are home to the aboriginal people of this country. They are their sacred deities. Destroying these forests would mean erasing of civilization, memories and uprooting of communities. It’s contempt of cognitive justice.
