Younis Ahad
Evo Morales has aptly stated that, sooner or later we will have to recognize that earth too has rights, to live without pollution. What mankind must know is that human beings cannot live without mother Earth, but the planet can live without humans. As usual I was reclining on my bed, it was almost autumn, son was behind clouds and it looks like a dark outside. I thought it was convent time for rest. Suddenly I heard some calls from my little cousin sister, demonstrating that it was getting snow, I thought it was a joke, as I approached to the window I peeped through it, it was really snowing outside. Snowing in the autumn it soundd weird! A thing crossed my mind that it was climate change due to which weather patterns have changed. Yes, climate change, it is most required debate, climate change does not affect a specific region, state but it affects of the world. Many things can wait but our mother Earth which needs an immediate care cannot. Many international conferences have been held to curb this menace i.e. suggestions and opinions are given by the international actors but then why there is in action, the answer is clear that such guidelines are yet to be implemented in pragmatic field.
Countries vow to fight for global warming, mitigation of greenhouse gases etc. but confine it to the lip service, any way the latest Parris Agreement with in United Nations Frame work Convention on climate change dealing with the greenhouse emissions starting in 2020 is a hope for the whole world, many member countries have set their target to ban the use of diesel and petrol but the unfortunate part of th story is that USA has pulled out from this Agreement. In our state of Jammu & Kashmir, the horrific scenes of 2014 floods are still nagging us.
People were rendered homeless and also in November in this year we witnessed an untimely spell of snowfall which damaged orchards of the formers, quite disheartening the said state is witnessing erratic weather patterns for the past nearly two decades resulting in droughts, flash floods wind storms et. Being an eco- fragile zone, it is the most vulnerable to climate change among the Indian Himalayan Regions. People in the state have not perhaps learnt from the past, tons of plastic and polythene is generated every year. On the marriage ceremonies people spend money lavishly causing a huge damage to the Environment.
Way Ahead
The Government in this regard has to play an effective role it has to frame an expert committee to study the Environment that can issue guidelines for the conversion of Environment secondly , the existing law has to be implemented in letter and spirit thirdly, a mechanism should be in place which can dredge the lacks to check the floods fourthly, strict punishment should be awarded in case of any violation of law lastly, the people must not throw useless materials in rivers and lacks, polythenes should be recycled because recycling of non-biodegradable substances can help in the pollution control.
(Author a lawyer by profession is a freelancer. Views are his own)
