The need to maintain the equilibrium of the eco-system in order to sustain life on earth was stressed by K.T. Chandy, noted agronomist and former professor of Environment Management and Rural Resource Management, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
He was speaking at a colloquium on `Ecological Economics of Gandhian economist J.C. Kumarappa and its Relevance to India Today’ organised by SOLAI (Social Life Animation India), in Christianpet near here on Tuesday.
Dr. Chandy said that while the nine major components of our eco-system are soil, water, air, light, heat, microbes, plants, animals and humans, the slope of the land is the tenth component of the system. All these 10 components are inter-dependent. Another key point in the eco-system is that all the non-living components are essentially supportive factors for the survival of any living being, whether microbes, plants, animals or humans.
All the living beings derive their nourishments from all the five non-living components, , but finally they all die and merge into the soil, water and air. “In other words, the same elements are cycled and recycled again and again between various components in the nature.
The stability of the soil depends on the percentage of the slope. The slope controls the soil and water. The most important component which can ensure the stability of the soil is the vegetation.
Dr. Chandy said that though man is the master of all the components in the nature, yet he is the most vulnerable component. If anything happens to any of the other components, his life will be affected drastically; or even human life will be impossible.
Similarly, if anything happens to the plant kingdom, then all the animals and humans will be affected. In the same way, if the soil or water in our eco-system is eliminated, then the plant life will be affected, and consequently both animal and human life will be affected. “In other words, the equilibrium of our eco-system is governed by the inter-dependence and inter-relationships between each and every component in the eco-system”, he said.
The agronomist said that three-fourths of the land area should constitute forests in order to ensure the stability of the eco-system. While in Japan, forests constituted 70-75% of the total land area, it was a meager 12% in India, which again is far lower than the 33% norm fixed under the Forest Act. According to forest law, trees should be cut for timber purposes based on the availability of trees and not based on the needs of human beings. Watershed management techniques should be utilized for maintenance of the eco-system. Rainwater should be collected and reused. “Agricultural land should never be converted to non-agricultural purposes”, he said.
M. Agnes, Director, KALWY (Kulithalai Action for Liberation of Women and Youth) said that KALWY has been conducting programmes to impart decision-making capacity and functional skills, protection of human rights of women, widening the knowledge horizon of women, helping them to fight corruption, conducting environment education to school and college students, and ensuring implementation of the Minimum Wages Act.
Elango Rangasamy of the Trust for Village Self-Government (TVSG), Kuthambakkam village, Thiruvallur district presided over the session.
