GO GREEN WITH GANDHI: GANDHI AND GREEN TOMORROW

 

GO GREEN WITH GANDHI

Environment and sustainability remained debatable issue since science and technology pervaded its wings for development. Mahatma Gandhi is usually not referred as environmentalist, he is known for peace and nation building. Gandhian philosophy of deeper interrelationship among man, nature and environment witnesses different environmental movements. Gandhian ideal provided a new vision to harmonize nature with the needs of people. His ideas relating to Satyagraha based on truth and non violence, simple living and high thinking present how sustainable development is possible without doing any harm to nature and fellow beings. Gandhian thought that nature has enough to satisfy everyone’s need and not to satisfy anybody’s greed became one line ethic to modern environmentalism. His philosophy was based on human ethics for development of environment. The importance of Gandhian philosophy is well felt in present period in which life style of human beings has been developed in a direction of high capitalism and generation of waste.

The Sanskrit slogan पदं हि सर्वत्र गुणैर्निधीयते I, good qualities put their footprint everywhere is aptly true for Mahatma Gandhiji, who not only freed India from Britisher’s subjugation but also left legacy of his indigenous knowledge on environment and sustainable development. In the post-Gandhian era, environmental problems surfaced rapidly and unsystematic industrialisation lead to environmental hazards and degradations. Mahatma Gandhi’s critique of modernity reveals his concern about the emergence of a social order that exploits nature. He had penned his thought to exercise restrain for the use of natural resources. As urbanization is developing, the need for water also increased, this in turn leads to drawing of ground water. Over use of soil water has down the level of ground water, if this policy will run long it will develop desert area. Due to the Supreme Court has banned construction and boring of new tube wells in the Aravalli region of Haryana in adjoining Delhi. Hopefully, these measures may prevent rapidly depletion of vegetation and ground water in the area. Industrial waste, both solid and liquid is usually dumped into the nearby land and water body which also leads to degradations. Here anthropocentric and bio centric approach of man must be needed to transform into eco centric, where Gandhian ethics are still relevant today. Gandhiji insisted for practice of truth, satyagraha and non-violence not only for human being but for all living species too. He believes that humans are dependent on other organisms for survival; hence they have a responsibility to save them.

The earth is facing environmental problems like air pollution, poor management of waste, growing water scarcity, falling groundwater tables, water pollution, preservation and quality of forests, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation. Here Gandhian ethic is aptly true, he views that one must understand that the earth is our home and home for all other living beings too. One need to understand the age old maxim “live and let live”. Human being is duty bound to protect earth from any harm and if it is perish one has to responsible for it recovery. Hinduism aims सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः। सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाःI, it aims not only at the well being of all humans but also of all beings.

The founder of chipko movement, Chandi Prasad Bhatt and Sunder Lal Bahuguna and Baba Amte and Medha Patkar founder of Narmada Bachao Andolan all derived inspiration from Gandhi. Gandhi was indeed an “early environmentalist” who anticipated the environmental crisis of the modern industrial society. His writings in ‘Hind Swaraj’ published in 1909 explained how the current mode of development is “exploitative of man by man and of nature by man”. The Gandhian emphasis on frugality and simple life does not mean that environmental ethics is contradictory to pleasure. However, it is to be understood that there is no pleasure in wasteful consumption. Pleasures come from living in harmony with each other and with nature. Pleasures should not be based on exploitation of creatures. It should not harm the earth, but it should come from creative work and activity and cooperation. Environmental ethics also teaches us to appreciate the harmony in nature and its bounties. Environmental considerations must form an integral part of all planning for India’s growth and development.

At present Environmental problems in metropolitan cities and Delhi, are a threat to the city dwellers as well as the flora and fauna. The city suffers from air pollution caused by road dust, transportation and especially diesel-powered city buses and trucks. Over-population, deforestation, industrial pollution and garbage dumps are also reason for air-pollution. Geographically, Delhi also suffers from the atmospheric dust blown in from the deserts of the western state of Rajasthan and the polluted air that makes way from the industries and burning farms of neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab. Here also solution lies in Gandhian ethics that every person can try at home is to plant proven air purifying plants. Citizens should walk to work at least one day every week and insist for use of renewable energy sources. The land ethic should be created in every citizen’s mind. According to this, each person is a citizen of the land and thus responsible for its health. Health is the capacity of land for self-renewal. Conservation is our effort to understand and preserve this capacity. Nature and environment were given importance from Rigvedic period onwards. The verse विश्वस्वं मातरमोषधीनां ध्रुवां भूमिं पृथिवीं धर्मणा धृताम् I शिवां स्योनामनु चरेम विश्वहा I, conveys the message, salutations to mother earth, the herbs which are like mothers of the world who sustains us grows on the Immovable Earth, the Earth which is held by Dharma and in which auspiciousness gently pervades throughout the world. The Vedas, Mahabharata and Ramayana all praises about cosmic harmony and environmental protection. These Indian systems respect not only humans but also care about welfare of other beings. Indian festivals, traditional art and crafts also can be looked into from the viewpoint of environmental ethics. Worship of plants and animals has long been known in India.

Contemporary environmental writers such as Vandana Shiva, Anil Agarwal, Madhav Gadgil and Ramachandra Guha, among others, have acknowledged their debt to Gandhi’s ideas. Gandhi drew on a number of Western thinkers from Ruskin to Thoreau, to name a few, who, although were not against the modernist project, romantically cherished the pre-industrial order. All these shades and layers of his deeper self-realization have inspired different kinds of Environmental Movements particularly in India. Gandhi believed in Sarvodaya, the welfare of all. His ideology was based on it; hence his community centred approach towards sustainability emphasized on 'betterment of human life' and 'ensuring fulfilment of basic needs of all human needs'. As Vaidehi Daptardar said,

“Gandhi pleaded for decentralization of power in society. He visualized 'Swaraj' at the individual level, 'Gram Samaj' at Local level and 'Sarvodaya' at global level. He believed that power resided in the people. A mutually interdependent cooperative working at the world level helps in making noble environment.”

The life and work of Gandhiji have had a significant influence on the environmental movement in India. Mahatma Gandhi has been acknowledged not only as a stalwart of Indian freedom movement but patron of the Indian environmental movement also. Environmental activists have relied heavily on Gandhian thought of non-violent protest or satyagrah and have drawn heavily on Gandhain philosophy against heavy industry which may displace or crush the poor and downtrodden. It shows that Gandhian environmental thoughts are still relevant today.