Window Seat |
Mrinal Chatterjee| 14.6.2020
Stop Cruise Services. Protect Environment
One of the few good
things that the extended lockdown to contain the spread of Corona virus did-
was to provide a respite to the environment-already stressed beyond capacity.
The air of many cities notorious for
pollution is cleaner now. So is the water of Ganga and Yamuna. This
happened not because of any intervention- but simply letting them alone. We
must understand the fragility of eco-system; and at several places - let nature
have its way.
The Odisha
government’s decision to start day cruise services at five selected water
bodies at Chilika Lake, Mahanadi, Bhitarkanika, Satkosia Gorge and Hirakud
reservoir will be disastrous from the point of view of environment.
While a day cruise on
a big vessel sounds fun and relaxing, one should consider its impact on the
ecosystem of these water bodies. Chilika, Satkosia and Bhitarkanika are fragile
and protected sites which are already facing dozens of unintentional and
unexpected hazards. While Chilika has a dwindling Dolphin population,
Bhitarkanika has the salt water crocodiles and the delicate mangroves. Satkosia
Gorge comes within the Project Tiger area and the crocodiles and gharials are
on a diminishing count.
As environment
activist Anil Dhir says, the many hazards of starting mechanized boats include
air, water, oil, chemical and noise pollution. Cruise vessels use a huge amount
of ballast water for stability; the water is often filled from shore and
discharged midstream. Since the ballast water contains microbes and
micro-organisms in addition to vegetation and other sea-fauna, pollution aspect
is mainly caused to the local species and marine life. Grey water that comes
from regular activity onboard, like sinks, toilets and galleys contains
nitrogen and phosphorus which lead to eutrophication and stimulates the dense
growth of plants and the death of marine creatures because of lack of oxygen.
The marine diesel
engines will emit various greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane,
nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. Even the noise produced by
the cruise boats will disturb the marine ecosystem. In addition to the noise
pollutions from the vessels machinery, a lot more noise is made due to the
entertainment activities on board. These noises disturb the marine animals and
mammals, including the dolphins, whose sensitive hearing gets harmed and
debilitated, often leading to their unwanted death and an overall loss to the
eco-system.
Cruise boats are
large, intrusive and dangerous vessels which have negative impacts on marine
wildlife. Dolphins, turtles, otters and other big fish cannot avoid speedy
watercrafts, and collisions with hulls or scrapes by propellers often do fatal
harm. Many of the Dolphin carcasses found in Satapada had been killed by boat
propellers.
Odisha Govt. can have
cruises in the Hirakud reservoir and the Mahanadi, but should not do that at
the three protected sites.
Promotion of tourism
should not be done at the cost of environment. Bhopal’s Upper Lake was chosen
by the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation for cruise boat
trips. The Bhopal Municipal Corporation stopped the move and accused the
tourism corporation of polluting the lake by the over 10 motor boats and the
100 paddleboats of the Bhopal boat club.
Panchami Manoo Ukil,
noted ornithologist and writer is of the opinion that Eco Tourism by its very
nature must address the delicate interconnectedness in the natural ecosystems.
Any attempt to disrupt these habitats by encouraging intrusions through man or
machine would lead to complete destruction of these vulnerable zones and
threaten the existence of species that are dependent on the eco system.
Corona Devi, Coronamma
India has had a long tradition of worshipping goddess to ward
off infectious disease. The latest addition to the pantheon of goddesses (they
all are goddesses) is Corona Devi. From Biswanath Chariali to Darrang district
and even in Guwahati, many people, mostly women, are now performing 'Corona Devi
Puja' in Assam.
In North Karnataka, several villages are worshipping
'Coronamma'. They are turning to an ancient ruse to ward off the
disease from their vicinity. Like Plegamma and Maramma (goddesses of
Plague and Chicken Pox), who were thrown out of village limits by their fathers
and forefathers, the villagers are are trying to ward off Coronaamma.
In Bengal and Odisha, people used
to worship Shitala Mata to ward off Small Pox. The dreaded small pox has long
eradicated, but Shitala Mata survived and is still being worshipped.
Call it superstition or part of our religious practice, which
may have originated from some medicinal good practices- as Dr. Ravindra Vaidya,
an Ayurveda practitioner opine- it continues.
Photo courtesy: India Today
Clean
I got this from a
social media forward and liked it immensely. Read this for the unique
thought.
We don’t live in bungalows, duplexes or flats. We live in our minds.
Yes, that’s our permanent residence. And there are no constraints of square-feet there. It’s a vast space with unlimited area. And you know what! No matter how well-organized your rooms, balconies, garages and verandas are, life is good only when things are sorted there – in your mind.
And that’s where we keep things messy – regrets piling up in one corner, expectations stuffed in a closet, secrets under the carpet, worries littered everywhere, comparisons spilt on the table, complexes leaking from an old bottle, and grudges stinking in a box.
Be aware. For this
‘real home’ of yours, you can’t outsource housekeeping. You got to do it
yourself and see the beauty that surrounds you when your inner being is stable.
Tailpiece: Question-Answer
This is the first time question and answers both are same
Q: Who declared Corona as a pandemic?
A: WHO declared Corona as a pandemic .
***
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