Protecting environment-Today's need

Sir,

The nature has endorsed us with certain bountiful resources but man has made his own future uncertain by reckless exploitation and certainly inviting greater problem for the progeny. Plan has continually and at an increasing rate been changing the form and mode of interaction with the environment. On one hand human population is growing on tremendous rate on this planet and on other hand with technologies and scientific revolution developmental activities have been accelerated to such an extent that in certain areas they have become a threat to the environment. The utilization of natural resources, industrialisation and urbanisation are causing environment degradation and expansion of human habitant has caused ecological imbalance and destruction of genetic pool. Such developmental process has made the future unsafe for our prosperity. Deforestation, pollution of water, air and soil is related phenemenon and are essentially caused by man's activity affecting the nutrient cycle of energy.

Global warning, climatic changes, ozone depletion, rise in sea level and drawings of the coastal inhabited land, melting of Ice, loss of genetic pool etc are posing even great threat to human existence. Thus man is degrading the quality of his environment since his appearance on earth. Radio-active pollution affects all the men. Environmental education has been emphasised by educationists at primary level in all the countries of the world. The NCERT in India included environmental studies in the curriculum at primary level. Besides it is included at +2 level by Academic Committee interalia as fifth subject according to No. DA/ACM/1/03 in the school of Jammu Division from July-August 2003. But due to one or more reasons this subject could not become functional. Conservation or survey of flora, fauna, forests and wild life, prevention and control of pollution, afforestation and regeneration of degraded areas and protection of environment are the mandate of making people consciousnses about environmental protection. Future of human life on earth demands more knowledge of environment. There is also a great need of awareness among people about environment. The subject is functioning in Jammu University since 1996 and till now 6 boys completed their courses from JU. I hope that our Government make functional environment subject in March 2004 and J&K Public Service Commission created post for filling vacancies in various Higher Secondary Schools of J&K so that specialist environmental candidates impart better knowledge about protection of environment.

Yours etc....
Mool Raj
Bhagota (Doda)

Statements !

Sir,

This is with reference to the Defence Minister's statement published in your issue of October, 31, 2003, ''Pak too small to pose threat to India''. One fails to understand why our leaders indulge in such rhetorics. Pakistan has a well trained Army like ours and like US, is a Nuclear Power too. It is not wise to judge any country by its size. If we look back into history we will see how a tiny country like Israel routed the combined armies of Egypt, Syria and Jordan in the yow kipper war.

Since independence India have fought three full fledged wars with Pakistan at the end of each none came a victor in the true sense. It would be in the best interest of the country if the Defence Minister devotes full energy and time in getting Government to implement all the projects on the anvil to update and modernise the Army, immediate appointment of the Chief of the Defence Staff, take measures to make up shortage of almost 12,500 officers of the rank of Capt. and Major particularly in the Infantry because these are the officers who will lead their men in battle as Kargil proved it.

Yours etc...
R S Katoch
Exchange Road
Jammu