Sir,
This refers to the news item ‘All train coaches will have bio-toilets by 2019’ (DE, June7, 2016). It is really heartening to read that the Indian Railways has decided to ensure that the entire rail network is zero discharge zone by 2019 by installing 1.40 lakh bio toilets in about 55000 coaches in the next three years and 37000 such toilets have already been installed in the coaches so far.The Railways have also decided to ensure environment friendly disposal of all kinds of waste,setting up of more water recycling plants to conserve every drop of water,plantation of trees and preservation of water bodies at railway land across the country.In the bio-toilet nightsoil degradation occurs through microbial reaction resulting in the production of biogas and eliminating any chance of foul smell and environmental pollution.A lot of concern is expressed over the environmental degradation all over the world by the Government, environmentalists and people in general. Thus, there is an urgent need to take measures to maintain fragile environmental balance for a healthy life.The other departments also ought to use bio-toilets in their offices to ensure the disposal of waste in a biofriendly manner and take steps to conserve water by rain harvesting and recycling. The Government should also promote the use of bio-toilets across the country for saving the environment from further degradation.People need to be made aware of the hazards of open defecation and misuse of water.More and more trees should be planted on the barren lands and along roadsides.Saving the environment should be the first concern of the government and the people and for this purpose,a vigorous movement needs to be launched in which everybody should participate in activities such as motivating people to avoid open defecation but use toilets,planting trees,saving wildlife,avoiding use of polythene,conserving water, checking environmental pollution etc.It must be started today for tomorrow or it may be too late.Nature is already issuing the repeated warnings in the form of unseasonal rains,droughts, global warming etc.and we may reach the point of no return if we do not heed these warnings.
Yours etc…..
Ashok Sharma
Udhampur.
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