At the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972, only two Heads of Government, Indira Gandhi of India and Olof Palme of Sweden attended. Twenty years later, 117 Heads of State and Government were present at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, or the Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. This was a clear signal that, in the intervening two decades, environmental concerns had moved to the centre of world consciousness. Human intrusion in nature's processes has been there from the very beginning of time, but since the Industrial Revolution, science and technology has given man the capacity to intrude in an unprecedented manner into the natural environment. As a result, we are faced with massive deforestation, widespread pollution of freshwater sources and the oceans themselves, alarming increase in desertification, and extinction of thousands of species of fauna and flora.

The situation is alarming all over the globe. The developed countries have the resources to address these concerns, but with our weak infrastructure and poverty, we are facing serious problems in our country. Population growth is our major problem. Our population is growing at a rate that is simply unacceptable and its impact on our ecology is devastating. Unless we give it the same national consensus and priority that we accord to our national security and defence, our burgeoning population will do irreversible damage to the environment. Our forests are already reeling under its adverse impact. Our annual rate of deforestation is massive and our tropical forests, rich source of world's biodiversity, are rapidly disappearing. Deforestation will adversely affect the rainfall pattern, as trees are primarily a source of water and only secondarily producer of timber.

Industrialisation is essential for our economic development, but industrialisation without regard for environmental factors is counterproductive not only in the long run but almost immediately. Thoughtless industrialisation can destroy the ecological balance of a region very quickly. Many concerned persons have focussed on this aspect of economic development. Paul Kennedy in his book, Preparing for the 21^st Century and Club of Rome's study, The First Global Revolution highlight the challenge of balance between economic growth and the environment. They clearly spell out that the nations that are not able to resolve the dichotomy between the environment and development may ultimately disintegrate and disappear.

In India, these problems cannot be resolved without a national consensus. Government and the people should sit together to discuss the policies for economic development and environmental conservation. One of the major fallacies of our times is the view that sitting in Delhi policies can be made for the entire country without the involvement of the State governments and the people. The major responsibility in this regard must be entrusted to the State Governments, and through the agencies of civic bodies in urban areas and panchayati raj institutions in rural areas, the people must participate in environmental protection. Women should be given a leading role; they are closer to earth and have an entirely different perspective on nature, on trees and animal life. The provision of one-third reservation for women in the panchayati raj institutions will, hopefully, lead to more effective involvement of women in environmental protection and population stabilisation, as both of these are closely inter-linked.