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Trans-Himalayan
Ecological Development Authority
The industrialised nations, in their
obsession with economic growth, had ignored the simple ecological
truths and had to pay a very heavy price. They subordinated
ecology to economy and deforested most of the mountain ranges.
In the Middle Ages, eastern part of the Alps was extensively
cleared and, as a result, the peasantry faced an acute famine
of fuel. However, they recompensed their ecological loss through
indefatigable forestry programmes. The existing forest cover
in Germany is man’s most sanguine effort to restore Nature to
her pristine glory. Southern French Alps now has a forest cover
of over 33 per cent as compared to 19 per cent in 1878. All
this has been achieved during the last hundred years through
appropriate forestry practices, finely calibrated land-use,
reduction in population and decrease in cultivated area. During
1960s and 1970s, the Western Europe’s forest area increased
by about 10 per cent without any major conflict with other potential
users of land.
The developing nations tend to slavishly
imitate the culture of developed societies but ignore their
finer aspects. Their ecological consciousness should serve as
an eye-opener to those in the developing societies. Government
and non-governmental organisations in the West are active in
taking preventive and restorative measures to maintain ecological
balance and prevent damage to their mountain ecosystems. The
Himalayan ecosystems cannot be saved from disaster if deforestation
is not halted. Paradoxically, India has only to look to her
past, to her all-embracing ecological traditions encapsulated
in religious texts and rituals for inspiration. Deep religious
sentiments were attached to plants and animals so that none
harm them. Unfortunately, the process of modernisation that
overtook the Himalayas in the recent past is dealing fatal blows
to these traditions, which are gradually receding into oblivion
In the heart of mainland Asia, the
Himalayan expanse is circumscribed by the frontiers of eight
sovereign states. The astounding diversity of people of these
sovereign nations with their distinctive cultures, religious
traditions and polity appears to be held together by the Himalayas.
Because of its ecological and geopolitical importance, it is
for the World community initiate steps to rescue the Himalayas
from its present peril. There is no time to lose if the present
forces that are pushing these mountains towards progressive
instability and destruction are to checked. The task may seem
complex, difficult and despairing. But with foresight, scientific
and humane understanding, political will and co-operation, a
sustainable mountain equilibrium can become a possibility. All
those, who are concerned with, and dependent upon, the resources
of the Himalayas, in other words about half of the mankind,
have to come together and undertake the task of reversing the
damage that appears irreversible.
Against this
backdrop, the need for establishing a multinational Himalayan
ecological development authority becomes urgent to co-ordinate
the efforts, on a global and trans-national basis, to rejuvenate
the Himalayas. Such an authority should not be limited to only
the eight sovereign Himalayan nations. The Himalayas is the
heritage of the world. All nations must participate in this
endeavour and pool their resources for the purpose. The trans-Himalayan
authority should be set up with the assistance of the United
Nations, which should use its good offices with the concerned
nations to draw up a universally acceptable charter. There are
various inter-country UN bodies already in operation that can
serve as its model. However, the initiative for such a move
must come from the two major nations in the Himalayan region,
China and India. Once they have agreed to join hands to bring
other nations into this venture, the finer details can be worked
out.
SHASHI
KANT
Professor
of Biosciences
Jammu University
Jammu
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