Dr. Ashok Bapna
A Healthy and Educated Society as the key to Economic Prosperity
Prof. Ashish Bose, an eminent demographer, chaired the session.
Nattubhai Shah
Prof. Shah said that he felt alarmed and threatened by the level of Global warming, a by-product of rampant industrialization. Injudicious industrialization can put a big question mark on sustainability of the world. At one point of time there may not be a world in existence. Not controlling the global warming and Green House Effect can have following adverse consequences:
- Spread of tropical diseases.
- Destruction of agriculture.
- Elimination of endangered species.
- Summer Heat waves.
- Tropical storms, air currents of the kinds in New Orleans and recent floods in Mumbai.
He provided an elaborate exposition of the factors affecting the environment - viz. the atmosphere, green house gases, ozone layer, and human activities. He talked about the different layers of atmosphere-troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere. The ozone is found in the first two layers. It is a protective layer shielding the earth from ultraviolet rays and subsequent harm on health, effects on human beings and environment.
Elaborating on the effects produced by green house gases, he asserted that they allow solar radiation to pass through them and allow the infra-red radiation emitted by earth to go outside. When there are more green house gases, these infrared radiations are trapped resulting in Global warming.
There is an interrelationship between living organisms and the environment. Any abuse, any rupture of this relationship is bound to be an act against humanity. Existence of equilibrium in an ecosystem is of primary importance. Unfortunately, the industrial society for its material benefit has caused a serious imbalance in the equilibrium. Urge for seeking more and more comfort has resulted in more and more aggressiveness towards nature and earth. When luxury becomes a need, the problems start and that's the scene today.
It is here that self-restraint, non-possessiveness can solve the problem by curbing himsa in any form. Ahimsa means non-violence and reverence for all life. Both the things combined constitute ahimsa. To sustain the world, there is no other alternative than to minimize the use of natural resources and reducing wastage.