Acharya Tulsi
Man is in intimate relationship with environment. A balanced environment can make our life longer. According to experts, unbalanced environment can imperil the existence of human life on the earth. This threat was first perceived on 10th June, 1972 at Sweden’s capital Stockholm, during a conference organized by the UN on environment. In order to bring awareness among the masses we celebrate 5th of June as the World Environment Day. Now, it is another matter whether people take this day in right earnest.
Environment can be simply identified as our natural surroundings. It has three components—Land, air and water. Pollution is the state of their being imbalanced. Pollution imbalances environment. The problem of imbalance is both natural and man made. The smoke of a forest conflagration, ashes produced by a volcanic activity, dust particles, salt particles at the sea costs are some examples of pollution caused by nature. The problems caused by rapid urbanization and industrialization are human created problems. Draining hazardous chemicals and wastes in rivers, emissions from factories and mills, deforestation and excessive exploitation of mineral wealth are the main factors responsible for making imbalance in nature. The unbalanced environment has to face natural calamities like excessive rain, drought, landslide etc.
Man, in spite of having horrible experience of natural disaster caused by imbalanced environment, is not ready to learn any lesson.
He is constantly busy in his pursuit of mishandling natural resources. Science has opened new vistas. It has provided us a range of modem appliances that make our life more comfortable. However, he is not satisfied with what he possesses. He is engaged in discovering new means to exercise further control on nature. I am not antagonistic towards science, but transgressing the limits can never be allowed.
Anuvrat has solution to these nature management related issues. Anuvrat declares संयम: खलु जीवनम (the essence of life lies in restrainful living). Man should learn to live with restraint. He should have restraint in all his efforts, activities and approaches. If we could practice it, humanity can escape disaster. With this idea in mind, we have to chalk out programmes for the coming year. Environmental pollution is one of the main ideas on our agenda. If we could catch popular attention, humanity would be able to save herself from another deadly crisis.
