Is World Environment Day just a passing trend or do people really care about climate change?

Originally published on DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/standpoint-is-world-environment-day-just-a-passing-trend-or-do-people-really-care-about-climate-change-1993989

The World Environment Day, on June 5, has come and passed. A day when suddenly the number of people showing their concern for the environment grows exponentially. We could see messages floating all around reminding us about our responsibility towards our planet.
The social media full of ‘concerned individuals’ giving a piece of their mind on environment. Corporates and governments doing their bit for the day by placing advertisements in the newspapers to save Earth. One gets the feeling that the world has finally woken up to the fact that we are headed towards a dark future or maybe no future.
Unfortunately the truth is not so pleasant. In this age where our lives are dependent on the social media we don’t leave out any opportunity to makes us look good and be a part of the trend. Sadly, like so many other issues, environment has just become a fad to be spoken about. In today’s scenario environment gives content to individuals to build on their social profiles and make them visible. If only these many people took concrete steps to save the environment, the reality would have been different.
In this conflict between indulgence and sustainability our desires reign supreme. We would not want to trade-off comfort with environment. If we look around we will come across numerous instances where we are either wasting the resources or witnessing others wasting them. How many of us and how often do we take action? Why is it that we need to make sustainability look ‘cool’ so that people start taking it seriously, and practice the same?
We also witness another facet of being environmentally conscious. We see numerous conferences being organised on climate change, several working groups and committees being set up to tackle this menace.
Some of the participants are serious about the issue but are we sure that all of them are equally serious. If we look at what has changed, the picture is not so positive. It seems we are more comfortable in discussing environment than taking any action. Several organisations initiate plantation drives on environment day to join the bandwagon of celebration of our planet, however, how many of these have taken up the issue seriously is the question? We can plant trees as a token but what about hectares and hectares of forests being cleared mindlessly in the name of development. Why is it that we have come to accept that development and environment cannot go hand in hand? Why is it necessary to take drastic measures which not only destroy the environment but also are irreversible?
Are we building the foundation for growth or digging our graves?

Why I regret not voting this time

Originally published on India.com 

http://www.india.com/whatever/why-i-regret-not-voting-this-time-38002/ 

The biggest festival of democracy is in progress and we can see the excitement amongst the citizens, especially the tech savvy, through their social media updates. A lot of selfies with the ‘inked finger’ were being updated inspiring other fellow citizens to go out and do their bit. I could see the enthusiasm among my friends, some of them even travelled to their respective hometowns to cast their vote- Hats off to them.
I, however, could not participate in this festival for I am not yet registered as a voter. Yes, I did not get myself registered and so far have not exercised my right to elect our government. One of my friends mocked at me saying since I have not voted I lose the right to protest, oppose or complain if the government is not able to perform. I wanted to retort, but then I found no ground for that. The most clichéd argument I could have put forth was so many people vote and has it been able to bring about any change? Did the voters elect a sound government in so many years? What great options do we have? Why should I vote when I know that nothing much will change? The argument could have continued without coming to a conclusive end.
Now what exactly made me introspect was, the thought that do I lose the right to complain and protest if the government does not fulfill its duties. The arguments went on and on inside my head but in the end I could convince myself with what I wanted to. I still have the right to complain if I see that the government is doing something wrong. How well I exercise this right, is debatable. The government is supposed to look after the welfare of its people. If it fails to do so, we do have the right to remind it of its duties.
All said I still get that feeling of being left out in this marathon. With the social media, the pressure increases multi-fold. Even though, as mentioned above I did manage to convince myself that it was okay if I did not vote, I could feel the pinch inside. As the elections are progressing I get this feeling of losing out on an incredible opportunity,the feeling of missing the opportunity of being part of something as big as voting our next government. And as we say better late than never, the process of registering myself as a voter has already been started.
Hopefully, I will be able to participate in this magnificent festival the next time. Till then there is hope that the chosen leaders will be able to steer our nation to an inclusive growth and welfare of its citizens.

बिहार- आकांक्षा एक गौरवशाली भविष्य की

आज जब नालंदा विश्वविद्यालय को पुनर्विकसित् किये जाने के प्रयास तेज़ हो रहे है बिहार के सामने एक बहुत ही उम्दा अव्सर है विश्व मे फिर से शिक्षा हब के रूप मे पुन: उबर के आने का. नालन्दा विश्वविद्यालय जिसकी स्थापना चौथी शतब्दी मे हुई थी तकरीबन 800 साल पूर्व तक परिचालित था. अपने समय मे विश्व के सर्वश्रेष्ठ शिक्शन संश्थानो मे से एक था और यहा एशिया भर से छात्र शिक्षा प्राप्त करने आते थे.
इस प्रक्रिया को वस्तविक्ता का स्वरूप देने के लिये नोबेल पुरस्कार विजेता प्रोफेसर अमर्त्य सेन के नेत्रत्व मे नालंदा मेंटर ग्रुप को स्थापित किया गया था जो कि इस विश्वविद्यालय के अंतरिम शासी बोर्ड के रूप में भी कार्य करेगा. इस परियोजना के साथ बिहार अब अंतरराष्ट्रीय सुर्खियों में है और विभिन्न देश इस प्रक्रिया पर नज़र रखे हुए है.
इसमे कोइ शक़ नही है कि यह एक प्रगतिशील कदम है, परंतु सवाल यह है कि क्या इस संस्थान मे विद्यार्थी लालटेन की रौशनी के तले शिक्शा प्राप्त करेंगे? यद्यपी सरकार् इस विशाल परियोजना को लागू करने मे लग गयी है, जो ऊर्जा संकट राज्य के विकास मे हर प्रकार से बाधा उत्पन्न कर रहा है उसे सर्वोच्च प्राथमिकता के साथ संबोधित करना ज़रूरी है. विभिन्न अनुमानों के अनुसार राज्य में बिजली की 1,000-1,200 मेगावाट से अधिक की कमी है, हर दिन विभिन्न कस्बों और शहरों को घंटो के लिए बिजली कटौती का सामना करना पड़ रहा है जिसके कारण जनता को डीज़ल चालित जेनरेटर पर निर्भर करना पड़ रहा है.

अब एक ऐसे वैकल्पिक ऊर्जा ढांचे की ज़रूरत है जो मौजूदा व्यवस्था की कमियों से मुक्त हो. विकेन्द्रीकृत अक्षय ऊर्जा एक संभावित समाधान के रूप मॅ उभर कर आता है जो कि टिकाऊ और स्वच्छ ऊर्जा प्रदान करने मे सक्षम् है, ट्रांस्मिशन और डिस्ट्रिबुशन घाटे के मुद्दे को काफी हद तक हल करता है और आगे रोजगार के अवसर पैदा करने की क्षमता रखता है.
विधानसभा चुनाव के चलते एक बार फिर से बिजली की कमी चर्चा का एक बहुत महत्वपूर्ण मुद्दा बन गयी है. राज्य के विकास के लिये ऊर्जा की कमी को पूरा करना बहुत ज़रूरी है और नीतिकारो के लिये इस समस्या का हल निकालना प्राथमिकता है. बिहार में अभी भी बड़े पैमाने पर वातावरण को प्रदूषित करने वाले कोयला संचालित बिजली संयंत्र नहीं है और राज्य को नए बिजली संयंत्र स्थापित भी करने है, क्यॉ ना यह नया निवेश अक्षय ऊर्जा मे किया जाये? नीति निर्माताओं को अब इस मुद्दे को गंभीरता से लेना होगा अब जब नालंदा विश्वविद्यालय पुनरुद्धार परियोजना की वजह से अंतरराष्ट्रीय समुदाय का ध्यान बिहार पे है, सरकार के सामने राज्य को विकास के पथ पर ले जाना अत्यंत महत्तवपूर्ण है. नीतिकारो को यह साबित है कि वे राज्य को अन्धकार से उबार कर प्रगती और सतत विकास की राह की ओर ले जाने के लिये प्रतिबद्ध है.

बिहार के सम्मुख एक तरफ यह एक चुनौती है और वही दूसरी तरफ अपने सुवर्णमय इतिहास को पुनर्जीवित कर एक सतत भविष्य के पथ निर्माण का एक सुनहरा अवसर है. राजनेताओ को इस शानदार अवसर का सदुप्योग कर विश्व के सामने एक उदाहरण रखना है और दिखाना है की सतत विकास संभव है, यह देख्नना दिलचस्प होगा कि वे किस प्रकार इस अवसर का लाभ उठाते है.

- शाश्वत राज

Bhitiharwa Ashram-An experience of a lifetime

An appropriate occasion, an appropriate location and a noble cause, Greepneace’s Urja Kranti Yatra was flagged off on Gandhi Jayanti from the Gandhi Ashram in Bhitiharwa. The Yatra which will travel across 10 districts of Bihar is aimed at creating social awareness on the Decentralised Renewable Energy and is bringing people together to support for the same in unison.

The Yatra was flagged off by Omkar Das Manikpuri (Nattha of Peepli Live fame) who casted his vote pledging his support for the Decentralised Renewable Energy. The event also saw hundreds of people (including several Mukhiyas and Sarpanch) turning up and supporting the cause.

The play staged by the theater yatris attracted all the eye balls and was effective in conveying the message that DRE is very much feasible and is capable of fulfilling our energy needs.

What an irony, the place which witnessed the origin of one of the biggest revolutions in India is now in state of neglect; the only light this ashram gets at night is through the solar lamp post installed there.

The air felt pure, lush greenery all around and the place was still far away from the crowd and hustle bustle…