Don’t just cash in on tigers

Eco-tourism, as the world understands it, means impact of tourism on wild habitats and wildlife is deliberately kept low. It also means that local conservation contexts are acknowledged and efforts are made to improve the economic lot of communities living around a sanctuary or national park. Eco-tourism must make tourists more aware of the need for, and challenges to, wildlife conservation. But all this requires that the people who run the show themselves are responsible; it precludes outright capitalism as motive for entering the tourism business.

An urge to act

Animal rights and wrongs. They somehow knock at the door of our conscious mind (and conscience) ever so often—trucks overcrowded with slaughter animals with dumb fear in eyes; latest medical research on hundreds of captive animals—the list is endless. Having gained ascendancy over fellow creatures, humans get away with using animals for economic, social and personal interests ranging from urgent to trivial. But where should human interests cede and animal rights begin?

How effective are environmental PILs

In most cases of environmental litigation, the parties affected by pollution are, typically, large, diffused and unidentified groups of people. Since nature and inanimate objects cannot represent themselves in judicial proceedings, the Supreme Court, since the late 1970s, has allowed any member of the public, having sufficient interest, to initiate a legal process to ensure the protection and improvement of the environment. This has come to be called Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

Staying legal, staying reasonable

“How many of you listen to music?” All 20 hands in the room went up. “How many of you share music?” Again, the 20 hands went up. “And how many of you know that sharing music is a violation of the copyright law?” All hands stayed up. “Then, why do you still do it?” Many reasons followed, topped by: “Music is like nature.

No free lunch for water projects

Freshwater has been the main fuel for human civilisations and economies. But unscientific overuse of rivers, lakes and groundwater aquifers has led to degradation of water bodies to such an extent that their ecosystem services are increasingly failing. The term “environmental flows” has come into circulation as a result of searches to reverse the situation.

Holistic approach

India has in place a well-structured and elaborate framework for environmental clearance. It includes a well-defined legal framework consisting of an Environmental Impact Assessment Notification that emerged from the Environmental Protection Act of 1986. Checks and balances in the form of appraisal committees, expert committees, environmental information system and public hearings are in place purportedly to “increase transparency and accountability”. It is also supported by a judicial instrument, the National Environmental Apellate Authority.

Among the non-believers

Recently, on discovering that I work in the forest department, a lady co-passenger in a flight asked, “Are you people really doing anything for the forests?” The unconcealed taunt set me and my friends discussing with the sceptic the scenario of green governance in India. How are we managing our forests? Is it time to hand over the forest resources to panchayats with the hope that they can manage better? Is the forest department guilty of propagating a management model that excludes people? Should we continue with the Indian Forest Service at all?

Faulty data, poor monitoring

A recent paper of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Towards an Emission Trading Scheme for Air Pollutants in India, explores the possibility of introducing a permit and trading system for air pollutants from industrial sources. The scheme operates along the lines of the cap-and-trade mechanism for greenhouse gas emissions. Units that keep pollutants well below stipulated levels can trade their credits with those that pollute in excess of standards.

Dubious camouflage

Recent headlines worldwide reported the US government’s use of a fake vaccination programme in Pakistan for counter-terrorism purposes. Whether the story is true or not, the damage is already done once there is the slightest suspicion that a medical activity like a vaccination campaign may have a motive other than providing healthcare. Impartial humanitarian assistance requires acceptance from all communities and warring parties—whether national governments, armed opposition movements, international forces, or even criminal groups. In all conflicts or in highly politicised environments, access to humanitarian aid can only be achieved and maintained over time by actions that demonstrate humanitarian aid providers are acting only in the interests of those receiving care.

The monkey-catcher

In 2008, I shifted from Pune to the green environs of Dehradun to follow my heart. Writing, photography and nature conservation projects followed, making life really interesting. One of the conservation projects I took up involved studying the conflict between monkeys and farmers in Uttarakhand. In many areas of the Himalayan foothills monkeys raided crops with impunity and ate everything in sight—grain, seeds, young shoots, fruit, leaves. In many places the damage to crops was in excess of 70 per cent, leading farmers to give up farming.