My response to a film on pollution

Essay by khaitan_sunilUniversity, Ph.D.A-, November 2004

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THE MANY FACES OF MADNESS

The Hindu holy scriptures enunciate the concept of 'vasudhev kutumbkam'(vasudha meaning the earth and kutumb meaning a brood), which essentially means that all of us who live on this planet earth belong to the same family, same brood.

The concept of nature worship has also been practiced right from the time of Aryan Civilization in India.

However somewhere along the line we have gone astray, becoming 'bhakshak'(one who preys) to which we should have been 'rakshak'(one whom protects).This is what the documentary "The Many Faces of Madness" portrays.

Our glaciers are thawing, forest cover is shrinking, deserts are expanding and the diverse flora and fauna is disappearing. We do hear cribs like this in our daily life but Many Faces of Madness goes beyond the realm of common rhetoric and makes us question ourselves.

'Are we endangering the very existence of ourv race by giving in to the greed of momentary returns?'

There is always a price to be paid for every decision we make but are we willing to pay so huge a price in the name of development?

Are nature and development always in a state of conflict?

If yes, is there a means to resolve this conflict to create a sense of harmony?

If no, what do we choose?

When we ask such questions it leads not to answers but to more and more questions further 'Does development really imply intensive exploitation of natural resources ?

Is large scale industrialization the only means for development?

Development .

For what? For whom?

We may very well need to revise the very essence of development as we know it.

Though the questions are left unanswered, the impact of our insensitive attitude towards nature is there for all to see and feel, this leaves an...