|
|
|
|
 |
 |
   |
Editorial overview The
city of dying gardens industry Cultivating
pollution Down the
drain
The World Environment Day that falls on June 5 every year is a significant reminder of how Mother Earth wouldn't lose its 'green' as fast and quick, had the sons of the soil been a little careful in manipulating its 'natural environment'. And, as one of our writer puts it, 'green' is a term that applies to all species, all climate and atmosphere, the rocks, the seas, and the deserts that this planet is composed of. Today, they are all under threat -- of being gradually (but surely) reduced to some sort of a 'sub-specie' -- at the hands of the 'monster of development and globalisation'. Today, we have hordes of world organisations and agencies that claim to be carrying the torch for the good of the environment. In actuality, however, they are only feeding their own interests. Schemes after (seemingly) grand schemes are launched with great fanfare amidst attractive slogans of environment-protection, and things are expected to become hunky-dory in no time. But, this is not to be, precisely because their development paradigm is anti-poor and also anti-environment. It has little care for human values over material gains. It promotes "healthcare systems based on interests of dubious pharmaceutical companies and agriculture dependent on genetically modified one-harvest seeds, chemical fertilizers and hazardous pesticides". So then, if you get a better yield in the beginning, your land is killed eventually. The World Environment Day is also a time to realise that we have a 'natural' commitment towards our planet; that we ought to make our contribution, however small, towards making it a better, cleaner place to live in. Here's to the 'green consciousness'! A new perspective on globalisation and development is already emerging from a Green consciousness, the starting point of which is the natural environment and humanity By Jalees Hazir Unless we are blinded by
our petty interests, it is not hard to see the 'grenocide' going on all
around us, all the time; the non-stop massacre of everything green. And
mind you, it's not only about Look closely, and it is not hard to see who is attacking all these things so crucial for our well being, so essential for the survival of not only the human race but the mother earth as well. Follow the trails of destruction of these attackers who come from so many different directions and in so many different garbs, and they'll lead you to the foot of a greedy two-headed monster, the monster of development and globalisation as we know them today. Let us be clear that as we embark on the journey to save Planet Earth, it is these mutilated concepts that we must destroy and give a new meaning to the ideals they represent. A new perspective on globalisation and development is already emerging from a Green consciousness. The starting point of this consciousness is the natural environment and humanity and it is being articulated like wild flowers, without a pattern or scheme. This consciousness could not have been hatched within the framework of well-funded think shops sponsored by the World Bank, IMF or various other agencies and donors carrying their suspect burdens of development and protection of the environment. It could not have benefitted from the big money of big MNCs loudly espousing their corporate responsibilities. These giant entities are not only the brains behind the prevalent perspective on globalisation and development but they are also the biggest beneficiaries of the sorry state our world is in. After all, despite all their posturing, the bottom-line for these concerns is maximisation of profit and accumulation of capital. They can not be expected to help spawn a new understanding. These wealthy organisations and companies, and the wealthy experts and consultants working for them speak a language that makes sense to them mostly, complex concepts and variables that only they can define and redefine at their pleasure. They decide what the indicators of development are and what amounts to globalisation. They tell us what are the most pressing environmental concerns and what we should do about them. They decide about the mechanisms that determine the exchange rate of currencies and the prices of oil and wheat. They prescribe the policies that will see us through. Everything is expected to work like clockwork in their world of illusions: prosperity is just round the corner, the environment is being taken care of and they are really sensitive to the human dimension of the market. When things don't work out, they'll find someone or something to blame it on and come up with a new scheme that they say will take care of those problems. Their carefully crafted tariff-equations at WTO are supposed to be not only fair but also designed to encourage trade. The proof is in the pudding though. The ground realities do not match their predictions and noble goals. Their control over world markets has become more and more stringent, but it has not brought about the prosperity that we were promised in return. The world environment is in a worse shape and deteriorating more rapidly than ever. Poverty has become an epidemic. The so-called developing world is less able to take care of its poor. Even within the developed world, life is getting harder for a majority of people. Income disparities are increasing the world over. And in this gloomy scenario, the fat cats are getting fatter, amassing billions of dollars on top of the billions of dollars they already have. The truth of the matter is that their globalisation/development paradigm is anti-poor and anti-environment. Their policy prescriptions are aimed at creating dependencies that are then exploited to further tighten controls over markets. So who is this global development brigade really working for? Is it really concerned about the well-being of the under-privileged or are their policies designed to eventually fatten their already swollen wallets? This whole spiel about development based on mass-production and mass-consumption and export-oriented growth, this development that promotes healthcare systems based on interests of dubious pharmaceutical companies and agriculture dependent on genetically modified one-harvest seeds, chemical fertilizers and dangerous pesticides; even if you get a better yield in the beginning, it kills your land in the end. This whole spiel about globalisation that calculatingly decides which markets to open for what products at what rates, and makes sure the balance never tips in the favor of those with lesser resources, this globalisation that has created fortresses of privilege amidst seas of misery. This sort of globalisation is not only mal-intentioned it also has the problem of being tied up to an essentially materialistic development paradigm. With no spiritual dimension or value, monetary profit is the new god of this consciousness, profit that is devoid of any ethics and is maximized by hook or crook. Since it is the only yardstick, billionaires are more powerful than millionaires, and democracy is an eyewash. Under this greedy, unscrupulous god, even science has been turned into a slave, developing technologies and researching selectively with the sole purpose of profiteering, a slave that is self-absorbed, self-indulgent, and aims to control the forces of nature for the sole pleasure of its master with no respect for the natural context in which it exists. With such selfish and materialistic dynamics at play in the world, it is little wonder that we have come to this sorry state. However, the basic truth that the human beings are beginning to understand about our world is that everything is connected. The ant that crawls the earth in a Sudanese village, the president of the United States of America, the monkey stealing food on a Delhi street, the flower on a pacific island, the heavy monsoon drops of rain that fall on old pipal trees lining Lahore's Mall road, they all affect each other to varying degrees. Some like the US president might affect us more than the Sudanese ant, but that does not reduce the importance of the ant or the monsoon raindrops, as at the end of the day, we are all components of one big inter-dependent global ecosystem. What we send forth does get back to us. The silver lining is that more and more people are becoming aware of the dynamics of our world. The god of profit has not been able to tame science completely, and it has helped us understand our world better. People all over the world are beginning to understand the problems and they are doing something to change things for the better. One day, these small drops will make an ocean. The good part is that we still haven't crossed the point-of-no-return. All we have to do is change our direction and see beyond our nose. The prevalent approach
towards urban development has given a sick character to our Lahore was once the city of gardens, providing its citizens an environment that brought out the best in them. Even the poorest of its residents could enjoy the splendour of living in a city that abounded in beautiful public spaces and where even travelling on the road felt like going through a park. It was natural for its inhabitants to be known as zinda dilan; people with a zest for life-friendly, creative and with a great sense of humour. If Lahoris are still somewhat friendly and creative, it is more out of habit than because of the gardens that are dying at an alarming rate. As far as the sense of humour is concerned, it seems they've already lost it. It would be a terrible loss if the proud citizens of this ancient metropolis did not rise to the occasion and rescue their city from the clutches of misguided development that is destroying its natural, architectural and social environment at an alarming rate. The problem is not just a lack of vision. There are powerful greedy vested interests that are pulling the city in the wrong direction. The worst thing is that public representatives that are supposed to safeguard the interest of the citizens seem least interested in doing that and are more interested in paving the way for investors, and maximizing their shady profits. The Ring Road scam is well known, where the alignment of the much needed Ring Road was changed, making it pass through the centre of the city and hence making it useless, but making billions for some powerful real estate investors in the process. The alignment is expected to be changed yet again, probably to benefit the same investors. Something that would be useful for millions has been turned into a profiteering racket. The biggest tragedy has to do with the green heritage of the city. The climate and soil of the city is perfect for growing trees which is obviously the reason why every ruler worth his salt who governed Lahore added to the city's many gardens. From the mughals to the Brits to Governor Jilani and Nawaz Sharif, everybody was inspired to develop gardens here. The decline started ironically with the formation of Parks & Horticultural Development Authority. The first thing that its first Director General did after taking over the body was to eliminate 'Development' from the name. It reflected his approach to the famous parks and green belts of Lahore, which instead of being developed, were butchered under this bureaucrat, whose only interest in them it seems was exercising his authority over them to make money. His logic for erecting horrendously gigantic billboards on green belts (trees were chopped for them at many places) and holding tasteless melas in the parks (which were destroyed beyond recognition by the time the melas were over) was that he must raise money for the Authority. All that money didn't do much for the parks and horticulture that suffered their biggest blow at the hands of this bureaucrat than anyone else. Now he is destroying Islamabad in the name of development with impunity. His brand of urban development is also marked by gobbling up pubic spaces for creating private facilities for the privileged. This bureaucratic approach towards development which is oblivious of public interests is by nature anti-poor and anti-environment. So when a solid waste management plan is developed for our urban areas, no thought is given to the large number of poor people already involved in the activity at an informal level using carts and cycles. Heavy trucks and large skips that can't possibly so much as even enter streets in some localities, are bought from foreign companies. Raddiwalas are not viewed as recycling resources that need to be strengthened and organised. The hundreds of labourers performing the task of seasonal cleaning of the Lahore canal are displaced with a few machines that make a mess of it and damages trees on its banks in the process. The question is: who benefits from this sort of development that rides roughshod over environmental concerns and regulations? Who benefits when development favours only those who are already privileged? Who benefits when development becomes another name for profiteering? --
Jalees Hazir
Though the rules and laws are very much in place, unfortunately the industrial sector is, on the whole, playing a destructive role By Shahzada Irfan Ahmed The news about the death
of five people exposed to toxic gases in Sargodha on March 11, 2008, The said case is just one out of many where non-compliant industrial units are polluting the environs around them much to the detriment of general public's health and, in adverse conditions, at the cost of their lives. In many a case these units are throwing their untreated effluents in agricultural fields rendering them useless and at the same time contaminating underground water reserves. Though the rules and laws are very much in place, the implementation side is quite weak which encourages industrial units to break them with impunity. Another major reason behind this non-compliance is the owners' reluctance to invest in greener initiatives at their establishments. This hints at an urgent need to change this very mindset and convince the owners that cutting on this count is the worst option they have to increase their profits. The major industrial sectors in Pakistan are textile, steel re-rolling and manufacturing, chemical dying, pesticides, cement, petrochemicals, leather, sugar, construction, pulp and paper, tanning, food processing and beverages. The typical environmental hazards related to industry are noise, smoke, green house effects, gaseous emissions, toxic effluents and odours, vibrations and so on. The federal Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has devised minimum environmental standards called National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) for different industrial sectors. Besides it has imposed a condition of conducting Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) of (industrial) projects likely to have adverse impacts on their surrounding environment. But unfortunately the situation on ground has not improved and the industrial sector is, on the whole, playing a destructive role. Hamad Naqi Khan, Director Freshwater and Toxic Programme, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Nature, Pakistan tells TNS that people are being forced to drink contaminated water which is causing skin diseases and bone deformities. Citing a WWF Pakistan study, he says it's a pity that only one per cent of wastewater is being treated by industries before being discharged into rivers and drains. The major industrial contributors to water pollution are petrochemicals, paper and pulp, food processing, tanneries, refineries, textile and sugar mills, he says adding that only three out of 100 industries using hazardous chemicals treat their waste. Hamad also has reservations against the EIAs reports issued in Pakistan. He says these reports are mostly approved without caring for public reservations against the projects in questions. "In the absence of a proper accreditation system for EIA consultants anyone can get up, claim himself to be a consultant and issue a favourable report based on unauthentic data collected from secondary sources," he adds. EPA -- the body supposed to evaluate EIAs -- does not have the capacity to review them, he laments. The good side of the story is that superior courts have taken cognizance of such issues raised in public interest litigation. It was in Dec 2006 that a five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, ordered EPA to find out whether the factories in the Islamabad's industrial sectors conform to the environmental regulations. The court issued the directive while hearing a petition of Nazir Ahmed and 200 other residents of sectors I-9 and I-10 drawing the court's attention to the pollution caused by the factories in these sectors. The court also asked the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to initiate steps to discourage the tendency of throwing industrial waste in Leh nullah or rain-fed streams. It had been observed that some 1,500 tonnes of effluents generated by the pharmaceutical industry, flour mills, oil and ghee mills, marble factories and plastic-using mills are reportedly injected into the Leh nullah every day. It would be an injustice to the issue in question if we ignore the case of Kasur district where pollution spread by leather tanneries had converted the district into an environmental hell. Kasur hosts almost a third of the total number of tanneries in Pakistan which produce leather from sheep, buffalo and cow skins. Tanning is a complicated laborious process which can involve over 130 different chemicals of which chromium tanning method is the most widely used one in Pakistan. Kasur tanneries are discharging toxic substances like arsenic and chromium, as a result of which underground water reservoirs have been contaminated. The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation along with the Punjab government installed a water treatment plant a decade ago which is not functioning properly. Today diseases like cancer, renal failure, dermatitis, hepatitis, asthma etc. are quite common among the people of Kasur. According to a research report launched in 2007, about 30 per cent of cancer patients in various hospitals of Lahore are from Kasur. Jawad Hassan Advocate, Member Pakistan Environmental Law Association (PELA), tells TNS that the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (PEPA) provides for the protection of the environment and pollution control. Section 11 of the Act prohibits any discharge or emission into the environment with levels above the existing NEQs whereas Sections 13 and 14 deal with hazardous wastes and hazardous substances, respectively. Jawad says the introduction of a Self-Monitoring and Reporting (SMART) programme for industry is a good initiative as it creates a sense of responsibility among industrialists. SMART is a self-monitoring and reporting guidelines developed through a series of consultations among all stakeholders, including representatives from the government, industry, NGOs, civil society organizations, universities and research and development institutions. He says under the SMART programme it is expected that entrepreneurs who are well aware of their social and legal responsibilities will respond adequately to this new system which does not involve any role for environment inspectors. Under the programme, industrial units are also supposed to do their periodic environmental audit themselves and submit reports with the concerned environmental authorities. Increasing use of chemicals is resulting in a buildup of 'stock' pollution on agricultural land By Aoun Sahi Agriculture is a very
common activity for humankind, and is vital for the production of the
world's According to environment scientists, this horizontal expansion in cropland area is also directly related to deforestation which is one of the main reason of land erosion, land degradation and many environmental problems. According to them, soil erosion preferentially removes soil organic matter because it is light and concentrated in the surface layer. A large fraction of the carbon thus displaced by water run-off may be prone to mineralisation, leading to its emission into the atmosphere as CO2. It is estimated that globally 1.1 billion tons of carbon may be emitted annually as CO2 because of displacement by water erosion. "Soil is a biofilter, and a reduction in the thickness of the topsoil layer through erosion has a direct negative effect on the buffering and filtering capacity of the soil and on the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The scarcity of new land for crop production necessitated increasing crop production per unit area and time from the same land. This need for agricultural intensification, or vertical expansion, has forced the manufacturing of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, improved cultivars and intensive cropping. These inventions and practices were the main factor for green revolution of the 1970s. The motto of this green revolution was 'food first' and literally it did not care about any thing but food. This green revolution has resulted in the worst kind of environmental degradation. It is believed that green revolution encouraged inappropriate land use, soil mismanagement, and the adoption of fertility-mining practices. According to experts, again, these practices have an adverse impact on the environment, including the eutrophication of surface water, contamination of ground water, and emission of greenhouse gases from agricultural ecosystems into the atmosphere. "Processes that lead to environmental pollution include accelerated erosion, leaching, volatilisation, mineralisation of organic matter, methanogenesis, and de-nitrification," says Dr Saifullah Goraya, Assistant Professor, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Dr Goraya maintains that these processes are accentuated by the conversion of natural to agricultural ecosystems, biomass burning, ploughing and other excessive soil disturbance, indiscriminate use of fertilizers and other farm chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides, and drainage of wetlands. "In Pakistan, most of the industry such as textile, tanneries and leather, is also related to agriculture and one can say that environmental issues created by this industry are also directly related to agriculture." According to the data provided by Ibrahim Mughal, Chairman, Agriforum Pakistan, there were barely 20,000 tractors in Pakistan, post-green revolution. "Today, we have 0.7 million tractors (in Pakistan) which burn at least 2 billion litre diesel per year. At the same time we have at least 0.75 million diesel tubewells which burn 1 billion litre. Presently, Pakistan agriculture sector is consuming thousands of tons of pesticides worth Rs 15 billion every year, whereas 150 million bags of fertilizers are also used in Pakistan every year." In the cotton belt of Pakistan, there have been reported cases of breast cancer among cotton picking girls of 10 to 15 years of age. "According to doctors, their direct exposure to the pesticide-sprayed crops may be the prime reason for them catching such a deadly disease at such a young age," he adds. There is a growing evidence that shows that in the last few decades, the agricultural environment has been affected by pollution, especially from nitrates and pesticides, leading to declining productivity. "Chemical fertilizers in the form of salts, when added to soils, are converted into ionic forms. They are relatively safer than pesticides that exhibit toxic properties on living systems," says Dr Saifullah. However, according to him, all the quantities of fertilizers applied to the soil are not fully utilised by plants. About 50 per cent of fertilizers applied to crops are left behind as residues. "Though, inorganic fertilizers are not directly toxic for man and other life forms, they have been found to upset the existing ecological balance; while the pesticides may have a direct link to diseases such as cancer." He also says that a continuous increase in chemical inputs results in a build up of 'stock' pollution on agricultural land. Soil damage has occurred in many agricultural lands with heavy use of inorganic chemical fertilizers and pesticides resulting in a reduction of essential soil nutrients such as zinc and boron. "Furthermore, with increased fertilizer application, acidification of soil has increased. Declining soil fertility not only affects productivity, but also increases the need to apply larger quantities of chemical inputs, thus further increasing the costs to farmers." Agricultural pollution -- thanks to the use of chemicals -- is a problem not only in the third-world or developing countries but developed countries are also facing its environmental consequences. In the United States, the use of synthetic pesticides since 1945 has grown thirty-three-fold to about 0.5 billion kilograms (kg) per year or 3 kg per hectare (2.47 acres) per year. Further, the hazard is even greater than it may appear because the toxicity of modern pesticides has increased by more than ten times compared to those pesticides that were used in the early 1950s. The US data shows that 18 per cent of all pesticides and 90 per cent of all fungicides are carcinogenic. In addition to humans, thousands of domestic animals are also poisoned by pesticides. The destruction of natural predators and parasites has cost the nation more than $500 million each year and resulted in the development of pesticide resistance. In the US, 73 per cent of conventionally grown foods contain residues from at least one pesticide. Industry-made trans fats, which are present in 40 per cent of processed foods, are so harmful that the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine suggests that people should simply not eat them. Agrochemicals also pose health hazards in agricultural fields, in neighbouring communities, and wherever they move by air and water. The World Health Organization estimates that one million serious, unintentional pesticide poisonings take place globally every year, with millions of additional milder cases likely. Many pesticides also have long-term health impacts, including many types of cancers, neurological effects, reproductive and developmental illnesses, and endocrine disruption. In the US, the Center for Disease Control recently looked for and found 116 pesticides and other chemicals in human blood and urine, an industrial chemical 'body burden' that is passed on to children through breast milk and prenatal exposure.
Simple practices that can help us save considerably on water Ever wondered how much clean water we waste every day? No doubt it's a question that most of us would answer in the negative. Besides, there would be hardly any amongst us who would realise that their water using habits are non-environment friendly and need to be changed. But the situation on ground is totally the opposite. From washing our face
and brushing our teeth in the morning to taking a shower, washing up
dishes This is not all. The worst is yet to come. Water fit for drinking purposes is even being used for flushing toilets, washing clothes and opening drains. This is something we can call criminal as it leads to depletion of the already scarce drinking water resources. Keeping these threats in mind different environmentalist groups and organisations are stressing the judicious use of water resources and propagating simple environment-friendly practices to conserve them for generations to come. The lines that are mentioned below offer some practices that are extremely simple to follow and also equally productive when it comes to cutting down on water usage. It is an established fact that the use of water is the highest in bathrooms and toilets. Old-fashioned toilets generally use about 5 gallons of water per flush and an average person spends 10 minutes under the shower. If modern sanitaryware is installed the amount of water used per flush comes down to 1.5 gallons. Similarly, cutting down on the time spent under a shower by half and using a low-flow showerhead can reduce water usage further by one-fourth. More conscious bathers can achieve even better results by closing the tap while applying soap on their bodies. Dripping faucets, sinks and taps and leaking pipes are mostly ignored but it's a fact that water dripping at a rate of 1 drop per second can result in a wastage of 2,500 gallons of water per year. It is, therefore, suggested that one should test one's toilet for a leak by adding food colouring to the tank. If the toilet leaks, colour will appear in the toilet bowl within minutes (this advice seems far-fetched in a country where people are not even bothered about gas leaks). Moving to the kitchen we come across different types of small 'waterfalls' here and there. This unhampered flow of water is a total waste. Therefore, it is suggested that housewives should not let the water run while they are cleaning fruits and vegetables. Washing them in a partially filled sink instead saves up to 5 litres of water each time. Same is the case with the frozen foods that are defrosted under running water. The use of refrigerators or room temperature to thaw things can save on the water likely to be wasted this way. Some more ways to help wastage of water are as follows: Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth; this will save up to eight litres of water a minute. Use short bursts of water to clean razors. Wash full loads of clothes instead of half or a quarter. This will save enough water and energy. When you wash your vehicle, don't leave the hose running. Use a bucket of soapy water and a trigger nozzle instead. When watering your garden use sprinklers -- that, too, during the cooler part of the day -- to avoid water loss due to evaporation. --
Shahzada Irfan Ahmed
|
|
trees. Green is actually a term that can be used for all the species of
the plant and animal kingdom, the atmosphere and the climate, even the
rocks the mountains are made of, the water in the seas and the sand dunes
in the deserts; the entire web of our planet's life and natural
environment. I would extend the term to include even relationships, human
emotions like compassion, friendship and love, and universal values like
justice. Look around you, and they are all under attack.
once-charming cities. Today, our cities are characterised by disparity
where islands of private privilege exist amidst a sea of public miseries.
Environment has no place in the scheme of things
was alarming but not unexpected. The poor victims had reportedly inhaled
Hydrogen Sulphide from a drain that carried untreated industrial
waste/effluent emitted by a nearby ethanol distillery. Though a proper
charge-sheet has not yet been issued against the distillery, the
Environment Protection Department has confirmed that it had been working
without an NOC for the last five years.
food, feed, and fibre. With the rapid increase in population, an
increasing demand for the production of food was initially met by
expanding the area being cultivated -- also called 'horizontal expansion'.
This has resulted in a sharp increase in area under cultivation in the
world. The cropland area increased from 654 million acres prior to the
Industrial Revolution in 1700s to around 4000 million acre in 2007,
representing an increase of almost 6 times over the last three centuries.
This phenomenon also brought supplemental irrigation system with it which
is essential for raising crops in arid regions that means the construction
of big dams, barrages, canals and water courses. These activities are
considered to have most drastic effects on environment and ecosystem.
and clothes, and watering our gardens, we hardly miss any opportunity to
squander this matchless bounty of nature. In many households taps are left
half open, leaks unrepaired and huge volumes of water are used for
purposes that can be fulfilled with much lesser an amount.