Chandigarh
22 September 2019
DIVYA AZAD
Dr Murli manohar joshi presided over the seminar on the topic of “The global issues concerning Environment , water & their potential solutions” organized by The Panchnad Shodh Sansthan in association with The Environment department PU, & Environment department, Chandigarh Administration.
Dr Joshi emphasized on the fact that mooting for sustainable development is not possible unless we shift our focus to Sustainable Consumption. He said that he has been saying this for past 30 years that each individual as well as the country on a whole should limit its consumption.
He further commented that resources on our planet are finite hence Infinite growth on a finite planet is not possible. We are already seeing its consequences in the form of fire engulfing Amazon, Glaciers melting faster than ever before resulting in increased sea levels. On Global warming, he said that due to increase in average temperatures across the world, we are witnessing many disturbing patterns such as untimely floods , droughts and even desertification of soil in many places.
Further appearing on the second day of the seminar where he answered the queries of the participants, Mr Joshi said that Mankind should tap the nature but not exploit it. He equated the relation between mankind and nature to that of a Mother son relation thereby suggesting that we should limit our intake and reduce our consumption. He said that human race should move forward in harmony with nature.
On GDP, Mr Joshi said that the very concept of measuring growth on the scale of GDP is a sham. He said that how can we say that an increase in GDP implies increased growth when it doesn’t include the main societal indicators such as education, Health indices.
He further said that in his opinion rate of increase of GDP is directly proportional to the rate of decay of natural resources because it ultimately puts the pressure to produce more and more. Also the countries having higher GDP rates are the ones suffering from increased levels of crime, drug addiction and depression issues.
Therefore we must focus on Global Happiness index & not on GDP. He even gave the example of Bhutan which has totally discarded the GDP farce and is rather focusing on GHI.
Mr Joshi also questioned the Western Countries model of development and quoted a senior economist who once said that The civilized human being has been turned into a dirty pig by this Mad race for development.
He said that our Indian Civilization has got all the answers to modern day problems. We must focus on low cost indigenous technology base on low energy, low capital model. He again reiterated that we should not imitate the westerners, rather we shall focus on our strengths and build upon them.
He said that India can become a world leader by adhering to its cultural and vedic values as well as moving ahead in the field of technology advancements simultaneously.
Other dignitaries present on the stage were ex lokayukta justice Pritampal singh, Vice Chancellor PU Dr.Rajkumar, Executive President Panchnad Shodh Sansthan Dr.K.S.Arya, Director PSS Professor B.K.KUuthiyala, HOD Environment PU Dr.Suman Mor. And on opening day justice Dr.Bharat Bhusan Parsun was present on the dais as president of this seminar.
