Concerns of waste management and related problems .
Plastic waste.
Segregation of waste at source, arrangements for collection, reuse or recycling, using appropriate scientific technologies at micro and macro levels for processing of wastes, are the need of the hour. In a state with very high density of population, all the towns should have proper drainage systems, with modern waste treatment plants. Townships with floating populations and pilgrim centers, must have adequate public toilets and safe waste disposal systems (availability of money is not a factor). This alone will stop the water contamination of rivers and wells in this densely populated state. The recent sample survey on river and well water pollution should open our eyes.
Plastics when thrown around no doubt cause pollution. Contrary to general impression, most plastics do get degraded by exposure to U V rays, but it takes time. Plastics could be reused in many ways. It is an excellent mulch for plants and is used extensively in Israel and other countries, for this purpose. It could be weaved into ropes or baskets for many uses. It could be incorporated into road surface mix and into building materials. Reprocessing is a major option. Plastics are in wide and extensive use today, and banning plastics is very difficult to enforce and not practical. The alternative use of paper bags involves use of wood pulp. It may be renewable, but still use virgin forests and damage the environment in many ways.
Use of Fertilisers and Pesticides.
Proper use of the right fertilizer and careful use of modern pesticides are inevitable today. The current level of food production to sustain our increasing population is not possible, without the use of fertilizers and pesticides. The green revolution with high yielding wheat and paddy, with use of fertilizers and pesticides, helped India reach food self sufficiency. Without this achievement, thousands in our country would have starved to death.
Malathion is also often mentioned as an undesirable, polluting product, used for control of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are vectors of many diseases and needs to be controlled. Malathion is an organo phosphorous compound, which is biodegradable and is one of the safest, with very low mammalian toxicity among pesticides. DDT and BHC are unlikely to be used in Cabbage in Nilgiris, as many believe. Chlorinated Hydrocarbon group of pesticides like BHC, DDT, Endrin, Dieldrin (Termex) etc. have been banned from agricultural use decades ago. Neem oil and Neem based products act more as anti feedants and insect repellants. They have only low bioefficacy (ability to kill insects), like `fish oil-rosin –soap` emulsion, tobacco decoction` etc. which were used during first half of last centaury. No Neem oil based product has scientifically proven level of bioefficacy Azadachtrin, in pure form, a molecule isolated from Neem oil has proven bioefficacy. Even this is now synthesized cheaply and not isolated from Neem oil. It is interesting to note that Neem trees have many insect pests and it’s insecticidal properties are grossly exaggerated. Even Endosulphan use with required care can not cause Cancer. The author has been involved with extensive spraying of Toxaphene, Endosulphan, Ethion, Asephate and directly exposed to them, for years and have suffered no ill effects till the age of 80. Most modern pesticides are biodegradable within a few weeks of use and undergo very stringent protocol of scientific evaluation. I agree that there is much misuse of pesticides in our country, leading to some pollution and many misconceptions. Banning them outright is not the answer, but educating the proper use of them is what is required. All pesticides are poison and have to be used properly and with much care.
Our response to new technologies.- impact on enviornment.
It is human nature to choose more comfortable life style, which no doubt will make some impact on the environment. With better awareness and by prudent use of resources, we can try to reduce the damage. Such changes are inevitable. The history of earth over millions of years has shown that humans and many other organisms are capable of adapting by mutation, and natural selection, to such changes. Life forms do exist on earth, without oxygen and light.
Condemning all modern products, practices or facilities, on ideological bias, is cheap propaganda, used to mislead less informed people. Can we condemn modern medicines and medical practices for treatment of cancer, heart problems etc? Devastating Red Palm Weevil or Bud Rot, of epidemic proportions, calls for correct use of modern pesticides, to save the Coconut palms in Kerala.
Organic cultivation.
Organic manures have an important role in plant health and in maintenance of soil fertility. The soil is only a media and in advanced commercial agriculture, growing media is used for uniform results.. Organic cultivation can be practiced only with limited success, at individual or kitchen garden level. On a commercial basis, organic culture and products are only another fad. Plants absorb their requirements of nutrients,in inorganic soluble forms, incloding enzymes and hormones. Organic fertilizers have low nutrient content and takes time to get converted to absorbable soluble inorganic forms. Much larger quantities of organic manures will be required to meet the nutrient requirement of the crop. Required quantities of reliable organic products are not locally available in most places. The cost of transportation byond ashort distance, will meke them expensive. This leads to higher costs and lower productivity. This makes it economically unviable and is unlikely to commercially succeed, unless much higher produce price could be obtained. Very few of us in India can afford this higher price. Lower food production and higher unit cost, will be a National disaster in India, due to the growing population`s demand for food.
Our approach to New Technologies.
Back to Bullock Cart age, is not realistic in to day’s world, irrespective of the status of any Nation. A Minister of Kerala government recently stated, that Driverless Cars will not be allowed in Kerala, to protect the jobs of Drivers. The answer is to train more job seekers,in skills, wich will fetch them better jobs, with higher pay. If you do not use and adopt new technologies, without ideological bias, one will be left behind both at individual and as aNation. Use of Computers, information technologies, in India and China are the best examples from recent past.
K.George John.
10/2018.
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