‘Keep environment at centre of all development’

Elaborating on how mercenary corporates are exploiting the sources of human sustainance,Shiva said,“The machinations of the corporates who are with indifference,almost bordering on contempt,poisoning the very sources of sustenance of the human population all over the world. Be it vegetables,grains and pulses,drinking water,or simply pushing fast foods that prompt faster ageing and entail untold health risks,these corporates are making their livelihood out of spreading poison in the name of edible commodities produced with grossly unethical aims.” Speaking about the threat of global warming,Shiva said,“It is a concept that has been largely misunderstood,especially the developed nations which seem to believe that since it is snowing in Europe and the US,global warming is just a bogey to force the developed world to commit to unreasonable targets of pollution control. The concept of carbon credits is merely another tool to reward the polluter and punish the sufferer,quite contrary to the principle of ‘the polluter pays’,since it puts a premium on emission discharge by the rich nations for which the poor nations suffer,thus,the system ends up rewarding the polluter rather than punishing them,” she said.

Citing various examples of the effects of climate change on nature,Shiva said,“The phenomena is causing untold sufferings to nature. Be it the recent floods in Australia or in Ladakh which has rarely seen rain at that altitude or Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana,US,all of these calamities represent a quantum shift in the weather cycle and it can only get worse unless the world comes to some understanding on the way to control emissions and prevent further damage.”

Urging the youth to fight for the planet,Shiva said,“The youth of the country will have to actively involve themselves in the fight for the environment,and be more proactive in the field of agriculture and sympathetic to the agriculturists who are the real benefactors of humankind. It is in your hands to make a difference now.