Now all the western countries are facing the same problem as Asian countries, the life of the future generation is in peril, because every country wants only development not sustainable development. We all have a role to conserve and preserve our mother earth. No country is free from the coming disasters. Disasters come in the form of flood, landslides, rise of sea level, global warming, wild fires, draught & war.
The receding Himalayan glaciers, Arctic, Antartica, for the first time in the world we are experiencing draught in Europe and seeing dried rivers, unseasonal rain and wild fires in US.
There is no way that any country can escape from this disaster as climate changes. So it is the duty of every human being to protect our mother earth because only human beings can save mother earth. Since human beings are on top of the animal kingdom. The people gathered here has to take a decision at least, if we can save our own village that will contribute a great lot to preserve our beloved earth.
Instead of thinking to improve the economy of the country we should think of preserving the nature that will automatically contribute to the development of the country. Without preserving the nature there is no development to the country. The preservation should start from the grassroot level. Only enlightened people can do this for the sake of the future generations.
Usually landslides and cloud bursts used to happen in mountain regions. Now we are experiencning cloud bursts in plains also. Last month in Kerala, Kochi experienced heavy downpours without any storm or wind. Later it was confirmed as a localized cloud burst.
Now all the countries are meeting in Egypt to solve the climatic changes, global warming, energy problems. It is the duty of every individual in the world to work for it. Only then we can save humanity from the future disasters.
We all need sustainable development. The road blocks are rising population, need for more energy, increase in the plastic pollution, depletion of forest in many part of the world, depletion of ozone layer, melting of ice in Arctic and Antarctica region. Even in Himalayas glaciers are melting very fast.. We have to work together against this to save our earth. It is the duty of every individual to take part in this.
As a study case, there are several stone quarries coming up in my native village in Kasargode in Kerala State. I have a small plantation there. A big flat rock is there on top of the hill in my land. The quarry mafia had offered about 2 crores for that. But I have refused and wanted to protect and preserve the area for future generation. So I decided to construct a Buddhist Peace Pagoda- Buddha vihara on top of this hill. I approached Nipponzo Myohoji of Japanese Buddhist Association. They have constructed Peace Pagoda all over the world. I got this inspiration from Pokhara peace pagoda in Nepal. The Japanese monks told me to approach Taiwanese Buddhist Association and they have agreed. Now they have agreed to construct Peace Pagoda along with a monastery for nuns, a meditation hall, a hospital, an old age home, anganvadi for children and a school. I am giving the land free for this great cause in memory of my beloved father late Sri. Dhanushkodi Narayanan who has worked 40 years in the ferry service between India and Srilanka from Dhanushkodi to Thalaimannar. So that I can save my village about 10 sq. kilometers. The people on that area are on strike against quarries that spoiled their land and water.
There should be a policy to recycle plastics at the source instead of throwing outside. Human beings are not the only owners of the earth. All living beings, trees are also owners of the earth. So it is duty of every individual to take part in this.
The sanskrit phrase “Loka Samasta Sukino Bhavanthu” and “Vasudaiva Kudumbakam” meaning the whole world belongs to everyone and everybody should leave happily in this mother earth.
So I request all of you to take an oath that I will at least protect and preserve my village.
Thanking you,
Name : DR. Reghunath Choyi Qualification : BSc Zoology, Botany