Dear friends,
Yesterday, being the Environmental Day, I had to participate in a meeting and talk a few words. I just shared some of my experiences in the matter with the audience present.
About two years back as part of survey I (jointly with two others) had to visit all the Panchayaths located near the largest river of Kerala, Periyar. The aim was to gather information how these Panchayaths' activities are influencing the water quality of the river as well as the flow of the river.
In one of the Panchayaths we saw hundreds of small huts, most of them semi-permanent, situated facing their back towards a small stream. This stream joins a river which later joins Periyar. These houses had no sanitation facilities and hence all these dwellers used to defecate into the stream. Te dwellers (most of them Tamil settlers)of these houses are workers in the neighbouring tea estate and had been there for several years. So, one can think about the quality of water we get from Periyar.
The above one is only one example. Several experiences we had. So, when we talk about environment we forget what is reality. I sited a few more examples in my talk and stressed the point that we have to act rather than talk or celebrate the Environmental day annually.
T.M.Sankaran
Gold Member, SPK
