Swatch Vayu and Water essential for Swatch Bharat

Adv.P.B.Sahasranaman

The life of Indian has been reduced two to three years due to air pollution, the recent study by the WHO declared[1].  Indians cannot drink water from natural sources due to severe water pollution. The holy rivers in many states have become sewage canals.  People work on the streets like scavengers, traffic policemen, two wheel drivers use mask to protect themselves from noxious gas generated by the driving of the vehicles. One of the dreadful disease carrier, Mosquito, has spread over the country raising the number of diseases. Of course, the pollution has created many industries like mineral water industry, water, air purifier equipments, mosquito control machineries, pesticides, etc. Diseases have increased ten times raising the need for more medicines and hospitals. But can we say that it is sustainable development ?  

There is no scarcity of pure drinking water in developed countries. The water supplied through public tap is used for drinking purposes, like we do three decades back. In many countries, waste generated is converted and used as energy.  In countries like Germany automatic switches are used to light common area, which is switched off if there are no users, to save electricity.  No industrial activity damaging the ecology is undertaken by any of the developed countries . Waste management is not at all a problem in any of the countries. Most of the health departments are converted as environmental departments. Littering is considered as a grave offence in many countries and the public are serious of it.

In the meeting held on 6th June, 1958 at Rio-de-janeiro India and other countries have taken an oath to protect the global environment. Several laws have been enacted to protect the environment of our country. The lackadaisical attitude in implementing the said Green laws has given rise to several public interest litigations. The Courts were constrained to interfere to direct the authorities to perform their statutory obligations. The public interest litigations are intended to protect the community rights, which the public bodies are bound to do. The Municipalities, which fail to perform their statutory, were directed to perform their duty enshrined under the laws. It was in 1980, wherein the Supreme Court of India[2] was constrained to direct the Ratlam Municipality to construct drains in the interest of public. Does the situation improved? Speaking for the bench, Justice V R Krishna Iyer observed, public nuisance , because of pollutants being discharged by big factories to the detriment of poor sections, , is a challege to the social justice component of the rule of law.

India has survived due to public interest litigations, without which the common man would been wiped off by the so-called developers. Now a major section of the Corporates is also following the Green laws of our country being afraid of activists going to Courts challenging violation.

Why we are not able to manage the waste, which is the main cause of polluting the rivers as well as the land? A responsible Government authority, with responsibility, constituted for the precise purpose of preserving public health is the need of the hour. The Committees, Conventions, Commissions and Pollution Control Boards without any accountability will not save any portion of the environment. A serious thinking is essential to keep the environment and to protect the bio-diversity.  If any environment is available, today it is only due to the interference of the Supreme Court of India, which issued directions to provide justice to the nature. Sustainable development does not mean destruct the environment and develop the country. Development does not mean industrialization. Development can be achieved without industrial activity. The modern Singapore is an example of the same where there is no industrial activity or agricultural activity but keeps its environmental friendly. Enactment of environmental laws and its blatant infringement is commons sight in many States. The only restriction which is being enforced to a large extent is the smoking in public places.

India can be developed by multiple land use in different parts of the country by a proper planning. A State suitable for tourism is not suitable for the establishment of a polluting industry. You cannot expect a tourist in a resort functioning next to a cement factory.  It is not possible to establish a factory , which emits smoke and dust, in a thickly populated State. States suitable for agricultural purposes should not be allowed to be converted into industrial state. The Central Government should identify the States and their potential to develop and encourage such type of development that suits them. It should be shown that development can be done without industrialization. To make Swatch Bharat, what we need is Swatch Vayu and Swtach Paani without which people cannot survive to enjoy the fruits of development. Environment and development should go hand in hand.


[1] http://www.vox.com/2015/2/24/8094597/india-air-pollution-deaths

[2] Ratlam Municipality case, AIR 1980 SC 1622

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