Many Disasters Are Man Made - Essay, UPSC MAINS | Course for UPPSC Preparation - UPPSC (UP) PDF Download

Many Disasters Are Man Made

structure

(1) Opening    —    Quote

(2) Body    —    Effect on nature due to development

        * Nuclear power 

        * Ecological Problems. 

        * Mining 

        *Deforestation

* Oil Spills  

        * Bhopal, Chernobyl

    —    Reasons

        * Over population  

        * Greed  

        * Carelessness  

        * Lack of knowledge 

* Unplanned development

(3) Closing    —    Need to protect environment.

    —    Sustainable development

Gandhiji once said that of all the creations in this world, man is the only one who was so created that he could understand his maker. Science and technology gave tools in the hands of man that helped him unravel many mysteries. But unfortunately, not only were these tools used to understand nature but also to alter it and many times with disastrous consequences. Man got nuclear power to get energy but man created Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Chernobyl, Seven Mile Island and numerous other. We call floods, earthquakes and land slides as natural disasters. But how many of us know that behind many of them lies the hand of man. Excessive mining not only denudes the surface of earth but also causes landslides and earthquakes. Excessive grazing and cutting of trees has already converted large parts of Himalayas from a rich reservoir of plants and animals to a barren land. Man has not even spared sea from his exploitative hands. The oil spills in the Gulf, of Alaska Coast and near Shetland islands are clear evidences. Man has not even spared his fellowmen’s lives. Who can forget Bhopal where criminal negligence of a few cost thousands of lives and made many blind.

Why is it that man, who is a part of the ecosystem and whose existence is completely dependent upon protecting the ecological cycle is hell-bent upon destroying it? The reason is not far to seek. Over population, man’s greed for more profit, carelessness and lack of knowledge are a few reasons why man has become a danger to this world. Man learnt how to play with nature’s laws. Nature has its own law to bring the numbers of various species to a equilibrium. Man broke the law. He learnt how to reduce the death rate but cared little to do the same for the birth rate. The result was obvious—population explosion. Uncontrolled growth of population has resulted in destruction of forests, over exploitation of fertile land by the use of chemicals and also more pollution. Isn’t it excess population that has forced man to fell trees to develop agricultural land and concrete jungles? Isn’t it the result of over population that has created so much pressure on rural economy that people are running to the cities and in turn this is creating slums in the cities, where not only are living conditions highly unhygienic but living itself is very dangerous with higher crime rates and accidents?

Also, man’s greed for more money has made him compromise many times with other people’s lives. He develops huge industries but cares little about the pollution that the industry is going to cause or even about the safety of workers and residents. What happened in Bhopal could have been prevented had the owners of the company considered it their responsibility that proper safety measures be taken. Even after accident had taken place had they done their part in relief operation many lives could have been saved and many more prevented from blindness.

Frequent oil spills have caused heavy damage to the marine life. Oil drenched birds gasping for breath, thick sludge of oil floating on the sea like a dreadful monster create horrible sight. And the main reasons for these accidents are outdated ships, loose safety regulations and gross negligence by those operating the ship. No one wants to spend money to improve technology to fight oil spill lest their profit be eroded. They know least that the way birds are gasping for breath today, the day will not be far when we would be in the same position if the present trend continues.

While it is not bad to use nature for our benefit, it must not be at the cost of our environment and health and well being of plants and animals on this earth. We must know where to draw the line. This beautiful earth is our mother, it has given us life, so precious a thing. If we can’t improve, let us, at least, not degrade it.