Dr. John Mohan Razu
We live amidst wars. There are ceasefires, but none respects. Ceasefires though agreed by the warring countries, but bombing of countries without ceasing continues. We live in a world where wars and conflicts loom at large. The powerful thinks that wars and conflicts can be prolonged. Despite countries that are at war spends millions of dollars per day for the missiles, bombs, drones, war machines, personnels, and modes. Waging wars and sustenance of wars are expensive. The countries that enter or caught into the web of wars cannot exit as they like.
Those countries that conquered or annexed territories by waging wars continue the tempo, but the countries that are at the receiving ends are in no position to end the wars, because they have no cards. This is what we see happening across the world. Wars are like spider webs. The wars strategies and planning are like spirals that coils and in the process squeezes as if there’s nothing is left. The victors continue to be in celebration mood and their victories and advancements, but have hardly introspected and reflected on the devastation.
The wars at present happening across the Earth Planet have severely affected the seas. For instance, the sea affected by the Russia-Ukraine war is the Black Sea connected to it equally impacted is the adjacent sea of Azov. The war has severely affected these waters. Military strikes on port and commercial tankers have caused catastrophic spills of oil, impacting hundreds of square kilometres of marine eco-systems.The conflict is also linked to uncharacteristic surges in dolphins strandings and habitat degradation along coast-lines.
Similarly,Israel-America waging war against Iranis heavily affecting maritime security across the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, theGulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and the Red Sea. These seas have been occupied by the aircraft carriers, naval and commercial ships, oil tankers that spills oil and host of other wastes to the tune of tons. As the war is escalating between America-Israel and Iran, the stakes are running high. As a result, the consequences for seas apparently aredevastating those species and marine lifeliving in the oceans and seas .
The leaders of those countries waging wars and those who support them keep celebrating the gains of wars and thus displaying their military strength and the technological prowess. While on the other has deeply affected and left behind poisoned rivers and seas, scorched forests, contaminated oceans, darkened skies, and displaced many millions across the world.We may think that the wars destroycountries’ economy and the routine life-cycles of humans, but they create deep fissures and wounds and, in the process, tears the very fabric of nature that sustains life of all who habitat.
The war machines in the forms of air-craft carriers and naval boats and other commercial vessels carrying thousands and millions of litres of oil and petroleum products and other goods and service on seas for hundreds of years especially during wartimes carry nuclear bombs, missiles, fighter jets, and drones. These war-machines, arms, and arsenals target the enemy ships and other supportsystems and paraphernalia and the debris fall into the seas and oceans creating all sorts of environmental catastrophes.
As a consequence,environmental damages are marked by instant devastation of ecosystems, highly toxic radioactive fallout, and pronounced localised climatic disturbances like climatic changes such as extreme hot and cold temperatures, irregular rains, and black rain. Globally as well as locally ecosystems right across is facing catastrophes. We have been facing all kinds environment-related problems.In some parts extreme weather conditions, perennial floods, erratic climates conditions, floods, unprecedented rains, forest fires, and many other unprecedented happenings both at the global and local levels. For all these,we as Homo sapiens meddling with nature.
Wheether it is God or Nature;we believe in the infinite. Planet Earth functions in accordance its laws. Nature is the substance around which everything revolves. All those that are connected operates in accordance to its laws such as biological laws, physical laws, and other types of scientific laws. It is basic. Foundational, and fundamental to respect the Planet Earth that habitats thousands and millions of species that include Homo sapiens as well. Each and every species whether living or non-living survives or even can be said living as per the laws.
One may call it as God or Nature, but all these are regulated by laws. The problem is we as Homo sapiens tend to be at the center. Other species too live by their own laws. It is an irony that we would like to have all sorts of comforts for which we use Nature for our comfortable and luxurious living. Since our wants or desires are unlimited, we go all out to ravage the natural resources. We are propelled by our greed, whereas other co-existing species—both living and non-living co-exists by contributing its resources to our existence.
Present day warfare demonstrates egos, valour, supremacy, arrogance, dominance, greed being propelled by me, my race, my people and my country forgetting mutual co-existence, live and let-live, and Vasudeva kudubangam—a global village. When wars and conflicts occur, all these are forgotten and every leader and every nation acts on his/her ego goes out for wars. Ecological devastation resulting from the ongoing war not only endangers human life on earth,but also the other species as well. Nature has never been partial.
If one part or domain of nature is affected the entire Planet Earth gets infected. Injuries caused by humans manifests alarminglyLet us be judicious and show serious concern and caution in our thought processes and actions. Mother Nature/Planet Earth gets affected by our insensitive actions, we as a humanity are doomed. We are at a critical juncture. We, by all means safeguard and protect our Planet Earth/Mother Earth. Our words and actions should manifest our sensitivity. We ought to think and act before converting our cities and neighbourhood to concrete jungles. Our conception of development and progress ought to align with protecting and promoting nature—part of us.
