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By:

Vishal Varma

4 June 2026 at 8:13:26 am

A Planet in Peril, a Generation on Call

Every year on June 5, the world observes World Environment Day—a global reminder that the future of humanity is inseparably linked with the future of nature. Yet this day should not remain limited to ceremonial tree plantations, public campaigns, or symbolic declarations. It must become an occasion for reflection, responsibility, and meaningful action. For decades, nature has sustained human civilization by providing clean air, water, fertile land, biodiversity, and climatic balance. In...

A Planet in Peril, a Generation on Call

Every year on June 5, the world observes World Environment Day—a global reminder that the future of humanity is inseparably linked with the future of nature. Yet this day should not remain limited to ceremonial tree plantations, public campaigns, or symbolic declarations. It must become an occasion for reflection, responsibility, and meaningful action. For decades, nature has sustained human civilization by providing clean air, water, fertile land, biodiversity, and climatic balance. In return, human activity has increasingly placed pressure on ecosystems through excessive consumption, uncontrolled development, and unsustainable lifestyles. Today, environmental protection is no longer a matter of choice or idealism; it has become a necessity for survival. The present environmental condition across the world presents a serious warning. Climate change, rising temperatures, water scarcity, air pollution, deforestation, and declining biodiversity are reshaping life as we know it. Weather events that once appeared exceptional are becoming increasingly frequent and severe. Heat waves, erratic rainfall, floods, droughts, and ecological disturbances are affecting both urban and rural communities. Cities continue to struggle with deteriorating air quality and mounting waste generation, while villages face shrinking water resources and changing agricultural patterns. The imbalance between development and environmental sustainability is no longer an abstract concern-it directly influences public health, food security, economic stability, and social well-being. The challenge before humanity is clear: progress cannot continue at the cost of the environment. Sustainable development must become the foundation of future growth. The Challenges Environmental degradation is not caused by a single factor. It is the result of multiple interconnected challenges. Rapid urbanisation, excessive dependence on plastic, depletion of groundwater, industrial pollution, large-scale deforestation, and irresponsible exploitation of natural resources continue to intensify ecological stress. Equally concerning is the lack of environmental awareness and the tendency to prioritise short-term economic gains over long-term sustainability. Policies and regulations alone cannot solve environmental problems unless they are supported by active public participation and responsible civic behaviour. The environment cannot be protected through annual campaigns alone-it requires continuous commitment and behavioural change. The Responsibility Protecting the environment is not solely the responsibility of governments, institutions, or international organisations. Every individual has a role to play. Small actions, when adopted collectively, create meaningful impact. Conserving water and electricity, reducing plastic consumption, segregating waste, adopting sustainable consumption habits, planting and nurturing trees, and using public transport are practical steps that contribute significantly to environmental preservation. Environmental responsibility must become part of everyday life-in homes, schools, colleges, workplaces, and communities. The objective is not to stop development but to ensure that development remains in harmony with nature. To protect nature is to protect our own future. Green Transformation Young people represent one of the most powerful forces for environmental change. Their energy, innovation, adaptability, and capacity for leadership make them central to building a sustainable society. Educational institutions can become important centres for environmental action by promoting environmental education, water conservation initiatives, cleanliness drives, plantation campaigns, and plastic-free practices. Beyond physical participation, young people possess another powerful tool-digital influence. Through responsible use of social media and community engagement, youth can spread awareness, inspire behavioural change, and mobilise collective action. Environmental movements gain strength when young citizens move from participation to leadership. The environmental challenges of tomorrow demand leaders who act today. World Environment Day should not remain a date on the calendar—it should become a turning point in our relationship with nature. The choices we make today will define the world inherited by future generations. Environmental protection is not an act of sacrifice; it is an investment in human survival and shared prosperity. Nature has given humanity more than we can repay. Yet the time has come to begin. Save the Environment. Secure the Future. The debt we owe to nature can only be repaid through action. (The writer is an assistant professor at Dayanand Commerce College based in Latur. Views personal.)

Why is Mamata Seeing Ghost of Bangladesh?

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

Why is Mamata Seeing Ghost of Bangladesh?

Mamata is seeing a ghost of Bangladesh behind the massive outrage and waves of protest over rape and murder of the trainee doctor. And the reasons are many.

It’s been over a fortnight. Yet with each passing day the voice of protest is getting louder and stronger. From the streets of Kolkata it’s pouring into roads of hinterland. The cry for justice for a rape victim has consolidated into a wail of demands to set a lot of wrongdoings right. Here in lies the fear and trepidation. Wasn’t the issue that brought the youth of Bangladesh out on the thoroughfares a simple, innocent one of quota reform?

The chief minister of Bengal, known for understanding the pulse of people better than many, was quick to read the signages floating in the political horizon.

The most obvious reason for her to be tensed is that both the regime change in Bangladesh and the mass protest in Bengal, were student-driven to begin with. The two incidents---end of 15 year old Sheikh Hasina government and turbulence in West Bengal, over the heinous crime, falling back to back, the first on August 5th and the latter from August 9th onwards, give natural scope for comparisons. More so, because in both the cases the movement strayed beyond an affected constituency to include aggrieved people at large, cutting across socio-economic demography. If the quota reform protest started by students in Bangladesh became a mass uprising against an autocratic regime, the campaign demanding justice for the rape victim and overall safety and security of women in Mamata Banerjee’s Bengal soon snowballed into a movement of no-confidence against the government. Slogans--”Mamata must resign” also got floated in social media much in line with the call for ouster of Sheikh Hasina. In fact “Resignation of Hasina” became the single point agenda into which all other fringe demands coalesced.

Incidentally, even before people started drawing parallels, that there could be a thread of commonality in the way the upheaval in Bangladesh and Bengal played out, Mamata was quick to point out that the Opposition were trying to pull off a Bangladesh by politicizing the tragic incident: “A coordinated approach has been executed by the BJP and the CPIM with support from the Centre to defame Bengal and exploit the situation....They want to make a Bangladesh here. They are taking cues from student unrest in Bangladesh and are attempting to capture similarly. I have no longing for the chair. I came here to serve people.”

Not only Mamata, her political lieutenants are consistently equating the turmoil in Bengal with the mayhem in Bangladesh. Cabinet minister for North Bengal development Udayan Guha threatened to take stern action against those, who would be trying to exploit the situation by emulating a Bangladesh like movement. “ Even after the hospital was vandalised, the police did not open fire on anyone. The police will not allow a Bangladesh type situation. We will not allow Bengal to turn into Bangladesh, Guha thundered.

Is the government’s fear unfounded?

Apart from the similarities on ground zero, as to how and where the future course of events are heading to, there are ample reasons for Bengal to mull on-- as to what led to a Bangladesh like boiling point. To begin with, it’ll be appropriate to talk of Bangladesh and the prevailing situation, that made the students’ protest become big in magnitude. The students were out on the streets because of a high reservation in public jobs. Unemployment and stagnant job market in private sector coupled with a high rate of inflation drove the educated youth to rebel against the government.

But soon the students found enormous number of sympathisers, who were equally at the receiving end. According to Bangladesh citizens, the last two terms of the Sheikh Hasina government were a mockery of democracy. Even elections would be compromised. As Hasina grew from strength to strength, she politicized institutions. The rank and file of police owed allegiance to the ruling dispensation. Extortion, harrassment and raids by police and people in power became rampant. An atmosphere of fear and repression reigned and people got restless to overthrow the government.

Politicization of institutions has been happening in Mamata government too. Allegations are quite strong that police in Bengal functions at the beck and call of political bosses. The lapses and alleged loopholes on the part of police in handling the rape and murder of the young doctor have yet again revealed a sense of confused or misplaced loyalty.

But above everything else both Hasina and Mamata governments allegedly seem to have twined in accepting corruption as a way of life. In Bangladesh jobs of primary and secondary teachers got sold at premium, Rs 10-12 lakh in the Hasina regime. Even police had to pay up for prized postings and transfers. In Bengal busting of the teacher’s recruitment scam has revealed how unsuccessful and ineligible candidates got government jobs in schools in exchange of bribes.

Similarities are multiple and inescapable. Mamata has good reasons to be apprehensive. It’s not only she, who can see and connect the dots. People, out on the streets, clamoring for justice, can see a providential pattern somewhere in the unfolding of future events in these two places-- Bangladesh and Bengal. True, they share more than 2,217 odd km of border. They share the same umbilical cord, other than language, culture, ethos, icons. Even emotions are the same. So she cannot take any risk.

(The writer is a senior jounalist based in Kolkata. Views personal)

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