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Earth day is celebrated across the world every year on 22nd April. The primary objective is to create awareness for people to be more environment friendly. It was in 1970 during the height of the counter culture when war in Vietnam raged on, the then youth of the day were receptive to the idea of day to honour the planet Earth. As Earth Day Network states in their website, “Earth Day 1970 gave voice to that emerging consciousness, channelling the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns on the front page.” The timing would not have been better as Americans faced a massive oil spill in California the previous year. Thereafter by 2010 Earth Day was observed in 194 countries across the globe. Internet is also playing a big role in spreading awareness and to sign pledges and to conduct various campaigns.
In Nagaland too various seminars and workshops are conducted to mark the observance of Earth Day and even rallies are being planned as usual. The Government have also rightly used music as a medium to spread awareness and also to catch the attention of the young people of the state. Slogans of dos and don’ts to mark the observance of Earth Day is seen in plenty both online and offline.
But as the music subsides and the signing of pledges completes some no doubt not relevant to our local context we will carry on with our usual normal lives, Nagas will continue to have chlorinated water in our fast losing rivers and stream. When the Americans conducted campaigns in the 70s not to use pesticides in farms some of us here still use pesticides to catch the last remnants of fishes in our rivers.
However the biggest environmental concern now is the depleting water levels in all the rivers in Nagaland especially during the winter. The majestic Dhansiri looks more like a drain during the winters. The amount of rain is not a factor but it can be directly attributed to deforestation. Nagaland still has abundant green cover but it has lost almost all the big trees and water absorption has lessened over the years. Mudslides and landslides have increased with loss of live in some cases.
On this day as we mark Earth Day 2016, a closer study is required than mere paper and digital campaigns. On the spot study of our environment by experts is the need of the hour. Tourism and Environment has to be linked-up in Nagaland else both the areas stand to lose. Expeditions and study tours like a river trail to the mouth of Doyang , a trail of river Dhansiri, would rather go a long way than just making our youngsters sing “I love Mother Earth”!!