The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role
By- Nanipalkhivala
Important Long/ Detailed Answer Type Questions- to be answered in about 100 -150 words each Value-based questions-
1. How does the author justify his statement about the critical condition of our ailing Planet?
Ans. The earth today looks like a patient in declining health. The natural resources are declining. There are four principal systems which support life on earth—fisheries, forests, grasslands and agriculture. They form the global economic system. But man has overexploited all the four sources. Fisheries have collapsed. Forests are disappearing. Pasturelands are turning into wastelands because of overgrazing. Agriculture is also in a bad state. In this protein-hungry world, nobody bothers about the future. Laws are rarely respected or enforced honestly. The results are disturbing. Indian forests have been reduced to one-tenth of their former size in the last 40 years. There is a wild race to strip the earth of all its resources. The root cause of this problem is population growth. The survival of our race and the planet depends on family planning and the removal of poverty.
2. How does Nani palkhiwala underline the importance of forests for the survival of all sorts of life on earth?
Ans. Forests are man’s real friends. They sustain themselves if we destroy them carefully. They provide food to the people and raw material to industries. When forests are cleared mindlessly, deserts overtake or expand. Many species of birds and animals disappear. The burning question today is how to check deforestation. This world belongs as much to us as to our successors or grandchildren. Hence, it is our moral duty to keep it green, fertile and rich in natural wealth. It is rightly said that there were vast forests and grasslands before man came on the scene. But it seems in the next stage there will be only deserts and wastelands. Indian constitution provides that the states shall protect the environment and safeguard the forests as well as wildlife. But who cares?
3. How is the growing human population responsible for the declining health of the earth?
Ans. Undoubtedly, the number game is going to decide the future of human society. The rapid growth of population is our enemy number one. It not only all development activities but also reduces the existing resources. The world population was 100 crore up to the year 1800. The next century added 100 crores more. But at the end of the 20th century, the population touched the figure of 600 crores.
One way to check the population boom is to improve the quality of life and spread education. But today, the rich are becoming richer while the poor are producing more and more children. One alternative is to sterilise the people by using force. But that step is not practical. The only effective means is to spread the message of family planning, educate the people and make them aware of the dangers of overpopulation.
4. Why is it necessary for the present generation to leave the earth in a good enough condition for future generations?
Ans. This earth of ours is our common property. We are sharing it with all sorts of living things and creatures. They have as much right to exist as we human beings. Secondly, we alone do not have a freehold on this earth. It is not our freehold property. We are only, tenants, on the earth for our lifetime. We have, In fact, not inherited the earth from our forefathers. We have only borrowed it from our children. We have no moral right to use up all the resources to meet our present needs and urge for comforts. We can not leave it barren for our grandchildren. Since we are only the trustees of this planet, we have to save it and leave it, rich in minerals and food. This is the minimum we can do for our descendants.
5. Sum up in brief, the views and observations of NaniPalkhiwala about the present and future of our planet?
Ans. The green movement is gripping the attention of the world today. It was started in 1972 in New Zealand. The earth, we now accept, is a living organism. Its vital parts need to be preserved.
Unfortunately, our earth looks more like an ailing patient than a healthy being. We are robbing it of all the forests, minerals and other resources. Man, it seems, has become the world’s most dangerous animal. For our own present-day comforts we are cutting forests mindlessly, overfishing in the water bodies, overgrazing our flocks on the grasslands, and over-cropping the land.
The blame squarely lies on the growth of population. The pressure of people is destroying all the resources. Nobody in India respects or enforces laws. There is nobody to improve the environment and safeguard the forests as well as wildlife. To save the planet population boom should be checked through family planning. Our generation is ‘only a trustee of the earth which truly belongs to future generations.
The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role- Introduction
The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role- Important Word-Meanings of difficult words
The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role- Short & Detailed Summary
The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role- Summary in Hindi – Full Text
The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role- Important Extra Questions Short Answer Type
The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role- Important Extra Questions Value-Based Answer Type
