Essay on the importance of Science Education

All of a sudden, the craze for high salaried jobs is driving youngsters to B. Tech and MBA course. And who is not after high for it assures better quality of life and status in society? Even think on those lines.

And there are graduates from IITs and even colleges who find greater satisfaction in the Civil Services.' growing feeling that scientific research or science is one of the casualties of the trends that take away the best brains looking for past promise higher monetary awards. Let us hope that this could be passing phase and that this could be only a passing phase and that science education and scientific research will get back its dormant glory sooner than later.

Even before CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) came into being, India had given birth to such brilliant minds as Srinivas Ramanujan, C.V. Raman, J.C. Bose, S.N. Bose, Meghnad Saha, Birbal Sahni and others. Great scientists of Indian origin like Dr. Subramaniam Chandrashekar and Dr. Hargobind Khorana have shown that, if given opportunities, Indians can excel others.

We have indeed a sound base in scientific research in CSIR set up even before Independence. The late Dr. Ramaswami Mudaliar piloted a resolution in the Legislative Assembly in 1941 to launch the CSIR on its career and it was given to the great Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar to take care of this infant organisation.

From a mere two laboratories in 1947, the CSIR has today 38 laboratories and 47 regional centers pursuing research and development in a range of diverse fields, biological science and technology, chemical science and technology, aerospace science and technology, earth science and technology, engineering science and technology, food science and technology, health care science and technology and housing construction and technology.

The CSIR family is 22, 000 strong including 5,300 scientists, 60 percent of who hold PhD, or M.Tech degrees. There are other scientific bodies like the ICMR, ICAR, Department of Atomic Energy, ISRO, DRDO and others. We have to strengthen these bases and expand our R&D activities of world class excellence. Recently the University Grants Commission set up a task force for the Basic Scientific Research in Universities, which presented a set of recommendations for popularizing research in areas of basic sciences, life sciences, mathematical sciences and chemical sciences.

Some of the major recommendations of the Task Force for Basic Scientific Research in Universities include: creation of 1,000 positions of research scientists equivalent to that of lecturer, reader and professor; establishing 10 networking centers in basic sciences in leading departments of universities and national institutions including CSIR laboratories, upgrading infrastructural facilities and setting up modern laboratories; increasing the number of PhDs five fold in ten years; earmarking a grant of Rs. 600 crore annually for implementing scientific research in universities; introducing five-year integrated MSc programmes for Plus Two students and Integrated PhD programmes for graduates in select universities; mandatory inclusion of research component in all postgraduate science and technology courses and; introducing 50 fellowships in all universities for pursuing doctoral research in basic sciences.

The Western world, more particularly, the US and the UK, has already recognized the Indian scientific talent. During his visit to India in September 2005 the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair proposed his country would collaborate with India on what he called "world research". The UK-India Education and Research Initiative, backed the British Government funding, will link centres of academic excellence India and the UK through 70 new research projects over the next five years.

"Backed by a 12 million pound of Government money, and nearly 5 million pound in cash or kind from private sector partners, the initiative will allow split PhDs and research fellowships, and increased academic exchanges," said Mr. Blair. Recently, Mr. Chris Patten; Chancellor Oxford University, visited India to tap the booming education m the: There is concern that American universities are overtaking British counterparts in attracting Indian students. There are nearly 80,000 Indian in students on American campuses compared to 17,000 in Brit

Don't we want to retain the preeminent position we enjoy in science and scientific research? At the 2005 Indian Science Congress, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had observed: "I am concerned by fact that our best minds are not turning to science, and those who dc not remain in science."

Many of our boys and girls win medals International Science Olympiads, and there it ends, and most of them fail to pursue science as a career. The only silver lining is that there few who go abroad and come back with their substantial experience enrich our development efforts or support Indian science and technology from their countries of residence.

How can we promote purposeful science education after the 1 stage? Dr. R. Chidambaram, Principal Scientific Adviser to Government of India, says: "We could begin by getting universities; India to provide high quality science education structured around year integrated MSc programmes that seem to attract better students than the BSc. courses.

In India, most universities do not have in house undergraduate training which is done through affiliated colleges quality of teaching would show marked improvement if undergraduate science education was embedded in a postgraduate environment course, there are universities, like the Banaras Hindu University, which have both undergraduate and postgraduates courses. We should id a few of them with integrated MSc courses and give those subs grants to improve their facilities and faculties."

It would be desirable to have a close interaction between universities and R&D institutions in order to popularize scientific research and induce good scientists from the national laboratories to teach part universities or colleges and help students have access to ongoing scientific research work in top institutions.

India produces 1.6 million science graduates every year. It is high time the government, universities and the industry thought as to how best they can provide higher education and training within the country in order that we get the best of services from our budding scientists. If we want to mould the best brains from our graduates, we have to pay attractive salary to our teachers as well.

According to Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, Director-General, CSIR, and President, Indian National Science Academy today Asia-Pacific region (45 percent) is leading in the area of scientific research followed by the European Union (32 percent) arid the US (20 percent).

Both India and China are leading the race in becoming global R&D hubs. A recent report by Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council of India (TIFAC) shows that India has emerged as a global R&D hub. According to TIFAC study (1998-2003), several ma 'or international firms have set up R&D centers in India with investment. It worth $1.13 billion (Rs. 5,027.6 crore) and planned investment of $4 J billion (Rs. 20,036 crore). In the top 100 R&D centers, around 23,000 Indians have been employed. So far as good.

If we want to consolidate our gains in science and technology, nay, steal a march over the rest of the world, we have to go along the steps as outlined by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. There is already a state of panic in the US as the Asia-Pacific region is surging ahead in scientific research. The US President, Mr. Geroge W. Bush in his January-end State of the Union Address, unveiled $136 billion (Rs. 6,05,336 crore) American Competitiveness Initiative, including an extra $50 billion (Rs. 2,22,550 crore) for spending on scientific research and a recruitment drive for 70,000 extra science teachers over the next five years.

In 1998, we foresaw India emerging as a Knowledge Superpower and at the dawn of the New Millennium as a BPO Superpower and now we can hope to sustain the momentum as R&D hub by giving a great fillip to science education, thereby creating a world-class scientific pool in the country.

Essay on food

Good food is a basic need of human body. It is of prime importance in the attainment of normal growth and development. The role of nutrition food cannot be neglect­ed in the promotion of health and prevention of disease.

The human body can be compared to a machine, Just as an engine burns up coal or oil in order to generate its energy, so the human body requires food in order to produce the forces which keep the heart beating, the lungs breathing and the limbs moving. But the discovery of vitamins at the turn of the present century has 'rediscovered' the science of nutrition.

Since then great advances have been made in the field of nutrition. Gradually, nutrition is assuming increasing importance in a country like India where nutri­tional diseases are not only widely prevalent, but they modify the course of events of almost any clinical disorder.

In recent years the influence of mal-nutrition in the area of mental retardation is being actively investigated. In the more developed countries of the world, nutritional problems are somewhat different. Over nutrition is encountered much more frequently than under nutrition.

The health hazards from over nutrition are on increase in mortality and higher incidence of many diseases. So the nutrition of people throughout the world is one of the greatest international Problems of the present day.

The terms food and nutrition are sometimes used synonymously, but that is not correct. Food is a composite mixture of various substances, the quantity of which may vary from a fraction of a gram in certain cases to hundred of grams in other the term foodstuff is defined as anything which can be used as food'. Nutrition on the other hand, signifies a dynamic process in which the food that is consumed is utilized for nourishing the body.

National Calamities

National Calamities are those calamities which often occur everywhere in the world when God's fury shows up in different ways. In any National Calamity, nature's elements appear to get completely out of control and show their anger on man and his world, and the result is disaster for man, and his property.

Mother shows its wrath on man by a variety of means, they being earthquakes, volcanoes. Water shows anger by means of floods and wind comes in all its glory by way of a tornado.

Thus we see that, each element of nature which helps man in his survival, also shows its wrath in different ways, and the result of each is disaster of some magnitude, big or small.

In these ways the elements destroy unaccounted man and material, and depict to man in no ambiguous terms that, nature does not like to be misused or over strained. Besides, it is these tragedies that also show man how helpless he still is, in these days of technological advancement.

These happenings are called natural calamities because they show man that though he is quite advanced on the path of controlling nature and capturing it. Nature is still ahead of man. It gives a befitting reply to man for his highhandedness from time to time. Even with the most sophisticated mechanical devices, man is still far behind his target of taming nature.

Man has no hand in these calamities but, if he is a little more alert and careful and foresees the event, he can help in at least minimizing the losses. On an earthquake and a volcano, man has absolutely no control, and there is also no way by which man can foresee the occurrence. It is only flood that man can predict and take adequate precaution.

The making of bridges and dams would obviously decrease the losses that floods cause, and the water will also be utilized when required. With regard to a tornado also, man can to some extent visualise the havoc it may create as the winds, their direction and velocity can be assessed fairly accurately well before the event.

When a flood or a tornado is expected, the villages and small settlements near the approach of these can be evacuated well in time, and lives of men and cattle and property be saved.

Though man has truly achieved a lot of headway in saving himself from the wrath of these elements of nature, they can never be completely controlled and dismissed as non­existent. This reality man should clearly understand and at least to some extent give in to nature by not disturbing it.

To a great extent man has succeeded in warding off the hazards of these calamities but it is loud and clear for man to understand that, the unseen hand can still slap some tragedies on man's earth by means of some unforeseen disasters.

Essay on Strike

A strike is the refusal of an organized body of working men to continue their work except on certain conditions. Some people denounce strikes as always wrong and foolish and even say they should be forbidden by law and put down by force. Such people know nothing of the history of strikes, nor of the great benefits have they secured for the working classes.

Strikes are a natural result or our modern industrial system. They came into fashion with the present age of machinery and large factories. Before workmen had learnt the secret of combination, they were at the mercy of rich and powerful employers who kept wages low and forced them to work for long hours. They could do this, because each individual workman, poor and ignorant, was no match for a rich and influential employer. If he did not agree to employer’s hard terms, he could be dismissed; and there were dozens ready to take his place. He must submit or starve.

Then the workmen learnt that unity is strength and they banded themselves into organized societies called Trade Unions. Formerly, when a singly workman demanded higher wages, he was promptly kicked out; but when all workmen in a factory struck in a body, or refused to work unless higher wages were given, the employers usually had to give in sooner of late or ruin his business.

But, of course, there are evils and dangers connected with strikes. Even when they are successful, they cause a lot of suffering to the workmen themselves, great damage and hardship to the public and, when they fail, they often make matters worse than they are before. Sometimes, too, they are unjustifiable and tyrannical. In fact, we may say that they like wars are necessary evils in present state of society. Sometimes, wars are necessary and so are strikes. It will be a blessing when all industrial disputes and all international quarrels are settled by arbitration.

Is Government Going Out of Fashion?

Economic thinking, akin to fashion, changes so quickly that yesterday’s truths become today’s falsehoods, yesterday’s oddities, and today’s dogma. Once, not long ago, state control of a large area of the economy was accepted. Then came Thatcherism and Reaganomics; state intervention in the economy was attacked and privatization came to be increasingly in vogue. The late Eighties and early Nineties saw the collapse of socialism and central planning. Markets assumed dominance, ‘market forces’ became the catch phrase.

In the past, too much was entrusted to the state and it delivered very little, especially in the field of production. Perhaps in violent reaction to that non – performance, today economists call for the other extreme – that there is no need for a regulatory mechanism devised by the state to oversee even basis economic activities. Does the government, then, have no role at all in the economy?

It is interesting to note that in the world’s largest economy, namely, the USA, or in other industrialized countries, government intervention had a major role to play when the foundations for rapid economic growth in an overall market setting were being laid. Well – known America economist, Dr. Joseph E. Stieglitz, has pointed out that there is a third way’, or ‘many third ways’, between the two extremes of rigid state control and laissez faire.

The US in 1863 passed a National Banking Act that helped to create a national financial stability. The East Asian economies – the miracles of modern times – would not have been what they are without state intervention. Governments played a major role in universalizing education and creating an education aided human capital – which was instrumental in the transformation of those economies. Again, in the US, too, in the late eighteenth century, the federal government took the initiative to set aside land for public educational institutions. It was the government which helped to establish the public university system in the US.

If technology played an important part in the economic development of the industrialized countries and East Asia it may well be worth remembering that government policies and active participation by the state in research activities and financial support went a long way to build up technological capabilities. The US government has financed much research activity in telecommunications and agriculture. Indeed, the internet was the creation of the US government in the late sixties. Today, and in the future, government has to take up the challenge of environment degradation besides maintaining safety nets in appropriate areas.

As Dr. Stieglitz points out, “much of the role of government can be viewed as establishing infrastructure in its broadest sense – the “technological, educational, financial, environmental, and social infrastructure of an economy”. Markets cannot work in a vacuum and this infrastructure is necessary if markets are to fulfill their role in increasing wealth and living standards. And the broad infrastructure can be constructed primarily by the government as it would be beyond the capacity of any single firm. Furthermore, as the scope of the market expands, the state has to bring in fresh regulations which, in turn, would lead to further expansion and strengthening of the market.

There are some constants as far as the role of government in the economy is concerned. These are in the fields of education, building appropriate institutional infrastructures and assisting and supplementing markets. And in these areas the role of government remains crucial. Government, then, is not going out of fashion; only certain of their functions are becoming obsolete.

Prize distribution

Prize distribution is one of the important functions of a school. It is a memorable event of the institution. It is held generally a few days before the examinations and marks the end of the academic year.

The function in our school was held in the first week of July. It was held in the school hall. The director of education was invited to preside over the function. The rooms were white­washed and cleaned. The school compound was decorated with flower pots and banners. Maps, pictures and paintings were hung on the walls Chairs were arranged for the visitors. The stage was beautifully decorated. Prizes were arranged neatly on a separate table. The prize-winners sat near the stage.

The chief guest arrived exactly on time. He was received by the principal and other members of the staff at the gate. The school band played the national anthem. The scouts gave him a guard of honour. He was taken to the hall by the principal and members of the committee.

A song preceded the function. It was followed by a short drama. The principal read the annual report about the progress, examination results and extra-curricular activities of the school. The chief guest gave away the prizes. I also won a prize for standing first in my class. After that the chief guest delivered a short speech. He praised the school for its all-round progress and talked to the students about their duties and responsibilities.

The principal thanked the chief guest and the function came to an end amidst cheers.

Leisure

Leisure is that sweetest of moments when a man has nothing specific to do, when he is his own master and can dispose of his spare time at his own sweet will. Not only is a man then free from work, he is with an unoccupied mind.

The necessity for having a rest from work and worry cannot be too much stressed. It has been said—sweet is pleasure after pain, i.e. labour. Nothing wears out a man both physically and mentally as continuous pre-occupation with worldly matters.

Most men, therefore, find life a strenuous business. This is the tragedy of life; work and work —both are equally unavoidable yet both are equally tiresome. The continuity of this chain has to be broken now and then to enable one to recover one's freshness, to take mind off, on a holiday. Leisure breaks upon the monotony of existence with a touch of variety. Man's life is usually bound by routine; leisure affords an opportunity to escape out of the compulsions of routine and breathe the fresh air of freedom. This, therefore, is always a source of joy whenever it comes.

But the problem is—how to acquire leisure. Life is not an easy affair these days. The mere task of keeping the body and soul together strains resources to the utmost limit. To live well one has to be incessantly toiling, just to earn that extra bit of money. We all are slaves to necessities.

Hence, the problem of having a work-free period is difficult to solve. The best way to do it is to have a socialistic society, where work is rationed in terms of social needs. But that society still remains an ideal. The old-school people say — if your work does not give you anything more than mere subsistence, be contented with that, and instead of multiplying hours of work to win a surplus income — to bring grist to the mill-take and hour or two off to wander away into the dreamland of your fancy or thoughts of God or religion.

But suppose we have snatched a period of leisure from the tyranny of routine, very few of us know how to spend our work-free hours. It is necessary for all of us to cultivate some hobby, something non-essential in which our minds may have rest and relaxation.

Human brain reaches a fatigue curve by constantly minding remunerative work. Brain and brawn then need respite or leisure. But the idle brain is the devil's workshop. So some hobby should be cultivated and pursued to recuperate our energy. Book-lovers can turn over the pages of some favourite book. Those who love the open-air country-side may take to the joy of standing out in the open and feed their senses with the sights and sounds that create beauty and music. Of course, there is no limit to ways in which we can get through time fruitfully.

Leisure perhaps is the very essence of life. We live not to create work but to enjoy leisure. Somerset Maugm considers leisure as the most priceless thing a man can have. To him the only object of work is to obtain leisure.

So Bertrand Russell prescribed only four hour work a day to earn livelihood and the rest is for enjoying leisure. Or we may say, the sole purpose of work is to create leisure. The happiest man, of course, is he whose work is leisure, who finds perpetual joy in the work he has to perform, i.e. who earns his living by his hobby. For, to such a man work is never a soul-killing drudgery. So the Government of a welfare state of today has a Ministry of Leisure to suggest ways to fruitfully spend spare time.

Essay on Electricity

Ours is an age of electricity. Electricity is replacing other sources of energy like water, oil and coal, because it is comparably cheap, efficient and useful. Electricity supplies every kind of energy to man to improve his scientific inventions and increase his social amenities. From house-lighting to the running of giant factories, it is the invisible current that flows through the thin copper wire of insignificant dimension. Just switching on of button releases power and man has not failed to avail himself of both the constructive and destructive potentialities of electrical energy.

Consider the constructive side of electricity. It is a source of light, heat and other comforts. Houses, streets, parks, pleasure- houses and places are lighted with electricity. Heating and cooling processes are also carried on by it. Air-conditioning is a feat of modern electrical engineering. Refrigerators not only condition the temperature but also preserve and facilitate man's food supply. Transport of perishable foods, drugs and drinks, in good condition, from one corner of the globe to another, is made possible by this device. Again, labour in every form in the house, in the office, and in the factory is simplified by the introduction of electrical devices.

Among domestic services, machinery of every type is worked more cheaply and efficiently by electricity. And many a labour-saving and time-saving device using electrical energy has been introduced to minimise drudgery at home and at office Modern communications and transport are rendered safer speedier and more comfortable by the introduction of the wireless telephone and the telegraph, the electric train, tram and motor Recent inventions like the gramophone, the talkie, radio and television are some of the other triumphs that man has achieved by its application. Electricity has also come to play an important part in the treatment of diseases by electrotherapy.

The destructive side: High voltage electricity kills life like the elements, say water or fire in their ferocity. Death is swift and painless. So in America, criminals sentenced to death are electrocuted. Mad dogs are also disposed of in the same way but man abuses this useful source of energy against his own fellow men in war.

The atom bomb, the hydrogen bomb and a thousand other minor devices have been perfected. They can work havoc wiping out cities and bringing ruin to every kind of life over a wide area. The stage has now come when men have started fearing the dire consequences which will follow by the use of such terrible weapons of war.

Superstition

Superstition is the child of ignorance and unreason. We are said to be superstitious when we subject ourselves to fanciful causes for happenings that seem to be inexplicable, when we blindly believe that natural events can be caused by supernatural forces. Under this supposition, we put our faith in actions that are essentially irrational.

For instance, an ignorant man cannot understand why an eclipse takes place. He invents an imaginary explanation that it is due to devouring of some demonic power, and attributes it to some moral lapse on the part of men. So he undergoes the ritual of puri-ficatory bathing, seeks to exercise the evil spirit by performing various kinds of rites.

Similarly, when men did not know the true causes of epidemics like cholera or small pox, they invented demons who had to be propitiated by 'Knee-worship and praise'. Similarly, when something unforeseen happened it was blindly attributed to the machination of stars. Usually the priestly classes were the beneficiaries of these rituals. Hence, they not only invented these but did everything to keep these alive in the minds of superstitious people.

Today we know better. We have learnt the scientific explanations of phenomena that used to be dreaded as mysterious. Still the superstitious mental habit remains. We look upon simple material things as omens full of mischief. If we stumble, or sneeze, or yawn, if some one calls us from behind, we become upset with fear. We lose our self-confidence, for we see in it the influence of some unseen malevolent power. We are haunted by fear and nervous dread. Even some eminent scientists suffered from such blind fear or inhibition.

The result is that superstition tends to become a bad habit, a demoralising influence in life. It shakes our self-confidence. Even when we are properly enlightened, our minds cannot operate freely. Our rational faculties are paralyzed under the influence of unknown fears. We consult almanacs when we go abroad. We seek priestly benedictions when we undertake an important work; we wear amulets and utter mantars to ward off evil influence. We do not do it consciously; often we do it against our reason. A spell is upon us, and we cannot get rid of it.

There is no doubt that superstition is a serious handicap in modern life; often its effects are calamitous. We suffer from epidemics of smallpox because ignorant people pin their faith in worshipping the goddess Sitala for curse, neglecting vaccination.

Europe has eliminated smallpox by accepting vaccination as a scientific preven­tive. When we are aware of the true causes of things, such habits of minds are ridiculous, a relic of the dark ages. The only cure for superstition is education, the development of the reasoning power and of a scientific mind. Even some scientists are often found to be superstitious. They hold some beliefs, which have come down from the middle Ages of religious domination. The Japanese are an advanced people. Yet many of them have at the core of their mind prejudice and superstition. An enlightened European often does not sit on the thirteenth table or lights his cigarette from the second man by the same sly of the match. Thus, superstition is often a complexion of the mind and infects others.

“There are more things in heaven, and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy" 'says Shakespeare in 'Hamlet'. After all, the world is about four hundred years older than it was in 'Shakespeare's days, and thousands of years older than our rishis and sages, we have accumulated sufficient data to be assured of one thing that material phenomena cannot have non-material origins. If we believe this, we can get rid of the superstitious habit of mind though they die-hard. After all, superstition is religion of only small minds, as pronounced by Burke.

Fight against terrorism

What Nostradamus saw it Four centuries ago came true on 11 September, 2001? The myth laid shattered, attacks on the financial and military focal points of the United States of America.

The nerve center of the super power was struck. Four commercial airplanes were hijacked. The Flight No. 11 of the American Airlines crash into the 80th floor of the North tower of the World Trade Centre at 8.45am, flight No. 175 of the United Airlines crashing into the 60th floor of WTC and Flight No. 77 of the American Airlines crashing into the west side of the US Department of Defense.

The fourth plane, the United Airlines Flight No. 93, crashed into a lesser strategic location in Pennsylvania. The plane was actually heading towards White House to deliver it, the similar fate, but missed the target as a result of stiff resistance from the passengers. The US President George W. Bush described it saying, "We have just seen the first Ware of the 21st century".

US took its own time to muster the support of the world for its attack on the terrorist organizations, Alqaide and the Taliban's the rulers in Afghanistan, Bin Laden and Mullah Mohd. Umer which were thought to be the brain behind these attacks and who has masterminded these attacks. US and Britain launched a combined attack on Afghanistan.

The US strategy, launched at the night of October 7, 2001, appeared aimed at simultaneously encouraging defections among the supporters of the Taliban, while methodically destroying their ability to fight.

In the first week of November 2001, the added dimension to Americans air campaign across Afghanistan was the crept bombing. Americans used the latest war weapons against Taliban's.

The Taliban's were only having the stringer missiles, which were given to them by the US to fight against Russia in the past and the tanks left by Russian army there. The Taliban air force was destroyed in the first week itself.

However, barely two months after the US first joined in the battle against terrorism in Afghanistan; it has practically routed the Taliban, pinned down Bin Laden and virtually rendered A1 Qaida ineffective.

There were several factors behind the remarkable success of the US military campaign, but undoubtedly, the key factor was its revolution in the military affairs. First, to achieve military goals in shortest possible time and space; second, to ensure that your own casualties are kept to bare minimum.

Pakistan was forced by the US administration to act against their friends Taliban's. Pakistan under pressure from US President was forced to take action according to the will of USA. Pakistan was also forced by USA to give them the possession of the four airports to be used by the American Air Force.

Using state-of-the-art weapons, such as predator Global Hawk UAVs, the US military was able to reduce its personnel losses to a bare minimum while enhancing its ability to search, track and attack, even fast moving and small targets. Precision-guided munitions have formed the majority of the arms used in Afghanistan.

Senior Pentagon officials have admitted that despite the apparent military success of operation Enduring Freedom the political outcome seems doubtful in Afghanistan where the various components of Anti-Taliban Northern Alliance are conducting to act bulk of ground operation on behalf of Washington.

The only restraint on Washington might well be its ability to successfully accomplish even while conducting its global war on terrorism This, as President Bush noted in his speech at the Citadel Military College would be "like overhauling an engine while you're going 80 miles an hour. That may be a difficult feat even for the world's technological superpower to pull off.

Essay on pollution

In recent years the problem of pollution has become very acute. It is the industrialized west which takes it seriously, because it is suffering from its injurious effects. In India, sufficient attention has not been paid to it so far. If we do not tackle this problem now, future generations will suffer from the harmful effects of pollution.

This problem assumes different forms such as Air pollution, Water pollution, Soil pollution, Noise pollution and Paper pollution. All this pollution results from the greed of man for getting more and more money. Trees have been cut down, on an unprecedented scale and large production by industrialization has assumed gigantic proportions. So the main cause of air and water pollution is unbalanced industrial growth and urbanization and deforestation.

The owners of industries dump waste material on the surface of the earth or in rivers. So, water is polluted and the waste on the earth produces different poisonous gases which pollute the air. On the other hand, forests where purity air have been cut down and new cities and industries have been established in their place. The cutting of the forests causes what is called "The Green House Effects". It results in the heating of the earth's surface which has serious consequences for life on this planet.

As a result, generations to come are likely to suffer from a number of incurable diseases. Timely measures must be taken to prevent the 'Green House Effect'.

Paper pollution of public life and morality through Newspapers, Magazines, Journals etc. This kind of pollution is closely related to moral pollution, the results of our materialistic greed. Corruption is wide-spread in every walk of life. Bribes are fearlessly given and accepted and laws of the land are evaded in very clever ways. Character-assassination is another form of this moral pollution.

Trees and plants turn carbon-dioxide into oxygen but when they are cut down, the air is not purified. Deforestation also causes soil erosion. The rich soil is either washed away by water or blown away by the wind. So artificial fertilizers are used to maintain its productivity. Polluted water is used for watering the plants and vegetables. In this way, vegetables and crops are polluted. Pesticides are also a source of pollution to our crops, vegetables and fruits.

Water pollution resulted in the outbreak of cholera and gastroenteritis in a number of colonies of Delhi suffering and death on a large scale. Water pollution has assumed alarming proportions and urgent steps are needed to control it.

Intensive research is essential to solve this problem. Late Mrs. Gandhiji's call for co-operative research, made in another context, is very prudent and farsighted and her suggestion cans profitably be applied to this field also. This is the only way out for the generations to come.