Man-made heatwave

The unprecedented heatwave that is currently sweeping across Assam is definitely not a natural phenomenon. Rather, it is man-made. We all—irrespective of whether one is in the government or a member of society—are responsible for the way the weather is behaving. Climate change, which is predominantly caused by burning fossil fuels and massive destruction of green cover, and exacerbated by human interference, is making the weather hotter every passing day. In India in general, and in Assam in particular, there has been very little concern for protection of green cover, be it in the form of a single tree or bush, or be it in the form of a patch of tree or a reserved forest. According to a non-governmental organization called Global Forest Watch (GFW), India has, between 2001 and 2023, lost a whopping 2.33 million hectares of tree cover. That is an area that is slightly more than the total size of Meghalaya. While people as well as governments in the Northeast have a tendency to take pride in the forest cover percentage in the region, the reality is that the Northeastern states have between 2001 and 2023 suffered a 60 percent loss of tree cover. India, on the other hand, has earned the notoriety of occupying the second highest position among all countries in the world for the rate of deforestation. One does not have to understand any rocket science to find out how the green cover has been destroyed. In Guwahati city alone, more than one thousand full-grown trees have been felled in the past five or six years in order to facilitate construction of flyovers. The tragedy is that while there are a number of laws in India that regulate and restrict felling of trees, such laws are more being flouted than followed. The Indian Forests Act, 1927, helps prevent the cutting of trees and forest areas. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 stipulates that the central government give approval for any diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, too, helps prevent the cutting of trees and forest areas. Likewise, the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act, 1994, has provisions that protect trees in Delhi from actions that could harm their growth or regeneration. The Maharashtra Felling of Trees (Regulation) Act, 1964 regulates the felling of certain types of trees. The Saurashtra Felling of Trees (Infliction of Punishment) Act, 1951, has provisions for punishment for the illegal felling of trees. In Assam too, there are several Acts that deal with the protection of trees from being felled indiscriminately. But, unfortunately, most of these laws are broken rather than being followed, resulting in rapid destruction of reserved forests, non-reserved forests, trees in public institutions, roadsides, and on various kinds of government land. Outside the government, the public too appears to have very little concern for protecting and growing trees. There is no public movement in Assam for protecting trees. No civil society organisation can be identified that has been working towards protecting existing trees and forest cover, not to speak of actually helping in growing more trees. Political parties, student organisations, women’s groups, cultural organisations—none have made any exceptional contribution towards helping grow more trees. Buildings, whether in the government sector or in the private sector, are constructed without bothering to grow trees simultaneously with the construction work. Every new building—government or non-government—thus, when completed, stands alone without a single tree around. Time has meanwhile proved that one Jadav Payeng cannot make any difference. In Guwahati itself, there are hundreds of people and organisations that have criticised the government for felling trees. But not one individual or one organisation has come forward to launch a realistic plantation campaign. That destruction of green cover can have a devastating effect on the lives of people was only recently proved when literally the whole city of Guwahati was in the grip of an unprecedented flash flood. While the poor drainage system—thanks to the city’s planners—has remained an old culprit, everyone is now fully convinced that the August 5 floods in Guwahati were caused by massive tree and hill cutting by various organisations and institutions inside adjoining Meghalaya, apart from the hundreds of families that have encroached upon the hills of Khanapara. The present heat wave that Assam has been experiencing is only the beginning of a long story. This will now be followed quickly by various health problems, particularly affecting children, women, and the elderly, and then a shortage of water and power. Rescheduling school timing is only a temporary measure. What is required is proactive action, and this should come from the top, so that no officer, no contractor, no private organisation, and no individual can go scot-free for felling trees.