Sustaining the biodiversity (December 16)
By Dr H Birkumar Singh

Biodiversity has become a household word that is no more a mere definition and description of the diversity of plants, animals and microbes. The concern over biodiversity has increased rapidly throughout the globe as it is a resource both for growth as well as for development for present and future. The concern for biodiversity is not only its quantitative description but also in quality. It goes to species, genera and ecological level.

Man is largely responsible for sustaining our biodiversity resources that needs certain framework and regime in utilization of it in local and global scale. Sustainability is an abstract attribute emerging from multiple visions of development in a range of space and time like a few years to generations. Though sustainability is difficult for a clear-cut dimension, it is rather a joint contribution of quantity and quality in time scale. 

It is a conflict of opinion between schools of thoughts on the feasibility and possibility of achieving the sustainability. Human population explosion and their unlimited demand of resources are probably the main hurdle and difficulties in sustaining the sustainable utilization of biodiversity. Population growth rate of about 1.3% globally, 2.1% nationally (Indian), 2.2% in north-east India and 3.0% in Manipur during 2000-2001 has been experienced. Considering the demographic factor in isolation, the population growth rate experienced in northeast India especially in Manipur is alarming.

Wise and systematic management of biological resources is the best option for sustaining it. Certain management options and enforcement of it is needed in conservation of biodiversity. Population growth rate has to be checked. The development activities need to be monitored minutely and regularly so that the development proceeds in a sustainable way. Frequently conflicts occur between policy planners and resource users. 

Economy arises at this stage. Better economy is predicted to be a strong force in conservation of biodiversity. Besides, ecological dimensions are prime concern. Planning and management with a potential of avoiding adverse effects on ecological process without improvements are elegantly conceptualized but not
available in acceptable and applicable forms.

Development is an induced process and could be completed at any stage and time. Once sustained will sustain always is a wrong equation. Sustaining is always a challenge that needs regular monitoring and development. There is a statement that "although we may like to move faster than time but certainly we can not act before time". Therefore, over aspiration of development through a manipulated system become retarded due to religion, culture and ethical components and restricted their applications.

Self-reverence, self-knowledge and self-control are important requirements to bring changes in religion, culture and ethics. Growth may be positive or negative in a broad sense. Negative growth yield degradation therefore it is not sustaining. Sustainable utilization is the utilization by the present generations keeping in view the equity factor and needs and wants of future generations. Banathy (1988) described eight dimensions that are required to be considered in development. They are; i) ethical, ii) cultural, iii) educational, iv) social, v) scientific, vi) aesthetic, vii) political and viii) economic.

Resources utilization are mainly controlled by the factors; i) number of consumers, ii) rate of consumption per consumer, and iii) purpose and pattern of consumption. The nature of utilization differs from one community to another and from time to time within the same community. Production and utilization should be equities in the sense that this two are under certain relationship. It is a serious thought whether the current activities of so called development is sustaining well or not. It is well pointed out that using of the biodiversity is not only to meet our physiological requirements (needs) but more to meet our psychological requirements (wants). 

If this sense overcomes the mind of the resource users, any steps of sustainable development can hardly make any progress rather destructing in a rapid pace. Therefore, at this stage sensitization of our sense on the aspect is unavoidable. Little destruction and its continuous trend affect the future biodiversity in a large scale and turn towards the irreparable state if not intervened properly and in time.

Brundtland (1987) while advocating the concept of sustainable development, has pointed out seven requirements namely i) a potential system that secures effective citizen participation in decision making, ii) an economic system that is able to generate surplus, iii) a social system that provides for solutions for tensions arising from disharmonious development, iv) a production system that respects the obligations to preserve the ecological basis for development, v) a technological system that can search continuously for new solutions, vi) an international system that fosters sustainable patterns of trade and finance, and vii) an administrative system that is flexible and has the capacity for self-correction to achieve the goal of sustainability. 

If one wants to think of sustainable utilization of a resource then one has to think of components of diversity at societal level such as ethical, cultural and economic status of the human beings, which ultimately control its utilization.

(The writer is in-charge, Regional Research Laboratory, Jorhat, Imphal substation.)

(Courtesy: The Imphal Free Press)

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