The Green Solution-4

This part focuses on the challnges that the human race faces. For 200 years, we have allowed the capitalist industrialist economy to wreck havoc with nature. One look at the cities in India is enough to make you understand that all natural elements have been polluted beyond measure. Any hopes of salvaging nature faces an uphill task in the minds of people and society as a whole.

Who in their mind will want to change a system that offers people pleasure and comfort over everything else? Who will want to change a system where-in money making and status is the order of the day? Who in their mind will want to change a system where dignity of labour is not paramount and due to its flexible nature, anybody can make money anywhere and anytime? The Green way is an alternative way to Capitalism and Industrialism. So, the question needs to be asked, will any society or elected representative propose going green knowing he faces these obstacles mentioned above?

Will he also confront the challenge head on of trying to revamp the existing system so thoroughly and comprehensively that people may have to shell out a lot in the short term but less in the long run? Can any person overhaul the existing derelict system and make a green system that can be the envy of the world? The social and ideological challenges are enormous, and I will focus this in each field.

Regarding Agriculture, I have proposed the use of Vetiver or Khus Grass for better soil and mositure improvement. It is a truly green solution. But, will farmers abandon their rush for cash in order to go green? The existing farmer sucide and debt circle finds its roots in the lack of green technology used. Farmers are not even educated to an extent that now, the climate variation has reached unpredictable proportions. Farmers still depend on the monsoon, and we all now realize that the unpredictability and intensity of the monsoon will increase in variability as every year passes by.

The problem goes beyond the fact that farmers have no time for education and to even adopt green technologies. The debt circle is so vicious that our annadattas are forced to use harsh chemicals and fertilizers for enhanced growth and also they borrow lots of money either for seeds, family stability, fertilizers and in some unfortunate circumstances alcohol and pleasure.

Every farmer in India will have to be thaught about climatology and farm technology under the guidance of the government. There has to be a grassroot government representative at each and every taluka and village of each state in India to save our farmers. The teaching will also have to be extended to the school curriculum after a certain standard in school. Encouragement to be farmers of the land has to be ingrained from school level itself.

The existing number of farmers in every taluka, district and state in India will have to be trained by the government, absolutely free of costs. Under the several agriculture programs that may exist under the government, use these programs for comprehensive training of farmers with regards to soil characteristics and climate characteristics. The government also has to create a one point contact between the farmers and the government, so that the middlemen are all eliminated. The costs that farmers pay to middlemen in the form of delivery and other taxes will have to be eliminated. The government has to keep one or at the most two taxation points for farmers. It could be either vehicle Tax only or it could be Road Tax+ Octroi Tax at the starting point.

A comprehensive education of farmers and the making of a one point contact system between government and farmers will ensure that there are no bottlenecks. The one point contact can be a department for food procurement which is the statutory body for food security and food procurement. The creation of a smooth delivery and dispensation system is the key to green system. Will Farmers and government do the needful in order to save the future?

The same system applies for cities. The green construction of cities has been proposed by several government and private organizations, but no one is willing to invest time and heartbreak to resolve the whole situation. Can the government make it madatory that a one year moratorium be issued where railways and roadways stop fucntioning totally? This time will be utilized by government issuing a labour force of unprecedented proportion in India. Out of 1.1 billion people in the country, ensure that most of the 70% Indians who are fit to work are involved in revamping the whole road and rail system on a 24 hour round the clock shift basis.

This will be a pioneering job seen nowhere in the world. It will involve mobilization of the largest population pool in the country second only to China. The task is enourmous and one which needs the most flexible and paramount pay grade system. Keep an umbrella pay for the shifts alloted and pay them to the hour. This will have to involve a chain of command decided by co-operation from both taluka,district, state and national. It will be a co-ordination effort of legendary proportions. But, this would unite the people of India in trying to work something. The existing system of contractors has to be appointed by representatives of all taluka, district, state and national. Thus, there will be 30 national representatives who are at the top. Under these 30 national heads, there would be the number of state heads. Under these state heads are the district heads. Under the District heads, will be the taluka heads. These people would choose the proportion and number of people that would work in the revamping of village, city and national roads.

Franklin Roosevelt, in his 100 day session of Congress, during the Great Depression, if there are holes to be dug, we shall employ a lot of people to dig the holes. A similar situation is beckoning. This massive overhauling will create jobs for most of the population, and the pay scale will be uniform, as all people will do work which will overlap with the others. There will be a welfare and medical supervisor at each level of District and Taluka, the number designed according to proportion in the state, which will look after their welfare. The welfare board will ensure that all payments are recieved on time and that they are not exploited by the contracters. They will also ensure that no person works for more than 8 hours.

The model for city building revamping begins with the look at the 1820s style of building. These buildings have hig arches and the distance between ceiling and floor is such that air circulation flows through easily at all times. The air flow must be clean air, meaning that a comprehensive green cover must be present and that no garbage is accumalated on the roads. The model should be followed by construction people at all times, be it private or government. The revamping of the system will be torturous, but it has to be done now, otherwise it would be too late. Going back to nature is the only way forward.

However, all this is fine, but it needs a change in mindset. It needs to overcome the ideology of pleasure, money and rampant destruction of nature for individual status has to be overcome. Michael Jackson can sing what have we done in his earth song, but we all know that we have only destoyed nature.

The next part focuses on the hopelessness of summits like Copenhagen and how the time has come now to revamp our way of thinking for a better future, even if the short term may sound difficult. It would also touch upon other items that have been left out in the previous 4 parts. The final part gives a key summing up of all the points in the form of a keynote address.

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