“Healthy ecology is the basis for a healthy economy,” says Padma Bhushan Dr Anil Joshi

While the policy of Liberalisation, Privatisation and Globalisation (LPG) has contributed to the significant growth in GDP of the country, the focus now needs to be on striking a balance between ecology and economy as both go hand in hand. On the 17th day of the cycle yatra ‘Pragati se Prakruti Path Yatra’, the team reached Bhopal after covering Indore, Sonkatch, Sehor, Nalkheda and many more districts. Earlier, the focus and concern were more on economic development rather than improving the environment. However, environmentalists and other stakeholders of the country have understood that environmental issues and economy are inter-connected. Without addressing environmental issues, development of economy takes a back seat.

Speaking to Socio Story, Padma Bhushan Dr Anil Prakash Joshi, said, “Sustainability is about economic growth as well as environmental protection. Stalwarts from the field of environment are also of the same opinion that a healthy ecology is the basis for a healthy economy. Hence, both ecology and economy go hand in hand.”

It is significant to highlight that, according to the 1982 Forest Act, only a handful of states have reached the 33% target for forest cover. Because of poor catchment, most rivers, especially rain-fed rivers, are drying up. The Himalayan glaciers that feed snow rivers are under danger, further shared Dr Joshi.

Poor soil health is replaced by chemicals. The country's poor human health is solely due to the effects of excessive chemical use in agriculture. Similar concerns are being caused by air pollution in the nation, which is mostly a result of rising industrialization, an increase in the number of vehicles on the road, and other luxuries. One of the most polluted countries in the world is India.

We cannot ignore the urgent need for economic growth in the nation due to the large population, but we also cannot forbid ecological needs. We have pushed ecological issues to the side as a result of our reliance on commerce. The basis of reason is the requirement for ecological and economic equilibrium. Consistent economic growth can only result from a stable environment.

Therefore, it will be necessary to maintain the continual monitoring and development of ecological assets. Equal importance must be placed on the nation's ecological and economy, according to an ethical development principle. It will be necessary to create an ecological growth measure that includes better air quality, soil richness, forest expansion, and river recharging. Gross environment product can be used to describe anything mentioned above. GDP and GEP will be the nation's genuine growth indicators and will lead to a growth that can be sustainably positioned.