“I can close my eyes on my valley as it is today, and it is gone, and I see it as it was, when I was a boy. In those days, the black slag, the waste of the coal pits, had only begun to cover the sides of our hill. Not yet enough to mar the countryside, nor blacken the beauty of our village, for the colliery had only begun to poke its skinny black fingers through the green.” – Huw, How Green Was My Valley.

I still remember this place, this self same city though much greener, brighter, cleaner and quieter. The plump orchard trees blossoming with glorious flowers that melted away into luscious fruits. Remember the guava, mango and litchi branches literally bending over backwards to bear their produce. Still remember the kids climbing these boughs in an attempt to lighten their burden and enjoy a feast, fighting off rival birds. I remember the East Canal Road actually flowing alongside the East Canal, my garden in full bloom attracting butterflies of every size and shape, the clean gurgling streams flowing by houses. When Air Conditioner was unknown and a Cooler not required. A time of liberal rain and water abound.

Can you see that valley today? When was the last time you actually saw a beautiful butterfly or a house sparrow? When was the last you awoke in the morning to the tune of a bird or sighted a blue kingfisher? When was the last you did not have to hunt road sides all day, for a good bunch of litchis or when mangoes didn’t wilt before their time? When rain didn’t clog, heat was not so cruel, Basmati fields were not rare. When was the last time you crossed Chakrauta Road and did not curse the traffic for clogging it up?

It is not trivial, this ruin for as Albert Einstein once said:

‘If all the honey bees were wiped out, mankind would follow in about four years.’

We really do not have to go too far to see what fast-paced, un-planned, mindless “development” can do to the Earth. Just look around. See what it has done to this small town and witness the dregs of misguided progress.

Yet we should not hasten to cry death to technology for therein lies the future of mankind. It is very easy for anyone to take an extremist view and march ahead trampling on delicate ecological balance or hail an end to all development. However we should not demonise technology. For it has done us much good too. We have continuous electricity now, better health facilities, more medicines, easily available clean water, better sanitation, stronger roads and brighter safer nights. The Communication revolution and Globalization brought with it more knowledge and literacy, better ideas and flavours from across the globe.

This dichotomy is well manifested by this saying:

“In an underdeveloped country, don't drink the water; in a developed country, don't breathe the air.” ~Changing Times magazine

Technology is thus a double edged sword and we have to learn how to wield it well. Therein lies the relevance and import of this conference. This conference was an attempt at enlightening us all about the wastefulness of our ways. It intended to show us paths leading to “sustainable development”, one which will give us a better tomorrow without devouring our resources.

As always it is not difficult to change our future. It will just take some compassion, understanding and maturity, but we can all do our bit. All we need to do is use some common sense and care a little. It will take such simple measures like conserving water and electricity at home and in college. We need to cut reckless oil usage, recycle plastics, paper and water. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Plant and tend to trees. There is a lot we can do and I sincerely hope we have taken some lessons from the brilliant material presented in this conference and will carry them out.

Let us make our homes more environment friendly. In fact let us all take a step further and make this college eco-friendly.

I would urge each and everyone, including me to make M.K.P. Go Green For

“What would the world be, once bereft
of wet and wildness? Let them be left.
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.”
- Gerard Manley Hopkins.