HASTE MAKES WASTE
CONTEXT:
In recent times, there is a growing tendency among nonprofits and civil society organizations to favor quick-fix remedies for various problems, which contrasts with their approaches in the 1980s and 1990s.
ABOUT:
Unsustainability of Quick-Fix Solutions:
- Nonprofits and civil society organizations are employing quick-fix approaches to tackle water stress in India.
- However, such solutions may not be viable in the long term.
Examples of Quick-Fix Initiatives:
- Initiatives like Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan aim to widen, deepen, and straighten rivers to achieve a drought-free state by 2019.
- Water Cups, a competition, encourages villages to harvest water for drought-proofing the state.
- Planting trees along river banks is another quick-fix measure adopted to rejuvenate rivers.
Concerns about Watershed-Based Development:
- Watershed-based development, a more sustainable approach involving land and vegetation management to preserve water quality and supply, takes seven-eight years to show results.
- Despite its long-term benefits, it is being overshadowed by the preference for quick-fix solutions like Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan.
WHY HAS THE FOCUS SHIFTED TO QUICK-FIX SOLUTIONS?
- Technology and Management Focus: In the past decades, non-profits and civil society organizations emphasized critical engagement and political economy perspective to analyze interventions. However, this approach has been replaced by a “techno-managerial approach” that prioritizes technical knowledge, people management, and problem-solving.
- Development of Critical Thinking: Critical thinking involves contextualizing interventions, policies, and projects within the larger framework of political economy and ecology. This perspective helps to determine the effectiveness of different approaches and their associated implications.
- Emphasis on Immediate Solutions: Discussions and actions related to broader concepts like political economy and ecology in urban water and sanitation issues may be disregarded or considered irrelevant. The focus has shifted to finding quick solutions and developing practical tools, tool kits, techniques, and applications.
- Influence of Social Base: The wide social base, including non-profits, civil society, and academic institutions, partially shapes concerns, questions, issue framing, and preferred areas of work. This social influence impacts the decision-making process.
- Structural Causes: Many challenges in the urban space and society at large are rooted in political, economic, historical, and social injustices. These structural causes contribute to the inclination towards quick-fix solutions rather than addressing the underlying complexities.
WAY FORWARD:
It is essential to promote social diversity within our organizations and democratize the processes concerning class, caste, gender, ethnicity, and various minority groups, including those based on religion, sexual orientation, and disability.
MANGROVE VARIETIES
CONTEXT:
An Odisha village is rejuvenating mangroves to mitigate the effects of cyclones.
ABOUT:
- Mangrove forest planted on the village’s common grazing land near Bhitarkanika National Park.
- The forest comprises various mangrove tree species, such as Avicennia, Bruguiera, Rhizophora, Sonneratia, and Kandelia genera.
- India is home to 34 species of true mangroves, with Bhitarkanika having 31 species, Sundarbans with 27, and Andaman & Nicobar islands with 24 species.
MANGROVES:
Mangroves in Intertidal Zones:
- Mangroves thrive in marshy areas between the shore and the sea, known as intertidal zones.
- These zones experience daily flooding by the sea.
- Mangrove forests are commonly found along coasts with high salt content.
Challenges of Intertidal Zones:
- Intertidal zones present challenging conditions for plant growth as they are exposed to air during low tides and submerged in saltwater during high tides.
Family of Mangroves:
- Mangroves primarily belong to the family of plants known as Rhizophoraceae.
MANGROVE FORESTS:
- Mangrove Forests as Coastal Protection: Mangrove forests serve as a protective barrier for inland habitations in coastal areas, mitigating the effects of floods and cyclones.
- Reviving Mangroves in Suitable Areas: Successful revival of mangroves is feasible in regions with a history of plantation or favorable conditions.
- Studying Tidal Flow and Water Availability: To support mangrove growth, the residents studied tidal flow and water availability, ensuring the proper digging of water channels to facilitate the mixing of freshwater and river water.
REGIONS:
- Mangrove vegetation is found in two main regions: the Eastern hemisphere, encompassing eastern Africa, Asia (including India), and Australasia. This region is considered the original home of mangroves.
- The second region is the Western hemisphere, covering the Americas and western Africa, known as new world mangroves.
