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JAINA CONVENTION 2017
There is much discussion about greenhouse gases, ozone layer, and shortage of water, the warming up of the environment, pollution, and ecology. As a result a new movement called environmentalism is in vogue. In the 21st century, there are no small manmade happenings or disasters; all are big and far-reaching and their consequences are most often global. When such things happen, geographical boundaries disappear and thus we all become part of it. It is a fact that due to pollution, many of India's cities are choking. There are days when one does not see the sun (due to smog) and the rate of many kinds of lung diseases and cancers are on the rise. India and its citizens are paying a very high price.
In the words of the celebrated scientist James Lovelock 'The earth is critically ill.' "Most of the species vitally important for our survival have disappeared. Mountains are denuded. Rivers are drying up. Forests have shrunk at a terrible level. Drinking water has become a scarce commodity. Frequent famines, droughts, floods, tsunamis in all parts of the world are adding to our misery every day. Climate change seems to threaten our survival into the third millennium. In less than two hundred years all natural resources have depleted and very little is left for the coming generation. It is a manmade disaster that owes its origin to our unrestrained activities and wantonness".
We Jains rightly believe that several thousand years ago, we talked, preached, practiced, and developed the whole concept of environmentalism. Yet the fact is that I find little actual environmentalism in the Jain community. Yes, there are several pockets of environmentalism that do exist. For example, the lifestyle of our monks and nuns and also of some shravaks and shravikas (lay men and women) are good and model examples of environmentalism. Outside this, in general, I have not seen or known of any Jain leaders to inspire the community and draw their attention to this essential issue. Environmentalism has a direct connection with ahimsa (nonviolence). If we pollute, we create suffering and most probably the death and extinction of many species. Beyond that we endanger our own survival.
Below, I share one example by a concerned Jain industrialist who strived to leave his footprints in reducing pollution. I am sure there are many such examples within the Jain community. For that we must start an effort to document such initiatives
About 15 years ago, I went to the City of Agra (about 120 miles from New Delhi) in India. City of Agra is home to the famous world heritage monument; the Taj Mahal. There I met the owner of a large factory; a Jain. His factory produced steel parts for India's booming automotive industry. The process starts by melting steel in large furnaces which were fired by high sulfur coal that emit very yellow, dirty, and poisonous gases. This consequently caused acid rain. There were more than 300 such (medium to small scale) factories in the vicinity doing the same thing. Both, the dirty gases and acid rain not only affected the quality of water, health and safety of
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