Pristine Jainism

Author(s): S M Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 52

Kalparkșas (Forests) in Jainism : (49) in India, U.S.A. and all over the world and people were given liberal incentives to clear and convert forestlands into agriculture fields. Even now there are large-scale encroachments on remnant forests because of pressure of population, vested interests of miners, industrialists and conniving politicians and bureaucrats.
In a situation when there is little or no food supply available from depleted or destroyed forestland, agriculture was necessary as a shortterm solution. But continuing dependence on agriculture, its extension has proved disastrous. There is yet no agricultural technology evolved so far which does not damage land. Tilling of land loosens soil and makes it prone to wind and water erosion. The irrigation system dams etc big and small change the chemistry of soil, which inflict people with various diseases. In mad race for agriculture it was extended and is continuing on steep slopes without terracing in tribal areas. The tribal could not eke out their existence on diminishing yields from agriculture on slopes and have been resorting to cutting trees. Most of landscape, the hills all over the country are naked and at many places bare rocks after erosion of entire soil cover. The modern high-tech agriculture has proved much more harmful. The indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers and poisonous pesticides have polluted air, soil and water systems both surface and underground. The fertility of soil is constantly decreasing because micro fauna of the soil, which maintains fertility, has been almost decimated. Soils now require more and more doses of chemical fertilisers crop after crop. The residual pesticides in cereals, fruits and vegetables are slowly poisoning human system, blood, tissues and has reached even in chromosomes and genes, threatening with dire consequences. The harmful effect of high-tech agriculture, started with many fanfares, has manifested within 3-4 decades. The western countries, which started it, are now going back to organic agriculture and have banned several chemicals. However, developing countries and more so India is continuing the use of disastrous chemicals like DDT, BHC, Aldrin etc. Many beneficial species of birds and insects are getting extinct. Modern agriculture require profuse irrigation which has depleted water resources and over a major