Manish Gajbhiye
Aurangabad, May 21:
In the recent times, several ecological changes have been
experienced on the earth. The ecological cycle is changing due to the global
warming. The invisible microbes are attacking human lives. The
environmentalists have opined that it is the effect of the destruction of the
bio-diversity and man is solely responsible for it. On the occasion of the
International Bio-diversity Day on May 22, it is important that we should
consider our role in the preservation of the earth and consider that “we are
part of the solution for nature”, which is also the theme of the day.
Man has destroyed forest for his benefit but has not opted
for alternatives for huge deforestation. Highways are being constructed for which
large area of forest land is being used. Presently, Four major highways are
going along with the Aurangabad city including Samruddhi, Dhule – Solapur Highway,
Aurangabad – Jalgaon and Aurangabad – Paithan. As per the guidelines, it is
mandatory to utilized one percent amount of the total cost of the highway on
restoring the destructed trees. However, the there are no such measures taken
around the city either to plant new trees or to translocate, the
environmentalists alleged.
Environmentalist, Dr Kishor Pathak said that approximately
3.25 lakh trees have been cut, 25 hillocks destroyed while 4 mountains have
been bored for the construction of the highways. These have destroyed the
natural habitants of the animals, birds, insects, microbes, reptiles and other
creatures. Last year, 36 pythons were rescued which had lost their natural
habitat. Similarly, the contaminated water input from the drainage and
companies at the Salim Ali Lake and Sukhna Rivers has endangered the aquatic
biodiversity. Several species of water plants, algies, fishes, migratory birds,
snakes, spiders, insects, moths and others have been endangered due to it, he
claimed.
Recently, the incidents of forest fires occurred in the
district. The forests areas at Gautala, Patnadevi, Ajanta, Sarola, Mhaismal,
Soyegaon, Satara, Deolai Mountains, University area caught fire in the past few
months.
Divisional Forest Officer, Wild Life Division, Aurangabad, V
N Satpute said that mostly the forest fires are not natural but are man-made.
People going for the call of the nature in the forests and leaving the bidies
and cigarettes lighten or by the sparkle of the vehicles. Hence, the fire
incidents mostly occur in the forests near the villages or near highways and
dense forest areas are not affected by it. The grass in the rocky area burn
quickly during summer. However, there have been no reports of the lost of
animals in these fire incidents, he said.