A recent outing to the Nilgiri mountain ranges extending to the northern part of Kerala in Anikatty was an eye opener about the migrating behaviour of people. People migrate to these places and tame the mountain ranges to make them habitable for themselves. In the process, the animals are displaced from their home land.
The coconut plantations seem to thrive in these regions along with spice and vegetable gardens. The ecological cover of forests that have been protective of the mountains seems to be disturbed that man-animal conflict is on the increase. Most of the acquired land for private cultivation have electric fencing to protect the wild animals from having a free sway and feed on the fruits and vegetables. The banana plantations get targeted by the elephants. It is common that elephants block road traffic in order to force passengers to give them food like banana.
The plan for land mining in the Manipur mountain ranges unsettled the equation between two communities that have gone on to a three year ethnic conflict and violence. The business men in their desperation to become oligarchs from being millionaires are looking for every opportunity in the land and sea to gain wealth by promoting business start ups. The way they cover up their ugly intention is by speaking the language of eco-tourism.
How the serene Lakshadeep islands have been in the recent news as one destination for these businessmen for their greedy plan! Fortunately, the resistance movement seems to have forced the project to remain suspended for the time being!
The estimate is that forty percent of the wealth in India is owned by two percent of people! This strongly suggests the strong capitalist outlook of the civil governments at the national and local levels.
The contrasting ideology in debate now in socio-anthropological circles in India is need and greed . How there are regular posts in the social media to depict the palatial buildings in which the upper strata of the society lives ! To display the car collections in their garages is a favourite occupation of some who promote capitalistic passion and luxurious living!
I wonder whether we lost the sense to feel for others who still live in subsistence level or below that!
The land and the produce of the land used to be a common property of the native inhabitants. Ever since the private ownership came into being as the norm, people have become acquisitive from being only possessive with least consideration for others.
The last three photos above of a nest, a bird pair and the butterflies bring a consolation in one sense. Those three photos remind all those inhabit the earth, that the earth has other 'inhabitants' to whom we are to be accountable! They sustain life on earth in multiple ways. To occupy land indulgently for private prosperity is a one sided view of development!
The rich craves to dine with the finest vine, but the poor keeps waiting for their food bowl to have food!
I wish the world would have many more Good Samaritans!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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