Let's talk environment.

The professionals on the panel were Manoj Khatri, editor of The Complete Well Being, Nudrat S, an environmental activist and Melvyn Fernandes, a successful attorney. The discussion was to be on ‘Saving the Environment’ and the panel discussion was conducted by Tabassum Barnagarwala and Newton Sequira, students of Xavier Institute of Communications (XIC) on the  Saturday 16^th March . The audience was students from Science and Environment module, from XIC.

One point that was stressed by all three panellists was the need for citizen involvement in environment on an individual level. Waiting for the government to do something for the environment or just relying on NGO’s to clean up after will get us nowhere. They said and we agree that environmental awareness is now every individual’s duty and we owe it to the future generations to do our best.

A bone of contention throughout the panel discussion was a point that most of the audience seems to agree on, the lack of alternatives i.e. environment friendly substitutes for harmful products. Nudrat made the point that everyone should make effort, in spite of personal inconvenience to avoid harmful products like plastic products. The students stated that availability of alternatives would go a long way towards making people want to avoid plastic, as at the end of the day personal inconvenience would make people cheat. Nudrat also stressed that making alternatives for plastic, like jute, a fad with the customers would also help. She said media needs to make environment awareness something to aspire for or something ‘cool’.

Talking about the legal provisions for environment in the Constitution of India, Fernandes talked about how the legislation of India is one of the most environment-friendly legislations in Asia. He stressed that the problem was not in the policy, but the execution of the policies made to protect the environment.

Manoj Khatri, Editor, Complete Wellbeing
Source: Google Images 

Khatri, while talking about environment related articles and news in the media stressed that media needs to highlight the problems and solutions. He also said that mainstream media is more profit oriented than other magazines. Talking about his magazine, The Complete Well Being, he specifically said that they make the space in their edition for environment issues that needs to be addressed.

The panel discussion made all of us think about how we are doing things that are harmful for our environment every day, just because we aren't aware or it is inconvenient. Even through the course of our discussion many of us realized how we could do some things differently, and contribute towards a better environment and an eco-friendly society.

We realized  thanks to this panel discussion that it is always going to be inconvenient to go that extra mile to be environment friendly. However, with time this would become a habit and would also motivate others to be more environment conscious.

Melvyn Fernandes, Attorney
Source: Google Images

It is now time for us to think about what kind of a future we would give the next generations. Making a few changes in our daily life today, would make the world a greener place to inhabit in the future. It is time to think beyond one’s self and change our habits for the better. Having thrived as a species, it is time for mankind to give something back to Mother Nature and do our bit to ensure that our race continues to flourish. 

Away

She was safe now. He couldn’t come here.

He was watching her. She didn’t see him but she was sure he was around. She didn’t even know what he looked like, but he kept appearing in the most unusual circumstances. He had stopped bothering her for eight months now. And then suddenly, when she had least expected it, there he was. Clear as day. She still got shivers when she thought of that day.

It was a Tuesday. The placement in-charge, Priya was telling the class about the campus placements. Companies were hiring in the college. After eight harrowing months of submissions and deadlines, learning how to be an honest journalist, and how to make the right journalistic choices, students were being recruited for writing content; online content, like ‘how to write a cover letter’ and ‘how to apply Midnight Blue eye shadow’. She was listening in rapt attention, when suddenly she felt a familiar cold shiver. In panic, she dropped her books, just when Priya was saying something about newspapers not wanting to hire fresher journalists. When she got back to her feet, he was standing right in front of her. He was carrying a blue college file, and was listening patiently to Priya. Only when she looked at him, he turned. Slowly his eyes locked with hers. It was a hard, cold stare.

The next time she saw him, was in the college canteen. That day, there was a lull in the usually crowded canteen. It was almost empty except for the Advertising and Marketing students who were walking around nervously. She was sitting with her friend, completing an assignment. She had a headache, which was getting worse. Her friend got up to bring more chai. She put her head down, blocking out everything, trying to relax. The assignment deadline was the next day. She wanted to finish earlier so that she could go home and start writing her CV, and send it to...
A tap on the shoulder. “Hi, this place taken?” She looked up. The stare was back, making her shiver inside. The knot in her stomach was tightening. He looked different:confident and dangerous. She looked over to her friend. He had spotted a friend from the Advertising class and was congratulating her for some reason. She had a big blue folder in her hand too.
“When are you giving it to me? I’m running out of time,” he whispered. He almost smiled as he finished the sentence.
“I told you the las....last time too. I’m trying. It will take some time.”
He chuckled and leaned in close. He picked up the sandwich she was eating and said, “Too bad you don’t have too much time. Tick tock now.” She winced as he said those last words; they were like sharp cold knives cutting through her skin.
“One special chai. You know, Priti just got a jo­­-What happened to you? Are you okay?”Her friend was back. And now, she was sure, so was he.

For the next couple of weeks, he was everywhere. In the hallway, in the classroom; he even followed her home, but always kept at a distance. She could feel him growing impatient. And every day, he would just smirk, and point at his watch. It was funny, she didn’t think he’d need a watch. She tried telling him she was doing the best she could to deliver it, but he was so restless that she was scared he would lose control. So she kept her head down, and kept working. The only way to get rid of him was to give it to him. But for that she needed time; and she needed him to be patient.

Then one day, there was a miracle. It was a beautiful day. She had a very interesting class on Literary Journalism. She always loved attending that class; there was always so much to learn. Then she ate her lunch with her friends, and laughed at their jokes. He was nowhere to be seen. She thought she saw someone who looked like him, but dismissed the thought when Priya gave them the good news that a news agency was coming to hire them. Her class project had got an A, and the group was heading out to the city coast, Marine Drive. She slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked with her friends, feeling relaxed after a long time.

Marine Drive is beautiful at any time of the day. The light of the sun setting behind the clouds, throws splashes of colour over the city line. The outline of the city is slowly unveiled, gently and softy. She and her friends sat in silence, looking at the expanse of the sea, and the gentle waves. It was spellbinding. She felt a calm she had never felt before. He could not follow her here. This was no place for fears.