India’s toxic air pollution attacks wombs and cradles to kill 12 kids every hour. Our polluted air is stifling our young kids and babies.
And, it is deeply disturbing that we are still not taking any actions to save our kids from their toxic childhood. You may choose to be in a state of denial about the linkage between air pollution and health issues.
But, one woman who is standing for these kids and their clean future is Meena Menon!
She wants our country to learn an important lesson so that our children and grandchildren don’t have to pay the price for our ugly Karmas!
Meena Menon owns Santhivanam, a 200-year-old mini forest in Kerala with sacred groves and ponds.
She and her father relentlessly put efforts for 50 years to preserve this highly biodiverse area with multiple species of animals and some very old trees.
However, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) wants to cut down (or trim down) trees in this area to clear the way to run its proposed 110 KV electricity supply line.
As per The News Minute, the KSEB officials were at first stopped by members of the Santhivanam Conservation Committee, since quite a few trees have already been cut, but they came back with police support to complete their task.
Earlier, Meena sought help from The Kerala High Court but she was disheartened when the court decided against her. So, now she decided to cut off her hair as a sign of protest.
As per the sources, she says:
“I have fought using all possible ways democratically. I don’t need permission to cut my hair and I am doing it. I have been waiting for the chief minister to intervene.
This is how the government is planning to make the state green. When they want the land, they will just wipe out all biodiversity.”
The Times of India also quoted her saying,
“My action is an example of what will happen when an ordinary citizen tries to protect the environment. I have raised a lot of slogans for the party.
Comrade, this is for the common man and what is happening is a violation of human rights.”
Meena, while cutting her hair, declared that she is dedicating the strands to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Electricity Minister MM Moni who have not replied to her pleas to save the forest.
https://www.facebook.com/savesanthivanam/videos/2366712780220159/
As per The Hindu, the state’s Electricity Minister M.M. Mani stated that tower will help 40,000 families and hence work can’t be stopped.
But, aren’t we suffering enough by destroying our mother earth in the name of development.
Recently as per a report from NITI Aayog –
“India is facing the worst water crisis in its history, and 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater by 2020.”
In the midst of this ugly and scary report, how one can ignore Meena’s protest?
Whether it is about air or water, India has a very difficult road ahead. The GDP and economic development are critical but compromising on the basic elements of life should be non-negotiable.