Environment in Indian Society- Problems and prospects

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The increasing industrialization is leading to higher production and job opportunities for people in the society on the one hand. On the other hand, it is also creating problems of pollution in the environment.

The state is performing its role through various ministries and Boards for environment awareness, education and research. The people are participating in land and water management at village level and Genetic Engineering in the form of Genetically Modified Organisms is influencing agriculture.

The present book addresses Environment in Indian society with special reference to problems and prospects like: industrialization and pollution, role of state in environmental awareness and introduction of genetic engineering in agriculture.

R.B. PATIL (b. 1954) is a Professor in the Department of Sociology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur (Maharashtra). His areas of specialization are: Industrial Sociology and Sociology of Environment. He is the co-editor of the books: "Problems and Prospects of Development in Rural India" (Mittal, New Delhi, 1994), "Sociology of Environment" (1998), "Development in India: Anxieties and Alternative Paradigms" (Prof. S.N. Pawar Felicitation Committee, Kolhapur, 2004) and "Environmental Movements in India" (1995).

I have great pleasure in bringing out my papers on the theme of "Environment in Indian Society Problems and Prospects The UGC recognized the Department of Sociology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur (Maharashtra) as the Resource Centre in 1994 and sanctioned the Project to introduce a paper on Sociology of Environment at MA level, to conduct National Level Seminars, and to act as a nodal agency in developing the programmes in environmental education as well as disseminating the knowledge. In 2004-05, the Dept received grants under UGC-SAP-DRS-Phase I Programme under the Thrust area of "Sociology of Development and Environment."

Under both these Programmes I had an opportunity to present papers at the Regional and National Conferences. The first paper in this field was presented at the National Seminar on Environment and Social Development, organized by Department of Sociology. Barkatullah Vishwavidyalaya at MP Academy of Administration, Area Colony, Bhopal, on February 27, March 1, 1995 After excluding the papers which have been published/would be published in the edited books, the remaining papers in 1995-2007 have been brought together under this book.

The book has been divided in three sections. I. Pollution and Environment in Society II Role of State in Environmental Awareness, Education and Research III Genetic Engineering in Agriculture and Environment.

My special thanks are due to Dr. MM. Salunkhe, Hon'ble Vice- Chancellor, for his constant encouragement for publication. I am thankful to Dr. A. A. Dange, Director, BC UD, for his support.

I am grateful to the organizers of the Seminar and Conference for giving me an opportunity to participate and discuss on various dimensions of environment and development. I put on record my sincere thanks to all the persons and officials for their kind cooperation in providing necessary information for the papers.

R.B. Patil has all along been a serious researcher which eventually promoted him to make a career initially in Industrial Sociology and subsequently in Environment and Development.

In all, he has published 12 papers in this book, which have been divided into three sections, namely (1) Pollution and Environment, (2) Role of State in Environmental Awareness, Education and Research and (3) Genetic Engineering in Agriculture and Environment.

Patil has extensively discussed the theme of pollution in the first seven papers to begin with; he has highlighted the impact of paper Mill and Distillery Waste Water on agricultural land in the first paper at shirol in Kolhapur District. In the second paper, he has noted some important observations about pollution pertaining to sugar cooperatives in Kolhapur District. Third paper deals with some important issues on pollution and people in the context of small scale tanning units in Kolhapur city. He has taken an overview of international trade of hazardous waste in the fourth paper. In the fifth paper, Patil has dealt with some issues pertaining industrial pollution and human health. The sixth paper throws light on bio- medical waste in Western Maharashtra. Finally, patil has very ably pinpointed hazards of religious festivals and noise pollution in the seventh chapter of the first section.

The second section of the book deals with the role of the state in environmental awareness, education and research which has been extensively discussed in two chapters, the first of which briefly deals with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and environmental awareness and the second one of which deals with the role of Ministry of Environment and Forest (GOI) in environmental education and research.