THE AILING PLANET

1. Locate the lines in the text that support the title ‘The Ailing Planet’.

Ans: The following lines in the text support the title ‘The Ailing Planet’:

Are we to leave our successors a scorched Planet of advancing deserts, impoverished

landscapes and ailing environment.

A three years study using satellites and aerial photography conducted by the United
Nations warns that the environment has deteriorated so badly that it is critical in many of
the 88 countries investigated.

2. What is the significance of the notice of ‘The World’s most dangerous animal’ at a cage
in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia?

Ans: The notice signifies that there is depletion of resources and deterioration of
environment. Man is responsible for this and his own survival is threatened.

3. Why does the author agree that the growth of world population is one of the strongest
factors distorting the future of human society?

Ans: The population of India was estimated to be 920 million in 1994. Overpopulation
upsets all plans of development and puts a severe strain on the earth’s principal biological
systems. This leads to poverty and unemployment and development is hampered.

4. What do you think The causes for endless anguish to common man are:

Ans: The endless anguish is caused to common man, when laws are constituted but are
never enforced or respected in our country. Evils like casteism, untouchability, and bonded
labour still exist and need to be abolished by strict laws.

5. What are the unusually alarming statistics about the population that the author talks
about?

Ans: The author says that the population explosion has distorted the future of human
society. Mankind took a million years to reach the first billion. The second billion was
added in just another 100 years and the twentieth century has added 3.7 billion more.

The present population is over 5.7 billion. Every four days the population increases by one
million.

6. Explain the importance of Green Revolution.

Ans: The Green Revolution is important as the signs of the earth which are connected with
life shows the earth as a patient. We have moral obligations. We must become good
stewards of the planet and act as responsible trustees of the legacy for future generations .

7. Explain the Concept of sustainable development:

Ans: Sustainable development is that progress which is made to meet the needs of the
present and takes care not to endanger the future. This means we must not deprive the
world of its resources and protect our endangered species.

8. What do you think is the role of industry in the new era of responsibility?

Ans: Industry is the main source of environmental pollution. In the new era of
responsibility, the industrialists must become conscious of their responsibility towards
environment. They should remain environmental friendly even when they exist as leading
manufacturers.

9. Justify the title of the essay.

Ans: The author has depicted the planet earth as someone who is suffering from a disease.
The green movement takes a holistic view of the situation and seeks to maintain and
conserve the environment and maintain it.

10. What is the holistic and ecological view of the world that has emerged in recent times ?

Ans: The view about the world in the recent times is that it is an organism which has
become ailing and needs looking after. It also has metabolic needs and vital processes
which have to be nurtured and preserved. We have to save the earth for our successors .

11. Explain the statement ‘forests precede mankind; deserts follow’.

Ans: Forests have helped to nurture mankind from times immemorial but man has
destroyed these forests ruthlessly and deserts have taken their place. Man is destroying
himself by destroying forests.

12. What is the role of industries in the preservation of environment?

Ans: Industries and industrialists have to exercise control in use of natural resources. The
top officials need to become the guardians of our environment if we have to think about
our future generations.

13. What are the four principal biological systems that the author refers to?

Ans: The author refers to fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands as they form the
foundation of the global economic system. They provide raw materials for industry.

14. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?
Ans: Earth’s principal biological systems are being depleted by excessive use. Over
fishing is quite common. Forests are being destroyed to obtain firewood for cooking.

Grasslands are turning into deserts and produce from croplands is decreasing.

15. What does more children mean to the poor section of people of India?
Ans: Poverty is directly caused by illiteracy and lack of education. The illiterate and
uninformed poor people of India believe that more children is more income. In fact more
children means more responsibility and more poverty and an unhealthy family and
individual.

16. Why is tropical forest called the powerhouse of evolution?

Ans: It is in the heart of the tropical forests where newer plants and animals evolve to
more adaptable forms.

17. How is population responsible for the environment degradation?

Ans: With rising population, space that nature assigned for forests and animals. More
population means less forests and animals. Unfortunately man’s first choice is nature and
it is sadly vulnerable and an easy prey. When cities and megacities occupy the major
portion of the earth, the ecological balance is said to be lost.

18. What does more children mean to the poor section of people of India?
Ans: Poverty is directly caused by illiteracy and lack of education. The illiterate and
uninformed poor people of India believe that more children is more income. In fact more
children means more responsibility and more poverty and an unhealthy family and
individual.

19. Is Indian constitution capable of safeguarding its forests?

Ans: So far, with all the measures adopted, the government has not been able to safeguard
its forests effectively. India’s constitution is ostentatiously rich and effective but when it
comes to enforcement, it miserably fails or it is not entirely successful.

20. Explain: “What goes under the pot cost more than what goes inside it”?

Ans: Today the situation of earth has become so severe that the cost of the firewood which
we burn under the pot costs more than rice and other staple food.

Long Answer type Questions:

21. How has the growth of world population affected the environment? Support your
answer with suitable arguments?

Ans: The author Nani Palkhivala enumerates some alarming statistics to suggest how the
growth of world population has tremendously affected the environment. The population
which took a million years to reach the first billion took just another hundred years to
reach the second billion. Another century passed it and reached the alarming figure o f 3.7
million. Presently it is over 6 million and there is a huge demand on resources, natural or
man made. The resources worldwide are under a lot of stress and pressure. The four
principal biological systems i.e. fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands which form the
foundation of the global economic system and provide raw materials to the industry are
facing a lot of stress. The human demands on these systems are increasing at a rapid speed.
Hence, sustainability and productivity are both hampered. When this happens, fisheries
collapse, forests disappear, grasslands become wastelands and croplands deteriorate. The
need of the hour is to become sensitive towards the needs of the environment to get
affected; we will leave behind nothing but an ailing planet for our future generations.

22. We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our
children. Discuss.

Ans: Earth’s resources are limited and will not last for ever. In the twentieth century, there
has been a revolutionary change in human perception. We cannot take the planet for
granted. We are mere custodians. We have to take a holistic view of the very basis of our
existence. The earth is a living organism of which we are parts. It has its own metabolic
needs to stay alive and must be respected and preserved for the future generation. What is
required is sustainable development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the destiny of future generation. There are four biological systems, namely
fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. They form the foundation of the global
economic system. They supply us food and raw materials for industry. In larger areas of
the world, these systems are reaching unsustainable levels. Their productivity is being
damaged. The growth of world population is another factor distorting the future of our
children. Development is not possible if population increases. In this era of responsibility
towards our future generation, population must be controlled. Industries must become
environmental friendly. Now many industrialists, politicians and writers have realized
their responsibility in preserving the non renewable natural resources for the future
generation.

23. Margaret Thatcher says, “No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a
life tenancy – with full repairing lease.” How is this statement significant today?
Ans: Everyone says, “it is my land” and “that is your land.” People fight for other
territories and encroach the neighbour’s land. It is here what British Prime Minister,
Margaret Thatcher’s observation gains importance. We are not supposed to occupy the
earth considering that the planet belongs to us and that we can exploit the planet any way
we like. We, on the contrary, have to extract the resources so careful that the generation
that comes after us will have a better land and sea, a less dense forest, cleaner water and
clearer sky.