The Rights of Animals

 

The Rights of Animals

Can humans, that is, only one species, use and exploit the resources of the earth on which billions of species of plants and animals also have a right along with us? There are many types of creatures in our world. The plants and animals present on earth along with us also have the right to share the resources of the earth and to live here.

We have no right to push a species that has evolved over millions of years towards destruction. Wild and domestic animals have the right not only to live but to live with respect. Cruelty to an animal is not at all different from cruelty of man to man from a moral point of view.

Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy was based on the belief that man is not the master of other creatures but he is only the trustee of the lower animal world.

Man is just a part of the life cycle on earth. We often forget that we are exploiting nature and other species much more than necessary. As a part of the community of living things on earth, every plant and animal has the right to live. While there is a predator-prey relationship in nature, if nature is left to its own devices, it maintains balance in every ecosystem!

In that evolution, species get extinct and new species of plants and animals are born to fill the world's ecosystem. But man alone is responsible for the recent rapid decline in the number of species on Earth. What is even more worrying is that man is reducing the abundance of species so rapidly that in the near future we will probably start a massive wedge of destruction and this will put the very existence of mankind in serious danger.

Therefore, endangering wild plants and animals and bringing them to the brink of extinction is not only injustice to these species but also injustice to those future generations who will not be able to benefit from the presence of these species.

The existence and rights of animals and plants on Earth also have a solid moral basis. Be it human or animal, every creature should be treated justly. Cruelty to animals is a crime that should be taken seriously and action should be taken against the culprits.

Animals also have the right to live with dignity and their life, welfare and freedom should be taken care of. Awareness about animal rights is increasing in our country and cruelty to animals is being considered a crime.

Conservation of forests and wildlife habitats !

 

Conservation of forests and wildlife habitats

In today's era, deforestation has become a serious problem. The existence of forests is not only necessary to maintain our environmental balance, but it is also important for our life.

We all know that deforestation is extremely harmful to the environment. Life without forests cannot be imagined. Deforestation leads to serious issues like climate change, land erosion, and pollution. Also, the existence of wildlife is also in danger. We have to make it a habit to plant trees to prevent deforestation and make people aware of its importance. It is our responsibility to protect the environment and ensure a safe environment for our future generations.

Deforestation increases the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is causing problems like global warming. It is also true that without forests, there can be problems in water conservation as well. When forests are deforested, soil erosion also increases, which leads to more natural disasters like floods and droughts. Moreover, forests are being lost to millions of species of wildlife. These creatures are a vital part of our ecosystem, and their existence is at stake.

Conservation of Habitats: Rapid destruction of forests and expansion of human settlements and activities have reduced the natural habitats of animals and birds. Habitat destruction puts a lot of pressure on many animals and has led to the extinction of many rare and local species. Many other species are in grave danger. Therefore, it is our responsibility to protect the remaining habitats and their inhabitants. Below are some dos and don'ts that can help in the conservation of endangered ecosystems:

Dos

1. Take care of your responsibility while visiting the forest. Remember to bring back whatever you take and clean up the garbage spread by others. Follow the indicated paths and remember that wildlife needs peace too. Study ecosystems. It increases a sense of responsibility towards its conservation.

2. Treat animals with kindness. Prevent friends from disturbing or being cruel to wildlife like birds, frogs, snakes, lizards and insects.

3. Learn about birds and identify common birds of your area, understand their food requirements and habits. Make artificial nests in bird boxes. This will encourage birds to stay near you, even if their habitat is rare. You can also learn more about birds by arranging a bird house. Birds need water to drink and keep their feathers clean. You can make a bird house from a large ceramic or plastic pot. Having birds around your home, school or college can help increase species diversity in the area.

4. Attract small animals like squirrels by sprinkling or spreading water in the garden. Make a small hole in the bottom of a bucket and thread a thread through it to make a wick. Hang the bucket from a branch of a tree above your bird house and water will keep dripping from it throughout the day.

5. Do not use chemicals in your garden. This will protect the insectivorous creatures, especially birds and insects that live around you. Instead, use vermicompost and take the help of natural pesticides. Do gardening and decoration with local plants to prevent pests and plant-borne diseases in the garden.

6. If you have pets, provide them good food, proper housing and emergency medical care.

7. If you go to a zoo, learn about the animals and birds there, but do not tease or harm them by using the sticks of their cages. They have the right to live a peaceful life. Zoos are not an ideal home for them anyway.

The biggest threat to saving trees is the increasing trend of urbanization and modernization. We depend on wood to build big cities and buildings and we get wood from trees. Since people dream of a luxurious life, they ruthlessly cut down trees without thinking about the future.

Finally, we must understand that forest conservation is essential to protect our environment. We must make it a habit to live our lives in such a way that we can protect our forests and nature.

We can save trees in the following ways – planting more and more trees, stopping felling of trees, creating awareness about the importance of trees.

Teenagers and Drug Abuse

Teenagers and Drug Abuse

Drug addiction is a widespread problem. It affects many people around the world. People can develop drug addiction quickly and once they get addicted to drugs, it becomes difficult to stop. Drug use causes serious long-term health problems and can also cause changes in a person's behavior.

Drug addiction has become a serious challenging problem for the world today. There is hardly any country left in the world that has not fallen prey to the ill effects of drugs. Today, countries of the world have started a massive movement against drugs. The Indian government has also taken commendable steps against drugs.

Drug addiction is like a sweet poison, once one gets addicted to it, it becomes very difficult to leave it. Therefore, that person dies soon. Drug addiction hollows out the human body from inside and that person is useless. The thinking power of people addicted to drugs gradually ends and that person remains unsuccessful in every field of life. Intoxicants include gutkha, tobacco, bidi, cigarette, alcohol, bhang, hashish, opium, ganja and drugs. Chewing gutkha and tobacco causes mouth and throat cancer and also leads to stone formation. Bidi and cigarette causes lung cancer. Drinking alcohol damages the liver. The power of thinking and understanding is lost by the use of bhang or drugs and the body becomes weak.

Consumption of intoxicants leads to wastage of money. Even a good person gets defamed in the society by consuming these intoxicants. The peace and happiness of the home is destroyed. The body also becomes useless and the future of such people is in danger. After getting addicted to these, the person suffers and remains troubled like a fish out of water without taking intoxicants. After taking intoxicants, the person gets carried away and does some illegal or antisocial act because his mental condition becomes bad. After coming to his senses, he regrets it.

In our society, even our relatives and friends consume them and nowadays some foolish, naive students in schools and colleges also use them. They consider it their pride. Many students inspire their friends to do the same, this can prove to be very harmful for them, us and our country. The soldiers of every country have the burden of their country on their shoulders. Therefore, we should warn the people who do this about the dangerous consequences of drugs. At the same time, we should be aware against it by telling them its ill effects.

Some countries or people who are enemies of mankind, smuggle drugs and send them to other countries so that the people of that country can be physically and mentally hollowed out and their dominance can be established over them. Therefore, the government of our country should take the strictest steps against such people, so that every country can live in peace and develop.

Drug addiction is a serious health problem among teenagers. Most of the teenagers are them. Those who just use drugs, are not completely dependent on it. Some use it for entertainment, while others use it in a way that is harmful to health and different methods are needed for its identification, diagnosis and management. Drug abuse destroys the decision-making ability of adolescents and can lead to risky behaviors.

Why do teenagers take drugs?

1. To imitate adult behaviour (use of legally permitted drugs)

2 Due to attractive advertisements of alcohol and tobacco companies

3. Due to personal and social risk factors:

4. Apathy and low self-esteem

5. Poor performance in school

6. Family dysfunction due to conflicts between parents and children

7. Unclear negative behaviour

8. Deteriorated communication skills

9. Preference for drugs

10. History of drug abuse in the family

Visible evidence of drug addiction

* Easy availability of drugs

* Some common reasons for drug abuse among students:

* Curiosity (desire to know)

* Pressure from friends

* Excessive pocket money

* To escape a pessimistic situation

* Broken family

* Wrong notion that drug abuse does not lead to addiction

* Rebellious behaviour

* Lack of guidance from parents

* Stress due to failure in love affairs, changes, failing in exams

* Escape from reality

* Belief that drug abuse gives a feeling of happiness!

.Symptoms of drug abuse:

* Lack of concentration

* Lack of memory

* Lack of self control

* Lack of hygiene- mouth/general

* Infection in the membrane of the eye

* Runny nose and burning-itching

* Frequent pain in the pelvis

* Low body weight

* Vomiting

* Blood in stools

* Enlarged liver

* Prolonged cough, cold

* Rapid heart rate

* Muscle twitching

* Wounds or cuts in the skin

 Addiction fuels a harmful cycle that also disrupts family harmony and social relationships. Dealing with addiction is important not only for the individual's recovery but also to improve the lives of their loved ones.

Environmental Awareness

 

Environmental Awareness

Protection and conservation of environment is an important issue in today's time. It is necessary to raise awareness to protect the natural resources around us.

Environmental sensitivity in India can only come from a major campaign of public awareness. In this, many means - electronic media, press, school, college education and adult education, all complement each other. Green movement can grow from small local initiatives to become a major factor advocating environmental protection before the government. There is a large enough group of voters who insist on environmental protection. Only then will the policy makers work for environmental protection. It is an important task to motivate the media to present environmental issues. Often many advertisements carry such messages which are not in the interest of protecting the environment.

What can we do?

Most of us always keep complaining about the deteriorating condition of the environment in the country. We keep blaming the government for not doing anything about it. How many of us really do something about our environment? Think about the things we can do to protect the environment in our daily lives, our businesses and our communities.

Conservation of biodiversity: A large part of India's remaining wilderness is threatened today. Many unique landscapes are shrinking as intensive agriculture and industrial growth accelerate in the name of development. If man continues to destroy natural habitats, undoing millions of years of evolution in his obsession with destruction, and focusing only on short-term gains, modern science has no doubt that the end of the human race is near. Species are irreversible. When a species goes extinct, it is gone forever. Future generations will hold us responsible for this irreparable loss.

Often we forget that we are part of the intricate web of life and that our lives depend on the unity of the 1.8 million species of plants and animals that live in different ecosystems on Earth. You can contribute to protecting your ecosystems and conserving biodiversity by doing the following:

Things to do

1. Plant more trees of local or indigenous species around your home and workplace and encourage your friends to do the same. Plants are important for our lives in many ways.

2. If your urban garden is too small for trees, plant shrubs and vines. These support bird life and insect life which are part of nature's food chains. Conservation of urban biodiversity is possible and it can support a limited but valuable variety of life.

3. If you live in a flat, plant plants in pots on the terrace or balcony. Window-boxes can be used to grow small flowering plants. These will also add beauty to your home.

4. Prevent cutting of trees wherever and whenever possible and if possible, report it immediately to the concerned authorities. Old trees are especially important.

5. Focus on keeping the hills free from settlements or encroachments. The degradation of hill slopes leads to serious environmental problems.

6. Buy lightweight packaging material. This will not only reduce the amount of waste going into landfills but will also reduce the need to cut trees to make paper for packaging etc.

7. Find ways to reduce paper usage. Write on both sides of every sheet of paper and send the waste paper for recycling.

8. Buy recycled paper items for your home, such as paper sheets, envelopes etc.

9. Reuse paper from cartons and gift paper again and again. Recycle newspapers and waste paper instead of throwing them in the garbage.

10. Donate used books and magazines to schools, hospitals or libraries. This donation will not only help these organizations but will also reduce the exploitation of natural resources for making paper.

11. Participate in events that promote the need to maintain sanctuaries, national parks, nature trails, open spaces and save forests.

12. Help in Project Tiger, Project Elephant etc. and join NGOs involved in environment and nature conservation.

13. Participate in wildlife week activities, tree plantation drives and other public activities and protest against environmental destruction and involve friends in it too!

If we all work together for environmental conservation, we can make our earth safe and beautiful for future generations. Remember, our future and that of our future generations is safe only in protecting the environment.

Child Marriage – An Introduction

 

Child Marriage – An Introduction

Child marriage is usually associated with a social practice prevalent in some societies in India, in which a young girl (usually under 15 years of age) is married to an adult man. Another type of child marriage is practiced by the parents of two children (boy and girl) who arrange their future marriage. In this practice, the two individuals (boy and girl) do not meet until they reach marriageable age, when their marriage is solemnized.

According to the law, the marriageable age is 21 years for men and 18 years for women. If either partner marries below this age, he or she can have the marriage declared void/annulled.

Effects of Child Marriage

Girls who are married at a young age are often at a higher risk of developing health problems related to sex and pregnancy at a young age, including HIV and obstetric fistula.

* Young girls, who lack status, power and maturity, are often victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and social exclusion.

* Early marriage almost always deprives girls of education or meaningful work, which leads to their continued poverty.

* Child marriage traps them in a web of gender discrimination, disease and poverty.

: Marrying girls at an early age, when they are not physically mature, leads to higher rates of maternal and infant mortality.

Causes of Child Marriage

* Poverty

* Low level of education for girls

* Girls are treated with low status and are considered an economic burden

* Social customs and traditions

* Child Marriage: Government and NGO initiatives to eradicate it

* Creating laws against child marriage

* Facilitating education for girls

* Changing harmful social norms

* Supporting community programmes

* Maximising support

* Providing economic opportunities for young women

* Meeting the rare needs of child brides

* Assessing programmes to see what works

Government initiatives

* Laws to prevent child marriage

The central government repealed the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 1929 and replaced it with a new and more progressive Prohibition of Child Marriage Act in 2006.

Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006

Offences and Punishment under this Act

Punishment for Male Adult: If any adult male who is above the age of 21 years solemnizes a child marriage, he may be punished with rigorous imprisonment for 2 years or fine of one lakh rupees or both.

Punishment for aiding in marriage: If any person aids, conducts, directs or abets any child marriage, he may be punished with rigorous imprisonment for 2 years or fine of one lakh rupees or both.

Punishment for promoting/permitting marriage: Any person including the parents or guardian of the child or any member of any other organisation who does any act to promote or permit the solemnization of a child marriage or negligently fails to prevent it, including attending or participating in such marriage, may, on conviction be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years or fine of one lakh rupees or both.

The offence under this Act is cognizable and non-bailable.

Under this new Act, strict provisions have been made against those who allow or encourage child marriage. Under this Act, the marriage of a man below 21 years of age and a woman below 18 years of age is defined as child marriage. This Act came into effect from November 2007.

" Stopping Child Marriage is the best way to protect Young Girls from being Abused."

Smoking is harmful for health!

 

Smoking is harmful for health!

It is necessary for the society to be aware about the prohibition of smoking because smoking can hollow out the dreams of our young generation from within.

It would not be wrong to say that in this blind race of modernity, the youth have started walking on many such wrong paths, which lead any civilized society towards downfall. One of these is smoking, which is taking the world on such a wrong path where the world will only suffer.

Today, about 115 billion people smoke in the world. Out of which 82 percent are from low and middle income countries.

Tobacco related diseases like cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease have already become a big problem in many countries and in India, an estimated 12 million cases of tobacco related diseases can be seen every year. About 50 percent of cancer cases in men are tobacco-related, while 60 percent of people under 40 who suffer from heart disease smoke.

The tobacco industry needs to attract new smokers to replace those who have died from tobacco use. Tobacco sales remain high, 11,000 new tobacco users are needed every day to replace those who have died. A lot of money is spent on advertising to make smoking look fashionable.

The younger the age at which smoking starts, the longer the smoking cycle. Young smokers are more likely to be affected because they are unaware of the addictive nature of nicotine and the ill effects of tobacco. In most developing countries, adolescents and young adults make up a significant percentage of the population. It has been proven that almost all tobacco users started using before the age of 18 and so the tobacco industry in developing countries seeks to attract young people to increase their sales and make up for their losses in developed countries. The number of teenagers using tobacco is already a cause for concern.

Quitting smoking also has a positive effect on our social life. Smoking can be a socially isolating habit, as many people now prefer to avoid places where smoking is permitted. By quitting, we can improve our social life and enjoy more activities with our friends and family.

Quitting smoking is a responsible choice that can help protect the health of those around us. Smoking can cause a wide range of health problems. By quitting smoking we reduce the risk of harmful effects of smoking, not just to ourselves but to those around us.

“Through the ban on smoking, new energy can be generated in the youth, this new energy enables the youth to work for the welfare of the society.”

Happiness and prosperity can be established in the society only by acquiring education.

 

Happiness and prosperity can be established in the society only by acquiring education.

✓ The origin of the word education is believed to be from the Latin word Educatum. Which is made up of 'e' and 'duco'. 'e' means "Out of" and 'duco' means "to extract out". Hence the literal meaning of education is to bring out the inner form.

By education we mean the development of good habits and morality. Education creates a healthy mind in a healthy body. Education brings perfection in personality. Education uplifts us physically, spiritually, mentally and practically. It guides man in every situation. In the context of Indian education, when we compare Indian education with the education of other countries, we see that there is a need for a lot of change in Indian education. The lack of practicality is clearly visible in Indian education. Efforts are being made to remove this difference between Indian education and foreign education.

It is said that the first school of a child is home and the first guru is the mother. All parents want to provide good and higher education to their child. For this they get their child admitted in a good school. Some parents send their child to school and become sure thinking that now the school and the teacher will control the child. And will develop good habits in the child. In such a situation, the responsibility of the school and the teacher increases even more that they provide proper education to the child and can fully develop the child.

Education plays an important role in every person's life. It not only gives us knowledge, but also shows us the direction to become a better person. Through education, we can realize our dreams and bring positive change in the society. Education develops our thinking, ideas and ability to contribute to the society.

To fulfill some such objectives and beliefs, "Vishva Vikas Sanstha" has played this responsibility in a very important way. An educated person can bring positive change in the society. Therefore, we should give importance to education.

"The purpose of education is not to learn facts but the main purpose of education is to train the mind." (Albert Einstein)