Non professionals are dictating environment conservation measures: Ullas Karanth

MANGALURU

Expressing his concern over non-professionals dictating environment conservation measures in the country, renowned conservationalist and Emeritus Director of Centre of Wildlife Studies Ullas Karanth on Friday expressed the need for pragmatic approach in nature conservation.

Speaking at a function to release four books of St. Aloysius Prakashana, Mr. Karanth said people are seeking progress in technology and uplift in economic status. “The changes that we see now are inevitable,” he said and added that conservation should be accommodated in the changing context. 

There is a need for eco-modernism or eco-pragmatism in approach towards conservation. Recognising growth and embracing technology makes space for nature conservation. “This is presently missing in our conservation discourse,” he said.

Nature conservation, he said, not only involves large landscape but also economic decision making and large bureaucracy. “The field is extremely political,” he said and added that conservation decisions are being dictated by non-professions. “People in the know of things are not involved in decisions and plans that are made,” he said. The conservation is being driven by emotions and not by science, he added.

Earlier Mr. Karanth released coffee table book ‘Pilikula” on Shivarama Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama written by N G Mohan. He also released ‘Flora of St Aloysius College Campus — Herbs & Shrubs’ of Jyothi Miranda, the Associate Professor, Dept of Botany; ‘Public Finance’ by former Associate Professor of Economics  V. Basil Hans; and ‘Kontrelantlem’ of Molly Miranda, which is the Konkani translation B.M. Rohini’s Kannada book “Nagandigeyolaginda’‘.

Former Mangaluru City South MLA J.R. Lobo and Principal of St. Aloysius College Praveen Martis were present.