Chapter 6 :The deterioration of the environment

We reached home.The smoke from the dump yard reduced.But the smell from it was horrible due to presence of plastic and rubber.I opened all the doors and windows.My grandpa started sneezing due to the smoke.Rahul told that this is symptom of allergic reaction in body and he gave him some medicine.

My grandpa sat on a chair.Mona and Reena were sitting beside him.Grandpa said "Agricultural lands are becoming barren,fresh water from the river which we used to drink without filtration has became useless due to the activities of humans.Land is becoming polluted,water has became toxic...Water is the basic need of life.But life in water has become extinct.Without air we die.But if we breath this air we may not live.The trees are green and fresh but hear the leaves are in black colour due to the deposition of ash on them.In olden days if the wind blows....flowers and fruits dropped from trees but now if the wind blows there will be rain of ash.....We the humans are making our home into a dump yard.We may not have all the facilities like today but we used to live with nature....if this continues the life on this earth would extinct soon."Grandpa had a great concern about nature,after all he is a farmer who cultivated from soil.He used to love nature.I can see his pain in his voice.After taking medicine given by rahul he fell asleep.

Reena and Mona are playing.Sam went to cook some food.Rahul was standing in the garden.He was deeply thinking about something.I stood beside him.He not even noticed me."what are you doing?"I asked."I am thinking about grandpas words.He was right.For making ourselves comfortable we are spoiling everything."

He is looking at his garden.He suddenly asked "how many days are left...?" I answered only 5 days are left.The sun started to set.We were feeling very tired,so we had our dinner and occupied our places to sleep.But today Rahul turned off all the lights before sleeping to save electricity. This time I looked at him in the little light.He was looking at me.He came to me and kissed me on my forehead and said "sleep well.Now close your eyes and sleep." I smiled at him and closed my eyes.I really fell asleep.

Next day when I woke up Rahul was bringing something from the market.I gave my grandpa his morning tea and went to help sam in preparing breakfast.Rahul came and told us that it would rain today according to the weather report.So we should never go out today.My grandpa asked "This is the first rain.My children love to play in rain,the scent of mud and the wind which waves the leaves making them to dance..."

Rahul interrupted and said "grandpa this rains are not pure.They are acidic in nature.Due to the pollutants released from the factory it causes acid rains.It is dangerous.It caused a great loss to the farmers last year.Bridges were damaged,aquatic life was completely disturbed.It also causes many disease to humans like astama and bronchitis. Some scientist say that it may cause even cancer."

Grandpa was confused and annoyed with his words and said with anger "We used to treat this earth like our mother. Rain is a symbol of starting life but hear life is ending due to rains.People are spoiling everything for the little comforts but they are not aware of the destruction of future generation".

We had our lunch.Grandpa went to take a nap.I am sitting in the veranda.I am missing the fresh air, long swing on tamarind trees, those sweet tamarinds, my grandmas fish recipy, the rain dance, the flowers and everything.....I am literally missing everything. Rahul came and sat beside me.I even didn't noticed him.I don't understand that how he knows everything about me.He brought me some tamarinds.He said "Sam told me that you love to have tamarinds,so I brought them for you.They may not be as sweet as yours in 90s but they are actually good." I smiled and had them.They are actually good.

In the evening there was news in the mobile saying that a large group of monkeys have attacked the village making a great loss to people.They stole the food by attacking on them.More than 50 members were injured.Grandpa said "hear comes another problem now.Again we are responsible for this." Rahul was a bit confused and asked grandpa "how are we responcible for this..??" Then grandpa explained by saying "Deforestation can directly lead to biodiversity loss when animal species that live in the trees no longer have their habitat, cannot relocate, and therefore become extinct. Deforestation can lead certain tree species to permanently disappear, which affects biodiversity of plant species in an environment.None of the organisms on this earth would like to become extinct.To save there lives and to overcome hunger these are attacking people for food".The sun set.We had our dinner and went to sleep.Thinking about all this I fell asleep.