Justice Abhay S. Oka has recently said that there is an urgent need to develop scientific temper to protect the environment.
Speaking at a lecture in Chennai, he drew attention to practices that harm the environment in the name of tradition. He observed that acts such as pouring milk into rivers, carried out as religious offerings, could be avoided if people approached such practices with rational and scientific thinking.
Speaking at the Rakesh Endowment Lecture on “Environment – Rights or Duties under the Constitution,” Justice Oka observed that certain ritualistic practices, such as pouring milk into rivers and taking bath, continue despite their adverse ecological consequences. He stated that if individuals applied scientific reasoning before engaging in such acts, they would recognize the environmental harm caused. Notably, he highlighted that milk discharged into water bodies can significantly reduce oxygen levels, thereby affecting aquatic life and takes a long time for ecosystems to recover. He said this in reply to a question raised by The Hindu Group Director N. Ram.
A few weeks ago, some 11,000 litres of milk were poured into the Narmada River in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, to conclude a 21-day Shiv Mahapuran ritual trigerring outrage on social media over both the wastage of milk and the pollution of the river.
Such practices, though symbolic, contribute to pollution and degrade our natural water systems. He emphasized that environmental damage disproportionately affects, minority or sidelined groups, even though the primary contributors to pollution are often urban populations.
Justice Oka also reflected on the broader constitutional framework, noting that environmental protection is both a fundamental duty and an essential aspect of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. He expressed concern over the lack of consistent political focus on environmental issues and the limited public support for environmental activism.