It?s the month of May and we?re already half way through our tenure as regional ambassadors. This period has helped me in more ways than one. I?m reading up more and am tuned  to the environmental issues around me. Recently when I read in the paper about a tiger killed and chopped into pieces before being dumped on a road side, I was shell shocked. Here we are with likeminded people and governments trying their best to raise awareness and conserve our environment maintaining its biodiversity which is not only unique but also necessary for the existence of harmony amongst various life forms, yet fail to control such destructive forces . We even have an active ?SAVE TIGER? campaign yet, such a horrible thing happened. It is a crime that people don?t care about another life.

On May 17th, India and Russia inked a Joint Resolution on saving tigers and leopards, followed with another bilateral agreement between India and Nepal on cross- border protection for tigers. In October this year, India will host The Conference of Parties for convention that legally binds all the countries in the world to protect species, eco-system and the ways of life that foster species and eco-system. Crores of rupees are spent on conservation projects but, I feel unless people are educated and made aware of the negative consequences of their actions, the progress made by governmental efforts will remain slow and minimum.

I honestly feel that it?s possible not just by preaching or pumping money into superficial projects but by going deeper and helping to improve the standard of living in the society by creating and encouraging small-scale and cottage industries. When people can make money and live comfortably then hopefully they won?t find it necessary to plunder nature. Am I wrong to assume so? It?s time for intervention paradigm shift to make any meaningful change and progress. I hope together we will walk the path of mutual understanding and co-operation in saving our mother Earth.