Tejonidhi Paul
I came to know about the Dhamra Port and its “ill effects” when I was 16 years old. I was really hurt after I saw the pictures of hundreds of dead turtles lying on the beach. I was frustrated that someone was making money by building a port in the “homes” of the turtles and not even caring about what was happening to them. The turtles have been nesting in Dhamra for millions of years peacefully. Now, suddenly, someone destroys their homes and as a result, the helpless turtles die. The port is not only affecting the turtles, but also the animals of the Bhitarkanika and the Gahirmatha sanctuaries.
It is surprising that although the government which respects Gandhi’s practice of “Ahimsa” is aware of the damage which is occurring to the ecosystem, no action is being taken. The matter has been before the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court for the last six months. Yet, the Ministry for Environment and forests has not filed a response in the case, or made its stand known on the violation. To me, this is hypocrisy. A nation which preaches “Ahimsa” should not be neglecting the fact that hundreds of turtles are dying because their homes have been occupied by a “Port”!!!
Why can’t the government officials look at the dying animals instead of the export and import of products and stop the functioning of the port? The turtles have been breeding in Dhamra for millions of years. It sounds so sad that lives of living creatures are valued less than a port which has no life at all. Once a habitat is destroyed, it is almost impossible for Man to repair it. And the officials know it and it appears to me that they just don’t care!!! All they care about is politics, where greed wears the mask of morality.
The turtles can’t speak. They can’t express themselves. But the damage which the Dhamra Port is creating speaks for itself. It is left to us to help these amazing little marvelous, beautiful, silent, harmless, gentle creatures of the sea get their habitat back where they can peacefully live and breed just as they were doing for millions of years.
We humans are responsible for what is happening. We need to raise our voice against the unfair things that are happening. What have the turtles done to us that they have to suffer like this? Let us stop these shameless, hard-hearted, selfish people who are interested only in money and don’t care of precious little animals which are dying.
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