The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role |Class 11 CBSE| English Core | About The Author | Summary | Word Meanings |

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nanabhoy Ardeshir Palkhivala commonly known as Nani Palkhivala was born in 1920 in Bombay what was then the Bombay Presidency. His family name derives from the profession of his forefathers who had been manufacturers of palanquins (‘palkhis’). He was educated at Masters Tutorial High School, and later at St. Xavier's College, both in Bombay. At college, he earned a master's degree in English language and literature. Upon graduating, Palkhivala applied for a position as lecturer at Bombay University, but was not awarded the post. Afterwards he enrolled at Government Law College, Bombay, where he discovered that he had a gift for unraveling the intricacies of jurisprudence. Nani Palkhivala was called to the bar in 1946. He quickly gained a reputation as an eloquent and articulate barrister.

Notable cases of Nani Palkhivala include PJ Irani, Ujjam Bai, Gujarat University, Article 143 matter on immunity of state legislatures, Keshavnanda Bharti case, Birla Cotton, Bank Nationalization, Privy Purses, Harbhajan Singh Dhillon, Bennet Coleman, St Xaviers College, Indira Nehru Gandhi, Minerva Mills, Mandal case and TN Seshan matter of Chief Election Commissioner.

Palkhivala's initial focus was commercial and tax law. The books authored by him include

• Law and Practice of Income Tax
• Taxation in India
• The Highest Taxed Nation
• Judiciary Made to Measure
• Our Constitution Defaced and Defiled
• India's Priceless Heritage
• Essential Unity of all Religions
• We, the People
• We, the Nation

In 1963, Palkhivala was offered a seat in the Supreme Court, but declined. In 1968, he was offered the position of Attorney-General by Govinda Menon, then the Law Minister in the Congress Government. Nani Palkhivala was appointed Indian Ambassador to the United States in 1977 by the Janata government.

He received honorary doctorates from Princeton University, Rutgers University, Lawrence University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Annamalai University, Ambedkar Law University and the University of Mumbai.

In the last years of his life, Nani Palkhivala was severely affected by what may have been Alzheimer's disease. Nani was taken critically ill on 7 December 2002, and taken to Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai. He died on 11 December 2002. 

SUMMARY

In this chapter, the writer raises an issue towards the deteriorating health of the earth. This chapter is initially an article written by Nani Palkhivala. This article was published in ‘The Indian Express’ on 24^th November 1994. In 1972, the Green Movement helped environmentalists to raise awareness about the harmful condition of the earth and since then there has been no looking back. Humans have shifted from mechanistic view to a holistic and ecological view of the world and Earth is seen as a living organism with its own needs and processes. In 1987, the term Sustainable Development was introduced. In actuality, we are partners with millions of creatures of this entire planet. A zoo in Lusaka, Zambia has a cage in which a sign reads ‘The World’s most dangerous animal’ and inside there is a mirror. The Global Economic Prospect, a book, points out that there are 4 major biological systems fisheries, forests, croplands, and grasslands. These four systems provide virtually all the raw materials for industry except minerals and petroleum-derived synthetics. In poor countries, forests are being cut down for fuelwood which is used for cooking purposes. There are some areas where the cost of fuelwood is more than the cost of food. One of the reasons for the exploitation of the environment is the increasing population. There is an urgent need to control overpopulation in the world. According to Mr. Lester Brown, we have not inherited the earth from our forefathers but we have borrowed it from our children.

Word Meanings

Holistic: treating the whole of something or someone and not just a part of it

1.     Ecological view: the view that calls for the preservation of the planet.

1.     Steward: care taker

1.     Reckon: established by calculation

1.     Languish: to exist in an unpleasant situation 

1.     Ignominious darkness: disgraceful as nobody has knowledge about them

1.     Inter alia: among other things

1.     Ailing: in poor health

1.     Decimate: destroy a large proportion

1.     Usher: Cause or mark the start of something new

       Sources: Wikipedia
              NCERT Book

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