CHENNAI: Stressing on the need for developing scientific temper, particularly among students, and conservation of the environment, former judge of the Supreme Court Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka on Saturday said that people will not harm the environment in the name of religious rituals were scientific temper to prevail.
Referring to a recent incident of lakhs of litres of milk being poured into a Madhya Pradesh river, he said that if those who indulged in it had subjected their act to the test of scientific temper they would not have done it as milk’s contents affect marine species.
Justice Oka was delivering the Rakesh endowment lecture in Chennai on ‘Environment-rights or duties under the Constitution’ organised by the Rakesh Law Foundation.
Recalling the service rendered by Narendra Dabolkar of Maharashtra in furthering scientific temper among the public, he said it is high time students inculcated such temper.
Expressing concern also over a large number of idols made of Plaster of Paris being immersed in the sea during Vinayakar Chathurthi, lakhs of people bathing in rivers during the Kumbh Mela, the former judge said, “No religion encourages destruction of the environment.”
On indiscriminate tree felling in urban areas for developmental work, he said major cities have lost about 50% of tree cover due to such activities.“Can we have development at the cost of the environment?”
Director of the Hindu Publishing Group N Ram, former judge of Madras High Court GM Akbar Ali, senior counsel and former MP NR Elango were also were present at the event.