When Global Climate Change and its negative ramifications is being perceived as the greatest threat faced by mankind, even more of a catastrophic level than a nuclear war outbreak, devastating fire in the Amazon forests of  Brazil couldn’t have come at a worse time. According to World Meteorological Organisation, fires have engulfed a substantial part of the Amazonian rainforest and are so huge that they are visible even from space and even corroborated through satellites images. This is a terrible concern with environmentalists and governments worldwide joining the chorus of lament since Amazon produces approximately 20 per cent of the oxygen in earth’s atmosphere and is thus often called the ‘lungs of the planet’. If the news of this phenomenal environmental loss is itself distressing, the news of deliberate human intervention for its occurrence, as they are transpiring gradually is equally troubling indeed. Exact calculation of the gamut of loss will take time, but the green which the world has lost will surely be very hard to recover and will unmistakably push the already fragile global environment to the tizzy brink further. 
Although climate change has catalyzed many devastating blazes in recent years in various parts of world and it is common during dry seasons in Brazil too, current year figures have shown that there had been a steep increase of 85% in wildfires in that country. This naturally has led to the increase of suspicion by world environmental watchers and it is now almost sure that Amazonian fires had been intentionally set by various stake holders with patronage of the country’s President to ‘develop’ the region. And judging the open remarks and attitude of the Brazil government it is clear that short-term hefty commercial gains are going to be their first priorities even if it come at the cost of a suicidal step of destroying the precious environment and ecology forever. Although in the face of mounting international pressure and criticism, efforts have been initiated to tame the fire, maximum of the damage is now complete. And all these had been done utterly disregarding the views of the indigenous people of Amazon who have been vocal over the years for protection of this environmental heritage.
The issue must be taken up more vociferously by world leaders and Brazil must be made answerable for its shamelessly negative stand as it will affect every corner of the planet in long run. And if this precedence of giving  importance to commercial gains above environment find newer takers, days are not far for mankind’s banishment. It’s a catastrophic loss which will be too hard to make good. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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