Environment And Sustainable Development; The Role Of The Engineer

Abstract

Today when the world stands on the threshold of a new era of ecological awareness and environmental activism it is important to have a clear understanding sustainable development. Different ways of explaining the term, "sustainable development" are discussed. In southern African regions problems of population growth and unbalanced distribution of population are continuously focussing problems to the planners. The impact of sustainability on environment is very well described. In most of urban areas in southern African countries the water is heavily polluted with domestic sewage, industrial effluents and solid wastes. A detailed study in this aspect is made. Rural-urban interface for sustainable development is described with particular relevance southern African regions. A case study of Delhi, Capital City of India is taken for example. Cities grow as fast as they do because of reasons mentioned in the paper. Larger the stock of skilled labour, greater the attraction for investors, greater the employment opportunities and consequently greater the migration from rural to the vicious urban circle. Thus the city expands without check and grows like cancer, exploding in size and in congestion until ultimately it becomes financially, environmentally and humanly unsustainable. Therefore it becomes necessary for habitat redesign for sustainability. Finally attention is focussed on the role engineers towards sustainable development. Many of the aspects of engineering discussed in this article are fundamental to the quality of life of clean and efficient city. No area of human activity will gain more from efficient use materials and reduction of pollution. But this is the time to remember that the objective of cities as of sustainable development, is quality of life and that engineering has an enormous role to play in this vital area.