Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 3 — The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role | ASSEB
Welcome to HSLC Guru. In this article we present complete, exam-ready question answers for ASSEB Class 11 English Hornbill Prose Chapter 3 — “The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role” by the eminent jurist and environmental thinker Nani Palkhivala. This impassioned essay traces the rise of the Green Movement, examines the alarming degradation of the Earth’s four principal biological systems — fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands — and argues for a holistic concept of sustainable development as articulated by the Brundtland Commission. Our notes cover Understanding the Text, Talking about the Text, Working with Words, Grammar, Additional Short and Long Answer Questions, MCQs, Extract-Based Questions and a thematic study guide aligned to the ASSEB / AHSEC HS 1st Year syllabus.
About the Author
Nani Ardeshir Palkhivala (1920–2002) was a celebrated Indian jurist, constitutional expert, economist and a passionate advocate of civil liberties. Born in Bombay, he rose to international fame as one of the finest legal minds India has ever produced. He served as India’s Ambassador to the United States from 1977 to 1979 and argued landmark cases such as the Kesavananda Bharati case, which preserved the basic structure of the Indian Constitution. Beyond law and economics, Palkhivala was deeply concerned with environmental issues, education and human values. The essay “The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role” was first published as an article in The Hindustan Times on 24 November 1994 and reflects his vision of a planet whose health depends on the moral and economic choices of humanity.
Summary (English)
“The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role” by Nani Palkhivala is a powerful environmental essay highlighting the deteriorating state of the Earth and the urgent need to protect it. The author observes that the Green Movement, which began in 1972, has brought about a profound shift in human thinking — from viewing the Earth as a possession to regarding it as a fragile organism that we hold in trust for future generations. He cites the Brundtland Commission’s concept of sustainable development, which seeks to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Palkhivala notes the alarming decline of the four principal biological systems — fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands — that supply food and industrial raw materials. He warns against rapid deforestation, especially in tropical countries, which threatens biodiversity and the planet’s ecological balance. He also discusses the population explosion, particularly in India, and argues that no civilised society can afford to ignore environmental ethics. The essay ends on a note of cautious optimism: humanity has the moral, technological and political resources to heal the ailing planet if it acts with wisdom, restraint and a sense of trusteeship over the Earth.
সাৰাংশ (Assamese)
নানী পালখিৱালাই ৰচনা কৰা “The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role” প্ৰৱন্ধটো এক গভীৰ পৰিবেশ-চেতনাৰ ৰচনা। লেখকৰ মতে পৃথিৱীখন আজি অতি গুৰুতৰভাৱে অসুস্থ — ই এক “অসুস্থ গ্ৰহ”ত পৰিণত হৈছে। ১৯৭২ চনত আৰম্ভ হোৱা গ্ৰীণ মুভমেণ্ট বা সেউজ আন্দোলনে মানুহৰ চিন্তাধাৰাত এক বিৰাট পৰিৱৰ্তন আনিছে; এতিয়া পৃথিৱীখনক আমি অধিকাৰৰ বস্তু বুলি নাভাবি, ভৱিষ্যত প্ৰজন্মৰ বাবে আমন্ত্ৰ ৰাখিবলৈ পোৱা এক ন্যাসৰক্ষী সম্পত্তি (trusteeship) বুলি ভাবিবলৈ ধৰিছোঁ। ব্ৰুণ্ডটলেণ্ড আয়োগে দিয়া সুস্থিৰ উন্নয়ন (sustainable development)ৰ ধাৰণাটোৱে কয় যে বৰ্তমান প্ৰজন্মৰ প্ৰয়োজন পূৰণ কৰোঁতে ভৱিষ্যত প্ৰজন্মৰ প্ৰয়োজন পূৰণৰ ক্ষমতাত যেন আঘাত নলাগে। লেখকে পৃথিৱীৰ চাৰিটা মূল জৈৱিক ব্যৱস্থা — মৎস্যক্ষেত্ৰ, অৰণ্য, তৃণভূমি আৰু কৃষিভূমিৰ অৱনতিৰ ছবি দাঙি ধৰিছে। ক্ৰান্তীয় অঞ্চলৰ অৰণ্য বিনাশ, প্ৰজাতিৰ লোপ, জনসংখ্যা বিস্ফোৰণ, আৰু ভাৰতৰ ক্ষেত্ৰত জনসংখ্যা বৃদ্ধিৰ ভয়াবহ চিত্ৰ লেখকে দাঙি ধৰিছে। শেষত তেওঁ আশাবাদৰ সুৰত কয় — যদি মানুহে নৈতিকতা, বুদ্ধি আৰু সংযমেৰে কাম কৰে তেন্তে এই অসুস্থ গ্ৰহক পুনৰ সুস্থ কৰি তুলিব পাৰি।
Understanding the Text (NCERT Textbook Questions)
1. Locate the lines in the text that support the title “The Ailing Planet”.
Answer: Several lines in the essay strongly justify the title “The Ailing Planet”. The author writes, “The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health.” He further states that the Earth is now seen as “a living organism with its own metabolic needs and vital processes” that requires protection. Statements such as “The forests are shrinking, deserts are advancing, soils are eroding, and the atmosphere is being polluted” and “the world has more than 50 crore acres of denuded land” reinforce the idea that the planet is gravely sick. Palkhivala also notes that “we have not inherited the earth from our ancestors; we have borrowed it from our children” — implying that we must heal the ailing planet before passing it on. The repeated medical imagery — patient, vital signs, declining health, ailment — fully justifies the title.
2. What does the notice “The world’s most dangerous animal” at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, signify?
Answer: At the zoo in Lusaka, Zambia, a cage carries the notice “The world’s most dangerous animal”. Inside the cage, instead of a tiger or a lion, there is only a mirror — so that anyone who looks into it sees his or her own reflection. The notice signifies that the most dangerous creature on the planet is the human being. Of all the species, only humans have the capacity, the intelligence and the technology to destroy the Earth’s ecosystem on a massive scale. By polluting rivers, depleting forests, hunting wildlife to extinction and overusing natural resources, humans have endangered every form of life including their own. The mirror is a powerful symbol urging human beings to look at themselves honestly and accept responsibility for the planet’s deteriorating condition.
3. How are the earth’s principal biological systems being depleted?
Answer: According to Palkhivala, the Earth has four principal biological systems — fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. These systems form the foundation of the global economic system; they supply all our food and most of the raw materials for industry, except minerals and petroleum. Today, however, human demand has crossed the productive capacity of these systems, and so they are being depleted at a frightening pace. Fisheries are collapsing because of over-fishing; forests are disappearing as they are cleared for timber, fuel and farms; grasslands are turning into deserts due to overgrazing; and croplands are losing fertility due to over-cultivation, soil erosion and the spread of urbanisation. As a result, fisheries collapse, forests vanish, grasslands turn into wastelands and croplands deteriorate — all of which threaten food security and ecological balance worldwide.
4. Why does the author aver that the growth of world population is one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society?
Answer: The author calls the growth of world population one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society because it puts unbearable pressure on the planet’s limited natural resources. Palkhivala notes that the world’s population was 5.7 billion in 1994 and is projected to swell to over 8 billion by 2020. Such numbers strain food supply, water, housing, healthcare, education and employment. Population pressure leads to deforestation, pollution, slums, unemployment and social unrest. Even more disturbingly, the rate of growth is highest in poor countries that can least afford it. India alone, the author writes, is expected to overtake China as the most populous country in the world. Unless reproduction becomes “by choice, not chance,” and unless family planning is treated as a fundamental need, no economic plan or environmental policy can succeed. That is why the population explosion threatens to nullify all efforts to heal the ailing planet.
Talking about the Text
1. Discuss in groups: “Are we doing enough to save the Earth?”
Answer: Although awareness of environmental issues has grown rapidly since 1972, our actual efforts to save the Earth remain inadequate. Governments sign treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, but enforcement is weak and many industrial nations continue to emit large quantities of greenhouse gases. At an individual level, most people still depend on plastic, waste water, drive private vehicles, and consume more than they need. NGOs, environmentalists and student movements like Fridays for Future are doing valuable work, but they cannot compensate for unchecked industrial pollution and reckless urbanisation. Palkhivala reminds us that “we have not inherited the earth from our ancestors; we have borrowed it from our children.” Until this sense of trusteeship becomes the basis of every economic and political decision, our efforts will fall short of what the planet truly needs.
2. Is the Green Movement only relevant to environmentalists or to all of us?
Answer: The Green Movement is relevant to every single human being, not just environmentalists. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and the climate we live in are all gifts of nature. When forests are destroyed, oxygen drops; when rivers are polluted, drinking water becomes scarce; when biodiversity is lost, agriculture itself collapses. Therefore, environmental degradation directly affects health, livelihood, economy and even the survival of cultures. The Green Movement asks us to live more responsibly — to plant trees, conserve water, save energy, recycle waste and respect all living forms. As Palkhivala writes, the Earth is a “living organism” that we hold in trust for future generations. The movement is therefore a moral, economic and spiritual concern, and a duty for all of humanity.
3. The problems of overpopulation and environmental degradation are interlinked. Comment.
Answer: Overpopulation and environmental degradation are deeply interlinked. As population rises, the demand for food, fuel, water, housing and consumer goods rises with it. To meet that demand, forests are cleared for farmland and settlements, rivers are dammed, fossil fuels are burnt, and oceans are over-fished. The result is deforestation, soil erosion, water shortage, air and water pollution, climate change and the extinction of species. Crowded cities also generate huge amounts of solid and liquid waste that pollute land and water. In poor countries, where population growth is highest, governments cannot provide enough resources or sanitation, which makes the ecological damage even worse. Palkhivala therefore argues that no environmental plan can succeed unless population growth is controlled, and no population programme can succeed unless it is supported by environmental wisdom.
Working with Words — Vocabulary
The following table gives the meanings and Assamese equivalents of important words from the chapter. Master these for both reading comprehension and exam answers.
| Word | Meaning (English) | Assamese Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Ailing | Sick, suffering from poor health | অসুস্থ |
| Holistic | Considering the whole rather than parts | সামগ্ৰিক |
| Catastrophic | Causing sudden, great damage | ভয়ংকৰ ক্ষতিকাৰক |
| Ecology | Study of the relations of living things to environment | পৰিবেশ-বিজ্ঞান |
| Biosphere | The part of the Earth where life exists | জীৱমণ্ডল |
| Sustainable | Able to continue without harming resources | সুস্থিৰ / স্থায়ী |
| Trusteeship | Holding something in trust for another | ন্যাসৰক্ষীত্ব |
| Decimated | Greatly reduced in number | বহু কমাই দিয়া |
| Ignominious | Shameful, dishonourable | লাজনীয় |
| Era | A long, distinct period of history | যুগ |
| Inherited | Received by inheritance | উত্তৰাধিকাৰসূত্ৰে পোৱা |
| Reckless | Heedless of consequences | উদাসীন / অসাৱধান |
| Decimation | Destruction of a large part | ব্যাপক বিনাশ |
| Pristine | Original, unspoiled | আদিম / পৰিচ্ছন্ন |
| Genocide | Mass killing of a group | গণহত্যা |
| Voracious | Eager, greedy (esp. for food) | লোভাতুৰ |
| Dwindle | Diminish gradually | ক্ৰমে ক্ষীণ হোৱা |
| Aver | Affirm, declare strongly | দৃঢ়তাৰে কোৱা |
| Transcend | Go beyond | অতিক্ৰম কৰা |
| Despoil | Plunder, rob | লুট কৰা |
1. Locate the following phrases in the text and study their connotation.
| Phrase | Connotation |
|---|---|
| Shut his eyes to | Refuse to acknowledge a truth |
| Fortune-hunting | Greedy pursuit of wealth |
| Look askance at | View with doubt or suspicion |
| Catching glimpse of | To see something briefly |
| Take into a head | Suddenly decide to do something |
2. The phrase “inter alia” meaning “among other things” is one of the many Latin expressions commonly used in English. Find out what these Latin phrases mean.
| Latin Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ad hoc | For this specific purpose; arranged when needed |
| de facto | In fact (whether by right or not) |
| de jure | By right; according to law |
| ex gratia | As a favour, not from legal obligation |
| ex parte | From one side only; by one party |
| ipso facto | By that very fact |
| modus operandi | Method of working |
| prima facie | On the face of it; at first sight |
| quid pro quo | Something for something; an equal exchange |
| sine die | Without a fixed date for resumption |
| sine qua non | An indispensable condition |
| sub judice | Under judicial consideration |
| verbatim | Word for word |
| bona fide | In good faith; genuine |
| mala fide | In bad faith |
Noticing Form / Grammar Exercises
1. Notice the use of passive voice in the following sentences. Identify the agent (if any) and the verb.
- “It is reported that the world’s tropical forests are disappearing at the rate of 50 acres a minute.” — Verb: are disappearing; reported form expresses an objective fact.
- “The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health.” — A nominal-style observation that uses an active verb but reports as if from a doctor’s diagnosis.
- “Forests are being cleared at an unprecedented rate.” — Verb: are being cleared; agent (loggers, industries) is not specified, focusing on the action.
- “The world’s population is expected to cross 8 billion by 2020.” — Passive infinitive construction emphasising the prediction itself.
2. Change the voice in the sentences below.
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| Humans are destroying the forests. | The forests are being destroyed by humans. |
| The Brundtland Commission gave us the idea of sustainable development. | The idea of sustainable development was given to us by the Brundtland Commission. |
| The Green Movement awakened the public conscience. | The public conscience was awakened by the Green Movement. |
| People must save the planet. | The planet must be saved. |
| We have polluted the rivers. | The rivers have been polluted by us. |
3. Use the correct relative pronoun (who, which, whose, that) to combine the sentences.
- Mr Lee Kwan Yew, who was the Prime Minister of Singapore, called India a nation of unrealised greatness.
- The Brundtland Commission, which popularised the concept of sustainable development, was set up in 1983.
- Mr Lester Brown, whose book The Global Economic Prospect Palkhivala quotes, founded the Worldwatch Institute.
- Margaret Thatcher, who was once Prime Minister of Britain, said no generation has a freehold on the earth.
Additional Short Answer Questions (1–2 Marks)
Q1. Who is the author of “The Ailing Planet”?
Answer: The author of the essay “The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role” is Nani Palkhivala, an eminent Indian jurist, economist and environmentalist.
Q2. When did the Green Movement begin?
Answer: The Green Movement began in 1972 with the formation of the world’s first Green Party — the Values Party — in New Zealand.
Q3. What is the holistic view of the Earth?
Answer: According to the holistic view, the Earth is regarded as a living organism with its own metabolic needs and vital processes, not as a non-living object that humans can exploit at will.
Q4. What is meant by “sustainable development”?
Answer: Sustainable development means “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It was defined by the Brundtland Commission in 1987.
Q5. Name the four principal biological systems mentioned by Palkhivala.
Answer: The four principal biological systems are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands.
Q6. What is the symbolic meaning of the mirror in the cage at the Lusaka zoo?
Answer: The mirror in the cage shows the visitor’s own reflection, signifying that man himself is the most dangerous animal on the planet because of his destructive treatment of nature.
Q7. Who is the “Voracious omnivore” referred to in the chapter?
Answer: The “voracious omnivore” is the human being, who consumes plants, animals and natural resources at an unsustainable rate.
Q8. What does the World Commission on Environment and Development say about the Earth?
Answer: The World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission) emphasised that the planet’s resources must be used wisely so that future generations can enjoy them too — i.e., the principle of sustainable development.
Q9. What does Mr Lee Kwan Yew say about India?
Answer: Mr Lee Kwan Yew, the wise former Prime Minister of Singapore, called India “a nation of unrealised greatness”, whose progress is held back by problems like population pressure and lack of environmental discipline.
Q10. What does Margaret Thatcher say about generations and the Earth?
Answer: Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Britain, said: “No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy — with a full repairing lease.” This means each generation must take care of the planet and pass it on in good condition.
Q11. What is meant by the phrase “era of responsibility”?
Answer: The “era of responsibility” refers to the modern age in which humanity is expected to act with environmental consciousness, accept moral duty for the planet’s welfare and avoid greed, waste and pollution.
Q12. What was the population of India when the article was written, and what was projected by 2000 AD?
Answer: When the article was written (1994), India’s population was about 920 million; the author predicted that by AD 2000 India would have over a billion people, and would soon overtake China.
Q13. What is the meaning of “biosphere”?
Answer: The biosphere is the part of the Earth and its atmosphere where life exists — the land, water and air zones that together support all living organisms.
Q14. What does Palkhivala mean by “We have not inherited the earth from our ancestors; we have borrowed it from our children”?
Answer: The line means that the Earth is not a possession to be used up by the present generation. It belongs to future generations as well, and we must hand it down to them in a healthy condition — exactly as a borrower returns property in good order.
Q15. What did Mr Brundtland’s Commission give to the world?
Answer: The Brundtland Commission gave the world the powerful concept of sustainable development, which has since become the foundation of environmental policy across the globe.
Q16. Why does Palkhivala call population growth a “factor distorting the future of human society”?
Answer: Because runaway population growth multiplies poverty, hunger, unemployment, deforestation, pollution and social tension, distorting any plan for development. Without controlling it, even the best policies will fail.
Q17. What ailment, according to Palkhivala, is the planet suffering from?
Answer: The planet is suffering from environmental degradation — a “global ailment” caused by deforestation, pollution, depletion of biological systems and uncontrolled human population.
Q18. What is the role of the Green Movement?
Answer: The Green Movement seeks to protect the environment by promoting awareness, conservation, sustainable use of resources and political action against pollution and exploitation. It urges humans to adopt a holistic approach to the Earth.
Q19. What is the meaning of “Catastrophic depletion”?
Answer: “Catastrophic depletion” refers to the alarming and disastrous reduction of the Earth’s natural resources — fish stocks, forests, grasslands and farmlands — at a rate that threatens collapse.
Q20. What attitude does Palkhivala recommend toward the Earth?
Answer: Palkhivala recommends an attitude of trusteeship, where each generation cares for the Earth as a sacred trust passed on by ancestors and to be left intact for descendants.
Long Answer Questions (5–8 Marks)
Q1. Discuss the central theme of “The Ailing Planet”. How does Palkhivala convey the message of environmental responsibility?
Answer: The central theme of “The Ailing Planet” is the deteriorating health of the Earth and the urgent need for the human race to act as the planet’s responsible custodian. Palkhivala begins by tracing the rise of the Green Movement in 1972 and the subsequent shift to a holistic view of the Earth as a living organism. He shows how the four principal biological systems — fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands — are being eroded, deserts are advancing, biodiversity is being wiped out, and the air, soil and water are being poisoned. Drawing on the Brundtland Commission, he champions sustainable development. He warns that population growth in poor countries is making the situation worse, and that the developing world faces a deeper crisis of poverty alongside pollution. Palkhivala communicates his message through powerful images (the cage with a mirror at Lusaka zoo, the patient with declining vital signs), authoritative quotations (Margaret Thatcher, Lester Brown, Mr Lee Kwan Yew), and ethically charged statements (“We have not inherited the earth from our ancestors; we have borrowed it from our children”). The essay’s tone is at once warning and hopeful, urging human beings to assume the role of trustees and to use their unique capacity for moral and rational action to heal the ailing planet.
Q2. Explain the holistic concept of development as discussed by Nani Palkhivala. Why is it considered the only path to a healthy planet?
Answer: The holistic concept of development, as Palkhivala explains, refuses to treat economic growth in isolation from the natural environment, social welfare and cultural values. It recognises that the Earth is a single, interconnected living system. Therefore, the development of any sector — industry, agriculture, transport — must be measured against its impact on rivers, forests, soil, climate and human health. The Brundtland Commission gave this view its most famous formulation: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The holistic vision is the only path to a healthy planet because mechanical, narrowly economic thinking has produced exactly the crisis we now face — short-term profit, long-term destruction. By contrast, the holistic view forces planners and policymakers to consider the whole biosphere. It enforces ethical limits on the use of land, water, energy and air; it links technology with social justice; and it places the welfare of future generations on equal footing with that of the present. As Palkhivala stresses, this way of seeing alone can heal the ailing planet because the ailment itself was born of fragmented, exploitative thinking.
Q3. Describe how the four principal biological systems are being depleted, and what the consequences are for humanity.
Answer: Palkhivala identifies four principal biological systems — fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands — that constitute the foundation of the global economy. They supply almost all our food and most of the raw materials for industry except minerals and petroleum. Today, however, these systems are being pushed beyond their natural carrying capacity. Fisheries are over-exploited; many species have collapsed and oceans are losing their productivity. Forests are vanishing at the rate of fifty acres per minute in tropical regions, which not only destroys countless species but also disturbs rainfall, increases carbon dioxide and accelerates global warming. Grasslands are being overgrazed and turned into deserts; rangeland degradation is advancing in Africa, Central Asia and parts of India. Croplands are losing fertility because of soil erosion, salination, the unrestrained use of chemical fertilizers and the spread of cities over once-fertile fields. The combined consequence is grim — food insecurity, malnutrition, displacement of rural populations, loss of biodiversity, water shortage and rising poverty. As the productive capacity of the four systems falls, the cost of living rises and human conflict over scarce resources increases. Therefore, restoring these biological systems is, in Palkhivala’s view, the most urgent task of the Green Movement.
Q4. How does Palkhivala link the population explosion to environmental crisis, especially in India?
Answer: Palkhivala calls population growth one of the strongest factors distorting the future of human society. Each year the world’s population grows by approximately 92 million — and the bulk of this growth is in developing countries that lack adequate resources, education and healthcare. India is at the centre of this crisis. From 920 million in 1994, India’s population was projected to cross a billion by AD 2000 and to overtake China as the most populous country in the world. Such growth means that food production must double, water resources must be stretched further, forests must be cleared for housing and crops, and energy demands must rise — all of which intensify environmental degradation. Population pressure increases pollution, urban slums, unemployment and social conflict. Worse still, when families are too large, parents cannot give their children quality education or healthcare, perpetuating poverty. Palkhivala therefore insists that population control is an environmental necessity. Citing the slogan that “reproduction must be by choice, not chance,” he argues for family planning that combines education, women’s empowerment and economic incentives. Without it, no environmental policy or developmental scheme — however brilliant — can succeed in healing the ailing planet.
Q5. What does Palkhivala mean by the “era of responsibility”? How can humanity practise it?
Answer: Palkhivala writes that humanity has entered “the era of responsibility” — a new moral epoch in which we are expected to recognise our duty toward the planet, future generations and all forms of life. The age of unrestrained exploitation must give way to one of trusteeship. To practise this responsibility, humanity must take action at three levels. At the personal level, individuals must conserve energy, plant trees, reduce waste, avoid plastic, recycle materials, save water and consume only as much as necessary. At the social level, communities must spread environmental awareness, defend forests, protect rivers, and build a culture of green living through education, media and religious institutions. At the policy level, governments must enforce strict environmental laws, invest in renewable energy, encourage sustainable agriculture, promote family planning and cooperate internationally on issues such as climate change. The era of responsibility is therefore not a slogan but a way of life — a daily, conscious commitment to leaving the world a better place than we found it. As Palkhivala memorably puts it, we have only “a life tenancy with a full repairing lease”.
Q6. Discuss the role of the Green Movement and explain how it has changed human thinking since 1972.
Answer: The Green Movement, which began in 1972 with the formation of the Values Party in New Zealand, marked a turning point in human attitudes toward nature. For centuries, civilisations regarded the Earth as an inexhaustible resource to be exploited for wealth, comfort and power. The Green Movement challenged this idea radically. It declared that the planet is a fragile, living organism, that natural resources are finite and that human survival is bound to ecological balance. In the decades that followed, this awakening produced the Stockholm Conference (1972), the Brundtland Report (1987), the Rio Earth Summit (1992), and a host of national and international laws on pollution, biodiversity and climate change. The movement also influenced education, with environmental studies becoming part of school curricula, and journalism, with green reporting becoming a serious field. It nurtured grassroots movements such as Chipko, Narmada Bachao and Silent Valley in India, and Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth abroad. Most importantly, it changed the way people speak — words like sustainable development, biosphere, ecology, carbon footprint and renewable energy are now common. According to Palkhivala, the Green Movement’s most important contribution is moral: it has reminded humanity that we are guardians, not owners, of the planet.
Q7. Comment on the optimistic tone with which Palkhivala ends his essay.
Answer: Despite the grim diagnosis of the planet’s condition, Palkhivala ends his essay on a note of cautious optimism. He believes that the human race has both the intellectual capacity and the moral resources to overcome environmental collapse. He emphasises that we are no longer ignorant of the dangers — the Green Movement, the United Nations, scientific research and grassroots activism have brought the issues into the public mind. Technology, he argues, can be redirected from destruction to healing: renewable energy can replace fossil fuels, organic farming can replace chemical agriculture, recycling can replace waste. He cites international cooperation, environmental treaties, and the rise of green politics as signs of hope. Above all, the increasing awareness of trusteeship — that we owe the planet to our children — gives him faith. Palkhivala’s optimism is not naive; it is grounded in the recognition that human beings are uniquely capable of moral choice, and that their choice today will determine the planet’s tomorrow. The essay closes with the conviction that if we act in time, the ailing planet can be healed.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Who is the author of “The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role”?
(a) Khushwant Singh (b) Nani Palkhivala (c) A.R. Williams (d) Albert Einstein
Answer: (b) Nani Palkhivala
2. The Green Movement started in which year?
(a) 1962 (b) 1972 (c) 1982 (d) 1992
Answer: (b) 1972
3. The first Green Party was formed in:
(a) Britain (b) Germany (c) New Zealand (d) USA
Answer: (c) New Zealand
4. According to the author, the Earth is now considered as:
(a) A resource (b) A planet (c) A living organism (d) A possession
Answer: (c) A living organism
5. The notice in the cage at the Lusaka zoo reads:
(a) “Wild Beast” (b) “The world’s most dangerous animal” (c) “Beware” (d) “Endangered”
Answer: (b) “The world’s most dangerous animal”
6. What is found inside the cage?
(a) A tiger (b) A lion (c) A mirror (d) A snake
Answer: (c) A mirror
7. The four principal biological systems are fisheries, forests, grasslands and:
(a) deserts (b) croplands (c) lakes (d) wetlands
Answer: (b) croplands
8. The concept of sustainable development was given by:
(a) UN General Assembly (b) Stockholm Conference (c) Brundtland Commission (d) WHO
Answer: (c) Brundtland Commission
9. Sustainable development means meeting present needs without compromising the ability of:
(a) past generations (b) future generations (c) developing countries (d) industries
Answer: (b) future generations
10. Tropical forests are disappearing at the rate of:
(a) 5 acres a minute (b) 25 acres a minute (c) 50 acres a minute (d) 100 acres a minute
Answer: (c) 50 acres a minute
11. Margaret Thatcher said no generation has a freehold on the earth — only:
(a) a free entry (b) a life tenancy with a full repairing lease (c) a freehold lease (d) a permanent residence
Answer: (b) a life tenancy with a full repairing lease
12. Mr Lee Kwan Yew called India a nation of:
(a) infinite wealth (b) eternal greatness (c) unrealised greatness (d) timeless wisdom
Answer: (c) unrealised greatness
13. The famous quote “We have not inherited the earth from our ancestors; we have borrowed it from our children” reflects:
(a) ownership (b) trusteeship (c) inheritance (d) profit
Answer: (b) trusteeship
14. Which problem does the author call a major factor distorting the future of society?
(a) Population growth (b) Industrialisation (c) Urbanisation (d) Migration
Answer: (a) Population growth
15. India’s population was expected to cross which figure by 2000 AD?
(a) 500 million (b) 800 million (c) 1 billion (d) 2 billion
Answer: (c) 1 billion
16. The biosphere is:
(a) the layer of ozone (b) the part of Earth where life exists (c) the upper atmosphere (d) the ocean floor
Answer: (b) the part of Earth where life exists
17. The “voracious omnivore” referred to is:
(a) tiger (b) shark (c) human being (d) elephant
Answer: (c) human being
18. The phrase “inter alia” means:
(a) only this (b) in conclusion (c) among other things (d) without exception
Answer: (c) among other things
19. Which is NOT one of the four biological systems?
(a) Croplands (b) Forests (c) Wetlands (d) Fisheries
Answer: (c) Wetlands
20. The essay was first published in:
(a) The Times of India (b) The Hindustan Times (c) The Hindu (d) Indian Express
Answer: (b) The Hindustan Times (24 November 1994)
21. The era we are living in, according to Palkhivala, is:
(a) Industrial era (b) Era of responsibility (c) Era of growth (d) Era of war
Answer: (b) Era of responsibility
22. Which of the following is the holistic view of the Earth?
(a) Earth as property (b) Earth as wealth (c) Earth as a living organism (d) Earth as a market
Answer: (c) Earth as a living organism
23. Which famous economist is quoted by Palkhivala as warning that the four biological systems are being depleted?
(a) Adam Smith (b) Lester Brown (c) Amartya Sen (d) John Maynard Keynes
Answer: (b) Lester Brown
24. Which of these is a sign of an ailing planet according to the author?
(a) Rising literacy (b) Shrinking forests (c) Growth of railways (d) New cities
Answer: (b) Shrinking forests
25. According to the author, family planning should be a matter of:
(a) chance (b) law (c) choice (d) state policy alone
Answer: (c) choice
Extract-Based Questions
Extract 1: “We have shifted — one hopes, irrevocably — from the limited concept of conserving certain plant species and wildlife to a holistic concept of preserving the biosphere. Mere conservation of species, no matter how rare, valuable or vulnerable, will not save them if their habitat is being destroyed.”
(i) What kind of shift is being referred to here?
Answer: The shift is from a narrow concern about saving particular plants or animals to the broader, holistic concern of preserving the entire biosphere — that is, the whole interconnected web of life on Earth.
(ii) What does the word “irrevocably” mean?
Answer: “Irrevocably” means in a way that cannot be changed, reversed or recovered. The author hopes that this shift in thinking is now permanent.
(iii) Why is preserving the biosphere more important than conserving individual species?
Answer: Because every species depends on its habitat — the air, water, soil, climate and food chain around it. If the biosphere is destroyed, no isolated effort to save one or two species can succeed.
Extract 2: “The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health.”
(i) What literary device is used here?
Answer: A metaphor is used in which the Earth is compared to a sick patient and its environmental indicators (forests, rivers, climate, biodiversity) are spoken of as “vital signs”.
(ii) What are the “vital signs” referred to?
Answer: They include the condition of the forests, soil, rivers, oceans, atmosphere and climate, as well as the population of various species — all the indicators that show whether the planet is ecologically healthy.
(iii) What does “declining health” suggest?
Answer: It suggests that the Earth’s environmental condition is steadily worsening due to deforestation, pollution, loss of biodiversity, climate change and overuse of resources.
Extract 3: “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.”
(i) Who said this and what does it mean?
Answer: This widely quoted statement, used here by Palkhivala, expresses the principle of trusteeship: the present generation does not own the Earth permanently; it merely holds it in trust for future generations.
(ii) What attitude should we therefore have toward the planet?
Answer: We should have an attitude of care, restraint and responsibility — protecting the Earth’s resources just as a borrower protects another’s property and returns it intact.
(iii) How does this idea relate to sustainable development?
Answer: It is the moral foundation of sustainable development — meeting today’s needs without depriving future generations of theirs.
Extract 4: “The world’s population was 5.7 billion in 1994. It is projected to swell to over 8 billion by 2020. India alone may overtake China as the most populous country.”
(i) What is the author’s concern?
Answer: The author is concerned about the rapid growth of world population, especially in poor and developing countries like India, which puts unbearable pressure on the planet’s natural resources.
(ii) Why is India singled out?
Answer: India is singled out because it has one of the highest population growth rates and the largest absolute population, which severely affects the country’s economic, social and ecological wellbeing.
(iii) Suggest one remedy mentioned by Palkhivala.
Answer: Palkhivala suggests that family planning must be made a matter of “choice, not chance” so that population growth is brought down through conscious decision rather than left to fate.
Themes — Detailed Study Notes
1. Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is the central theme of Palkhivala’s essay. The term gained global currency through the 1987 report of the Brundtland Commission (“Our Common Future”), which defined it as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Palkhivala argues that this concept is the only honest way of measuring whether human progress is real progress. Mere growth in GDP, industry or technology is meaningless if it eats away the foundations of life — clean air, fertile soil, abundant water and rich biodiversity. Sustainable development requires three balances: economic (efficiency and welfare), environmental (preservation of natural systems) and social (justice and equity across generations and classes). It is a long-term, ethical concept that compels each generation to think beyond itself.
2. The Biosphere
The biosphere is the layer of the Earth — including the lower atmosphere, the surface and the upper ocean — where life exists. Palkhivala emphasises that the biosphere is a single, integrated system in which the welfare of one species affects all others. Hence, the conservation of any one plant or animal cannot succeed unless the entire biosphere — its forests, rivers, oceans and air — is protected. The author quotes the shift from species-based conservation to biosphere-based preservation as one of the most important achievements of the Green Movement.
3. The Holistic Concept of Development
The holistic concept of development integrates economic growth with social welfare, ethical responsibility and ecological balance. It rejects the idea of progress measured only by industrial output or income. According to Palkhivala, holistic development demands that policymakers consider the impact of every project on the air, water, soil, biodiversity and the rights of future generations. It also recognises that human beings are part of nature, not above it; therefore, true development must enrich rather than impoverish the ecosystem.
4. The Brundtland Commission
The World Commission on Environment and Development, popularly known as the Brundtland Commission after its chairperson Gro Harlem Brundtland (then Prime Minister of Norway), was set up by the United Nations in 1983. Its 1987 report, Our Common Future, popularised the term “sustainable development” and shaped international environmental policy ever since. The commission stressed that environmental and economic problems are inseparable, that the global poor are the most affected by ecological damage, and that international cooperation is essential to safeguard the planet.
5. The Four Biological Systems
| System | Function | Threats | Consequences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fisheries | Provide protein-rich food and livelihoods to millions | Over-fishing, water pollution, coral bleaching | Collapse of fish stocks, food insecurity, loss of marine biodiversity |
| Forests | Supply timber, fuel, oxygen, rainfall, biodiversity | Deforestation, illegal logging, fires, urbanisation | Soil erosion, climate change, extinction, displacement of tribal communities |
| Grasslands | Provide grazing land, dairy, meat and ecological balance | Overgrazing, conversion to farmland, desertification | Loss of livestock economies, expansion of deserts, dust storms |
| Croplands | Produce most of the world’s food grains and industrial raw materials | Soil erosion, salination, chemical overuse, urban sprawl | Falling fertility, food shortage, rural distress, migration |
6. The Population Explosion
Palkhivala devotes a large section of the essay to the dangers of unchecked population growth. The world’s population, he writes, was 5.7 billion in 1994 and is projected to grow to over 8 billion by 2020. India is at the heart of this challenge, and was expected to overtake China in population. Population pressure intensifies poverty, pollution, deforestation and unemployment. He insists that “reproduction by choice, not chance” must become the guiding principle, supported by education, women’s empowerment and family planning. Without it, no economic or environmental policy can succeed.
7. The Green Movement
The Green Movement began with the formation of the Values Party in New Zealand in 1972 and has since grown into a worldwide political and social force. Through laws, treaties, education, grassroots activism and international conferences, the movement has changed the way human beings think about the Earth. It has promoted ideas like sustainable development, climate justice and the rights of future generations. As the author shows, the Green Movement’s role is to act as the conscience of humankind, reminding nations that economic growth without ecological balance is a path to disaster.
8. Trusteeship and Moral Responsibility
Drawing inspiration from thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi and the writers of the Brundtland Report, Palkhivala emphasises the principle of trusteeship. The Earth is not our property; it is a sacred trust given to us by our ancestors and held for our children. Margaret Thatcher’s words — “no generation has a freehold on this earth, only a life tenancy with a full repairing lease” — capture this idea perfectly. Trusteeship is the moral basis of sustainable development and the antidote to greed, waste and exploitation.
Important Quotations to Remember
- “The earth’s vital signs reveal a patient in declining health.” — Nani Palkhivala
- “We have not inherited the earth from our ancestors; we have borrowed it from our children.”
- “No generation has a freehold on this earth. All we have is a life tenancy with a full repairing lease.” — Margaret Thatcher
- “India is a nation of unrealised greatness.” — Lee Kwan Yew
- “Reproduction must be by choice, not chance.”
- “Mere conservation of species will not save them if their habitat is being destroyed.”
- “Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” — Brundtland Commission
Conclusion
“The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role” is a timeless essay that combines the rigour of a jurist’s argument with the conscience of a moralist. Nani Palkhivala diagnoses the planet’s condition with the precision of a physician — listing its falling vital signs — and prescribes the cure with the clarity of a teacher: the holistic concept of development, the principle of sustainable growth, the discipline of population control and, above all, the ethic of trusteeship. The essay reminds students of ASSEB Class 11 English Hornbill that environmental protection is not a side topic for governments and NGOs, but the central duty of every citizen. The Earth is the only home we have, and it is calling out for healing. As Palkhivala says, every person, every village, every nation must rise to the responsibility of leaving behind a planet greener, cleaner and richer than the one we inherited.
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