Dilemna of an Environmental Professional

[PRAKASH CHANDRA JHA]

The Environmental Professionals work mostly for their clients and employers. Many a times, they have to compromise for getting their salaries/ payments. Environment is taking its own course. It needs tough decisions. There is a crying need for environmental professionals to get united and work for the ENVIRONMENT in a pro-active manner.

[Prof Dr V N Sivasankara Pillai]

Dear All,

Just like any other professional, env professionals also face an ethical dilemma. A chartered professional takes an oath in which it is clearly stated that when the question of conflict of interest comes, the professional will stand by  the just decision and will not budge to employment compulsions. The need for creating a mechanism for  chartering/accrediting professional culminates from this dilemma. The professional would lose accreditation if he/she indulges in unethical practices, and is likely to face prosecution. In our country no such mechanism exists. Here environmental professional work like document writers, and act as a mediator between proponent and government agencies. This situation would change only professional license is granted by assessing knowledge and skill, and would stand to lose professional accreditation for unethical practices.

[Dr Harish KJ]

I appreciate ur concern. Ur proposal may be a good initiative. Any such incidence at Bangalore, I can give my full support and work to solve them. We have an ecoclub at our college with about 4000 active members. We do undertake walk-a-ton, cycling and other awareness related activities. One of our walk-a-ton was participated by Mr Anil Kumble, incidentally he is our alumni. We are educating and trying to create an environmental friendly mindset.

Further, only through this network, I came to know that PhD is just a degree which can not suffice knowledge and experience. My sincere thanks to those who are educating me and my friends. 

[SANJAY AGGARWAL]

If you are in a job where you need to compromise, then look for a better job!! In Clover we NEVER compromise on quality - come what may. If you are REALLY positive about improving the environment and Companies are not letting you - open your own Company

[Jaideep]

There is a dilema and I agree with observations made by you and Joseph.
However today we are in a much better shape than when I was doing my Ph.D. in early 80s.
It would be interesting to see comments in this topic in coming days.

[kavita premallu]

I too agree with Joseph Varghese

[Joseph Tharayil Varghese]

I sympathise with you. The problem is that a lot of environmental organizations including NGOs do not hire proper professionals therefore they lack in professionalism creativity, common sense, skill or vision. They usually get starry eyed when they see a doctoral degree but do not realise the worth of the people who actually do work on the ground. Such unprofessional professionals are the reason most of the orgs with big names have dung for brains running their operations in India. They achieve nothing and only chase after grant funding and generally will compromise on their ethics, values, education, research and even their self-respect for funding. Real professionals get disgusted by them and having to report to such idiotic people that they quit and go work in the private sector or abroad. This results in brain drain and rather lack lustre research, reports and events that do not yeild any positive results for social or environmental good. I had to deal with one such case today morning itself from someone who was all wind and no action. Sadly international orgs offices in India are plagued with such people too.