5 June is celebrated every year as "World Environment Day". This day was first celebrated in 1973 to create environmental awareness among the general public. Many types of pollution are spreading in our environment day by day, which include marine pollution, increasing population, global warming, problems related to urbanization and pollution in natural resources. Along with development, urban settlements and population are increasing day by day. Along with this, plastic pollution has also increased to a dangerous level. This time the theme of World Environment Day is, "Eliminating plastic pollution at the global level".
Today we are seeing greenery, water, fields and birds disappearing from our environment. Gardens, concrete buildings, bridges and sky-touching roads are being built in place of green fields and rows of trees. The universe is being destroyed in the name of development. Urbanization is definitely a sign of development, but its ill effects cannot be denied.
If we talk about the states with the highest urban population in the country, then Goa comes first, where about 62.2% of the population lives in urban areas. After that are the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where 48.4% and 47.7% of the population is urban respectively. Urbanization is a sign of the development of the country, its side effects cannot be ignored. In today's era, increasing pollution, deforestation and deterioration in the health of common citizens can be considered its main side effects.
Due to the rapid development of cities in our country, air pollution is high and greenery is decreasing day by day. Today we are seeing that the fields and forests spread around the cities are disappearing. Colonies are being settled on the lands around small towns and villages. If we talk about the causes of urbanization, then its main reasons can be considered to be industrialization, commercialization, social benefits and facilities, better employment opportunities and changes in lifestyle. Better opportunities for business or trade are available in urban areas as compared to rural areas. Good educational facilities, high standard of living, good sanitation, housing, good quality health services and modern means of entertainment also create an attraction towards urban life. If we talk about our state Punjab, then the construction and development of urban areas has been rapid here since 1970. According to the 2011 census, 37.52% of the total population of the state resides in urban areas. The main reason for this development or growth can be considered to be industrialization, development in infrastructure and government policies. This trend is higher than the national average rate.
While rapid urbanization creates good employment opportunities, it also has some problems associated with it. In today's era, transportation bottlenecks, lack of water and housing have become the hallmark of urban life. Although urban development brings many economic benefits, it also reduces cultivable land. Traditional rural occupations and skills are disappearing. Due to Punjab's good per capita income compared to other states, the trend of people moving towards cities has increased significantly.
Urbanisation has also given rise to many problems here, including lack of housing, spread of slums, lack of public facilities, unauthorised development, deteriorating urban environment and lack of transport and good health facilities. Today the condition of our state is such that cultivable land is decreasing here. Cities and industries are expanding, agricultural land is being used for non-agricultural activities. Thus, forests in Punjab are on the verge of extinction, today only 3.67% area is under forests, whereas in the country it is 21.71%.
The forests vanishing day by day are creating many problems. Due to their reduction, many species of animals and birds are decreasing or becoming extinct. Today the need of the hour is that we should not harm the natural resources in the name of development. Do not destroy greenery, air, water and land by creating concrete jungles. 
“Pind jinan de gade chalan, hukum ate sardari, 
shahar cha aake ban jaande ne bus di ek sawai.”  --------Dr. Surjit Patar

Davinder Kumar