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prime concern By Sarbjit Dhaliwal Changes in climate are visible in the form of rising temperatures and freak weather. The serious impact of climate change is being felt worldwide. Closer home, the rising temperatures are inducing drastic changes in the region’s predominantly agricultural economy, with some experts attributing the gales accompanied by rain and hailstorm, breaking the previous record of 50 years in North India early this month, to climate change. They argue it was not a natural occurrence.
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prime concern By Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Changes in climate are visible in the form of rising temperatures and freak weather. The serious impact of climate change is being felt worldwide. Closer home, the rising temperatures are inducing drastic changes in the region’s predominantly agricultural economy, with some experts attributing the gales accompanied by rain and hailstorm, breaking the previous record of 50 years in North India early this month, to climate change. They argue it was not a natural occurrence. Blueprints have been prepared the world over to check the increase in temperature by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. India has volunteered to reduce these by 20-25 per cent by 2020 and has set up eight missions. Experts in Punjab have been working to predict what type of changes can take place in the years to come. There is a definite projection indicating extreme precipitation and heavy rainfall leading to increased soil erosion and floods in 20-30 years. The government will set up a climate change monitoring and study centre at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana. On the basis of the study, a policy would be prepared from time to time to deal with the emerging scenario.
“Rainfall days between 100-150 mm per day could increase in the Shivalik region, with little change in the lower half of the basin. Similarly, rainfall with precipitation above 150 mm is projected to increase by 1.2 to 1.5 times with minimal increase in the lower end of the basin,” says a report prepared by the Punjab Science and Technology Council on climate change and plan to mitigate its effects. The minimum and maximum temperatures have increased by 0.5-1.0 degree C in the past four decades. There have been variations in rainfall, with more than normal rainfall in some years and a deficit in others. The annual mean maximum temperature will increase by 1.0-1.8 degrees C by 2021-2050 while the minimum temperature will rise by 1.9-2.1 degrees C. There is likely to be an increase in rainfall by 400 mm in the plains and by over 600 mm in the sub-mountainous region of the Shivalik Hills, resulting in water-logging. Flash floods have been projected with an increase in the annual average surface run-off. The largest increase will be during the southwest monsoon. Increase in glacier melt is likely to increase the flow of water in rivers, but after the melt, the flow will decrease. There can also be an increase in the incidence of heat stress cases, respiratory diseases and water-borne and vector-borne diseases. There will be a decrease in rice productivity between 0.16 and 9.6 per cent and in wheat yield up to 32 per cent. Fall in cotton production is also expected. But maize and potato production may rise. Most horticulture crops will show decline in production. Milk production and reproduction capacity of certain breeds of cattle may also be hit.
Multi-pronged strategy
Punjab has adopted a multi-pronged approach to deal with the phenomenon. It has identified its current climate-related concerns, assessed the likely impact on various sectors and prepared strategies and actions to be adopted to mitigate the adverse effects. Solar mission It has resolved to achieve 3-5 per cent energy efficiency improvement in large energy consumers and 15-20 per cent in the small and medium energy sectors. It aims to develop strategies that make it easier to adapt by way of designs and promoting efficient buildings, transport systems and solid waste management. Punjab has resolved to draft a water policy to augment surface water resources to accommodate excess rainfall and run-off; focus on ground water augmentation, especially in critical areas; improve water use efficiency by at least 20 per cent; control water pollution; minimise water wastage by promoting drip irrigation system; and ensure equitable distribution of water across the state. Himalayan cover Sustainable agriculture The focus of the state will be on managing heat stress to avoid a dip in milk productivity and generate energy from livestock manure. Public health City habitat
The signs
What’s in store Where are the funds? Recently, the state government had sought a funding of Rs 5,300 crore for diversification in the farm sector. Huge amounts of money will be required for all the missions. Funds are as big a challenge as climate change itself. Those engaged in devising strategy and preparing programmes and policies must involve those who deal with revenue generation. Without money, nothing will be achieved. |
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Shinde, a former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and long-time Gandhi family loyalist, has to his credit gaffes and controversies that divided society, but his seven-month tenure, starting August 1, 2012, has been a milestone of sorts, with two executions of terror case convicts, a new anti-rape law and somewhat ironed-out Centre-state relations. When he was shifted from the Power Ministry to the Home Ministry, it was not just a leap in his political stature, but also a social climb for a man, who in his younger days was a court bailiff and later a Sub-Inspector in the Maharashtra Police. In fact, it was a double promotion, with the Congress also appointing him Leader of the Lok Sabha, replacing Pranab Mukherjee. His “Dalit identity”, pliability and eagerness to carry out orders of the party high command at any cost, made him an apparent choice for Raisina Ridge. His innings at the Home Ministry headquarters have been more like a golf course - some green with many holes and hurdles in it. Shinde has been sporadically, and simultaneously, applauded for his tough decisions on the one hand, and accused of having a slippery tongue on the other. The RSS called him the “darling of terrorists” after he spoke about “Hindu terror” during the Congress Chintan Shivir. The BJP, which demanded his sacking, applauded the decisions to execute Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru. Conducted in secrecy, both executions bore the hallmark of police operations, which Shinde possibly picked during his six years in the CID wing. Asked why Afzal’s family was not informed, he smiled and said: “I did not send the letter, the jail authorities did.” He went on to say secrecy had to be maintained or the “country cannot run”.
‘Dalit badge’ Replacing Chidambaram, Shinde virtually wore his “Dalit” badge on his sleeve and stirred the caste cauldron saying: “Dalits usually never get the Home Ministry. Rajiv Gandhi was the first to give the ministry to a Dalit when he made Buta Singh the Home Minister and now it has happened under Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh”. At the Jaipur conclave, he projected the BJP and RSS as a cabal of rapacious terror mongers and blamed them for promoting “Hindu terrorism” through training camps. When this comment threatened to stall the budgetary session of Parliament, Shinde, goaded by the Congress, stated on February 20: “There is no basis for suggesting terror can be linked to organisations mentioned in my brief speech in Jaipur. Since a controversy has been created on account of my statement, I am expressing regret to those who felt hurt by my statement.” It may look unprecedented for a Home Minister to apologise, but Shinde has often had to eat his own words. During the monsoon session of Parliament, he had a stormy debut as Home Minister. Assam riots had claimed many lives. During a debate on the issue, he chided Jaya Bachchan, a Rajya Sabha MP, saying: “This is a serious matter. It is not the subject of a film.” Jaya and the entire opposition protested, after which Shinde was forced to regret it. “I apologise for that. She is my sister. I know the entire Bachchan family for whom I have great respect.” Foot in mouth During the December 2012 Gujarat Assembly elections, Shinde went on to stir another controversy, this time a communal one and with serious repercussions in officialdom. He claimed at an election rally: “The Congress has made a person whose name is (Syed) Ibrahim chief of the Intelligence Bureau.” His public assertion raised several questions. Does the ruling party, and not the government, choose the Director of Intelligence Bureau, tasked with all internal intelligence? How did the faith of a top IPS officer become the talking point in a rally? The Home Minister was nearly sacked for this comment, but Ahmed Patel, Sonia Gandhi’s pointsman, stepped in for damage control. Shinde, however, remains unfazed. He stuck to his characteristic smile - earning him the sobriquet of ‘hansmukh’ - no matter how he had damaged the reputation of the Intelligence Bureau and its chief. The December 16 gangrape in Delhi triggered a wave of protests. Shinde was blamed for not meeting the protesters. A day after the police crackdown on agitators at India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhawan, Shinde justified it saying: “When it (the protest) went out of hand, hooligans joined the protesters. We had to act and use force. We can’t identify goons in 3,000 people. It’s very easy to say the Home Minister should go meet protesters there. Tomorrow if Maoists demonstrate with weapons, will I go and meet them too?” He courted another controversy when he in a lighter vein he responded to questions about coal block allocations. “Earlier Bofors was a talking point, but people forgot about it. Now it is coal. This, too, will be forgotten,” he stated. His biggest flip-flop was to come on Pakistan. In August and October, Shinde accused elements in Pakistan of fomenting trouble in India, but in December, he was shaking hands with his verbose counterpart Rehman Malik who was visiting Delhi to sign a new visa regime. Malik embarrassed India when he equated the November 2008 Mumbai attacks with the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition. Shinde felt slighted even as the BJP and political observers were aghast that there was no rebuttal to Malik’s utterances. Shinde’s harakiri-prone tenure has resulted in Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav advising him: “He has come to Delhi very recently. His importance is due to the Congress. It is better he confines himself to speaking about the Home Ministry. He should speak less on political issues.”  |
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The state has fixed a target to increase solar energy by at least 2000 MW by 2022. Solar cities will be developed and solar lighting will be promoted in rural areas. Incentives will be given for solar thermal water heating and rooftop solar power generation. 
Water policy 
The conservation of flora and fauna, wetlands and agricultural biodiversity in the Shivalik foothills has been planned. A decision has been taken to increase green cover by 10 per cent by 2022. At present, the green cover in the state is only 6 per cent against the minimal requirement of 30 per cent in the national policy. Green cover was a major casualty during the green revolution in the state. Vast areas are devoid of trees. 
There is a clear approach to move towards diversification of crops. The focus will be on crops that can give better yield in enhanced CO2 environment. Creating awareness among all stakeholders is part of the strategy, as is promotion of cooperative farming to reduce input costs and maximise productivity and farm incomes. Steps will be taken to check crop residue burning. 
Livestock
Rising temperature is expected to affect public health. Hence, it has been proposed to enhance the coverage of integrated disease surveillance programme to all government and private hospitals. Logging of incidence of diseases will be made mandatory. A programme on diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory diseases and heat and cold stress management has also been proposed.
Metro rail and feeder bus service run on alternative fuel; increase in density of buses; rapid transport corridors; creation of additional parking space for projected population of vehicles; decongestion of road networks; and dedicated rail freight corridors to reduce operations or diesel-driven trucks across the three main industrial towns of Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar have been proposed in big cities.
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perpetual smile on his face, conciliatory tone, half-finished sentences and an uncanny knack of creating controversies, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde is hardly a man who comes across as the one to take tough decisions and smoothly run the behemoth Home Ministry.