Open House: What steps should the government take to mitigate effects of climate change?

It’s the price we pay for progress

Climatologists have been cautioning the world against impending extreme events, extreme temperatures each way, tsunamis, floods, droughts etc. as a result of unsustainable production of fossil based energy and reckless consumption thereof, all in the name of development. The result is an atmosphere creaking under an over load of pollutants like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and other effluents or green house gases coming out of industry, vehicles, aircraft etc and an overheated planet which is unable to cool on its own as much as it is heated daily. In short, mother earth is feverish and its temperature is rising, incrementally. Heat waves in April or cold waves on November will be the new norm nor should snow fall in Amritsar surprise any one tomorrow. Yes. It is due to global warming. Governments are busy in their political survival and over the health of the economy. Hence, India, the third most polluting nation after the US and China will continue to dump millions of tons of carbon in the air we breathe. The economy needs it. What can Punjab government or District Administration do to mitigate the summer heat ? For the first time in living memory, we have received highly reduced power-supply bills. ‘Good’ news, but the immediate fallout will be a spurt in consumption of electricity which means more production of energy or more coal in the atmosphere and more warming, however little. It is a man made problem which appears to be an act of God. No one can reverse it overnight but people may be informed on how to live with the situation. Perhaps business units and shopping hours can be restructured to make them environment friendly. Perhaps we should relearn how to make the most of budgeted power. Perhaps we should discard power or petrol guzzling machinery in favour of energy efficient one. Perhaps architects can recommend new designs of buildings that utilise natural air conditioning. One thing is clear. We will to learn how to live with the new reality.

PROF MOHAN SINGH

Burning of waste aggravates situation

There seems to be no immediate solution to the grave situation created by unprecedented heat waves. This could be tackled by long-drawn plans with huge investments from central and state governments. First of all, the government should plug the holes which aggravate the situation due to normal heat waves. In the editorial piece “Managing Waste”, The Tribune pointed out one such problem as follows: Amid the heat wave, Delhi’s three humongous landfill sites at Bhaswa, Okhla and Ghazipur are particularly prone to fires owing to heavy build-up of methane inside the layers of millions of tonnes of decomposing garbage. Thereby such fires aggravate the situation. Such situation prevails in all parts of the country including our holy city at Bhagtanwala dump. The governments should take immediate steps to recycle and reuse the said waste piled up in waste dumps all over the country.

Nityanshi Chopra, Gaurav Johar

Milk production takes hit in summers

It is the hottest April month in Punjab since 1969, generally during the month of April we have temperature ranging from 34 to 35°C whereas this year on April 30 Bathinda experienced 46.8°C temperature. Moreover, with the climate change due to various reasons, this may continue in the time to come. I shall limit myself how this climate change would adversely affect our rural economy? Milk production is very important component and integral part of our rural economy. A study conducted at the National Diary Research Institute, Karnal, has confirmed that each unit increase in temperature reduces the productivity of dairy animal by 0.42-0.67% in plains of northern India. As a result of which we experience increase in rate of milk during the summers. We should also pay attention for reformulation of the diets of the animals in the summer season. But already debt-ridden farmers can’t afford to install cooling system for the animals or pay attention to special diet during summer seasons, for this state and Central Government should extend helping hand and rescue the rural economy.

Naresh Johar

Ensure regular supply of power and water

Basically the govt should take two essential steps to mitigate climate change effects. First of all it should ensure there are no power cuts in the state. Secondly, the government should ensure continuous supply of water in all parts of the state. These two things are basic necessities to overcome bad hot weather Moreover, it should improve healthcare facilities in government hospitals to cater to all sorts of problems of patients.

SANJAY CHAWLA

Clean technology key to cut emissions

The unprecedented heatwave being experienced manifest the effects of climate change. Climate change is one of the most complex issues being faced. It involves many dimensions like science, society, economics politics and moral ethical questions, and has become global problem. Carbon dioxide, the heat-trapping greenhouse gas that has driven recent global warming, lingers in the atmosphere for very long. So even if we stopped emitting all greenhouse gases today, global warming and climate change ill effects will continue to affect future generations. To mitigate the ill-effects of climate change, a reduction in the release of greenhouse gas emissions is needed. For the mitigation of these effects the retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient by adopting renewable energy sources. Helping cities develop more sustainable transport such as bus rapid transit, electric vehicles, and biofuels will also help in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. At present over a billion people around the world rely on traditional fuels like coal and wood to meet their basic energy needs. This is not only harmful to the environment; it can also lead to premature deaths for millions of people. By another decade’s time, global energy demand is projected to grow more than 50 per cent, even in faster developing countries like ours. We must plan to have clean energy that will not hurt those additional 50 per cent people and the environment. Climate change mitigation strategy should be aimed to support developing countries to make transformational shifts towards low-emission development pathways compatible with the objectives UN Framework Convention and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Technology is one of the key means to reduce or slowdown the growth of and stabilise the concentration of greenhouse gas emissions. The governments have to be well prepared to face more such hottest periods and all possible efforts to mitigate climate change effects have to be made.

PL Singh

Take preventive measures to beat heat

As we know that April was the hottest month in 122 years for north India, it is up to us to take preventive measures to fight against this heatwave. We can take up many mitigation strategies and prepare ourselves beforehand in such circumstances. We should keep proper first aid and ice packs with us so that if someone has been struck with dehydration, we can easily help them. That’s the least we can do. We should not go out if not absolutely necessary. The government has also taken a wise decision and has changed the timings of schools from 7 am – 12:45 pm. The Indian Meteorological Department can inform the people about a predicted heat wave prior so that the people also have time to collect all the things that they need to stay safe. Thus, there are infinite numbers of measures that can be taken but we have to take the primary measures before so that we all are safe and do not get caught by the heat wave.

Sanidhya Bhaskar

Tap wind & solar energy for power

First and foremost, we have to accept that each one of us on this planet is contributing to Global warming. The effects of the climate changes are being experienced every moment. But, are we geared up to combat the factors which are causing the devastating climate changes? I had read a quote somewhere: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” It’s high time that we commence focusing on the infrastructure to tap wind and solar energy for electrification. The transportation be it the aeroplanes, trains or the road transport, industry and agricultural services have to be converted to work directly from electricity instead of fossil fuels. Let us progressively bid adieu to all the gas appliances. Free or subsidised electricity might appeal the masses. However, the existing electrical grids cause huge transmission losses. Adequate funds are needed to upgrade these grids. Adopt modern storage of electricity through lithium-ion technologies. Vanmahotsava must not be restricted to just one day of the year. The cutting down of trees in the name of development is regressive and must stop. The age old agricultural practices be changed. High-tillage agriculture is a process that keeps releasing carbon captured by the soil back into the atmosphere. Switch over to low-tillage farming. Implement precision agriculture. Eliminate subsistence farming. Stop politicising the laws which are much needed to bring in the agricultural reforms. Restructure the economy to stop urban densification. Let each one of us get into real act to mitigate the effects of the climate changes than to just keep dreaming that someone else would do something miraculous to save our planet.

Col V K Sharma (retd)

Govt should promote public transport

No doubt the heatwave is at its climax in many years, almost in 122 years. The reason is the coal burning, using fuel in the four-wheelers and two-wheelers and even high population in the country. With high prices of the domestic gas cylinders, the poor can’t afford to get another gas cylinder. So, as a result, they use only cow dung and other easy materials for cooking in their hearths. The water table is also getting lower every year. Heat is at its peak. During Covid times when the curfew was imposed, the smoke from the vehicles was totally missing and the environment became people-friendly. Stubble burning by the farmers is another reason for heat wave increasing. Afforestation is the one solution for checking this heat wave. The government should increase public transportation so that people don’t use individual vehicles. Car pooling is another means of decreasing pollution so that individuals avoid personal vehicles and take one vehicle for 4-5 persons.

Dr JS Wadhwa

QUESTION

With the advancement of technology, the incidents of cyber crimes have been increasing at a rapid pace. Every day more and more gullible people are falling prey to internet crime and losing their hard-earned money. What measures should the police take to safeguard people from such cyber frauds?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to amritsardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (May 12)