The monsoons of South and West India are extremely important for India in many ways. The North and Central India are also dependent on this monsoon pattern. But scientists have noticed that in the last five years, there has been a massive change in the monsoons of South and West India due to effects of climate change, and due to this, extreme natural disasters are occurring in South, West and North India. Scientists are of the opinion that this has led to increased heat waves in June and July, resulting in periodic cyclones and extremely heavy rainfall instead of normal rain.
Statistics are saying that even this year, as we note that half of the monsoon season is already over, very heavy rainfall has been recorded at 1,113 places in the country and there are 205 places in the country where extremely rainfall has been observed. These statistics are shocking! Because such torrential rain did not fall in the country before, and those regions do not need this much heavy rain at once. Because the ecosystem there is not prepared for such heavy rain! Based on these figures, scientists are saying that earlier, we could not see the direct effects of climate change, but the extreme rainfall in July is an adverse consequence of the effects of climate change.
Generally, we get 445.8 mm of rain from June 1st to July 31st, against which 467 mm of rain has already been recorded this year. Which is worrying. What is even more worrying is that India never experiences heatwaves during monsoons. But as the monsoon arrived late to the eastern part, states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar saw cases of extreme heatwave in June and July and the governments of both the states had to officially close schools and colleges due to the heatwave!
And this is nothing, it has been officially stated by the Indian Institute of Gandhinagar that in the coming years we will experience only heavy rainfalls in some places, heatwaves in some places and total lack of rain in some places. These statistics show that our citizens are also beginning to suffer from climate change. On the other hand, citizens have the least knowledge and concern about the effects of climate change.
We are reducing our green cover day by day in a bid to earn more money. Big cities are advancing day by day and every year more than five hundred villages of the country are undergoing rapid urbanization. Due to which agriculture is decreasing and construction is increasing. Also, decisions are being made at the policy level in big cities that industries, especially industries like textile, pharma, chemical or plastic, should be relocated outside the cities or in the outer areas of the cities. Due to which villages are being destroyed on a very large scale, and industries are encroaching where there is green cover.
On one hand, nature has started showing its fury. Especially in the Himalayan areas, the situation is becoming very dire. On the other hand, the specific steps that should be taken in the direction of the problem are not taken. So where do we go? And what should we do? I have said many times before in this same column that we have no other option except to conduct school level awareness campaigns for climate change or implement strict policies.
When we talk about 'One Tax One Nation' or 'One Nation One Law', we first need 'One Nation One Climate Policy' most urgently. We can not manage the same climate with 29 different policies. We need a single nationwide policy that covers urban afforestation, green cover, pollution control, forest reservation, mining, and restoration of eco-sensitive zones. Only then will we be able to fight pollution or climate change with full preparedness.
Otherwise, Bengal will fight on a different front, Kerala will fight on a different front, Delhi will fight on a different front and Rajasthan will fight on a different front on climate. But we have to remember that the effects of climate change never discriminate between states. Therefore, if the climate is one, then our climate policies should also be the same accross the nation, so that things like pollution control or green cover do not fall victim to the politics of political parties running between states.
By Viral Desai
(The author is a known Environmentalist and the pioneer of Satyagraha Against Pollution movement,
viraludayindia@gmail.com )
(The content of this article reflects the views of writers and contributors, not necessarily those of the publisher and editor. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only)
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