All indications point to a
devastating summer approaching Indian subcontinent. Heat, floods and Putin have
already ruined vast track of farm land and food growing regions. The
agroclimatic system across the world is severely stressed. A malnourished
society lacking egalitarian context is looking at death and misery. We are
staring at climate disaster. Hopefully state has taken enough measures for
storage and alternative ways of food production.
Many countries around the world
are taking initiatives to adapt to temperature rise. There are heat officers
being appointed. Heat island affect in poorer congested sections of big cities
are being addressed with climate compliant buildings, climate proofing and
retrofitting to reduce temperature. India too initiated Ahmedabad plan for cool roof.
These will be not enough. Earlier this year Kerala took steps to work out
permanent cooling centers in high public activity zones like market so on. Last
many years heat was dealt with temporary tents/shades that provided cold water,
buttermilk so on. With temperature set to keep increasing, also dangers of high
humidity, permanent airconditioned cooling centers are being built. How will it
deal with stress on electricity supply as also increase of ambient temperature
due to ac exhaust?
Hopefully heat vulnerable
districts are identified across the country and concrete measures taken.
Cooling centers that use sustainable innovative strategies of natural
air-conditioning, climate adapted buildings suiting to local needs are built. As
mentioned earlier, in context to sponge cities, big stadium like structures
along the low-lying areas that stores water during flooding can be converted to
cooling centers during summer. We are staring at an unprecedented climate
disaster. If hindutva is intending to impress herd with big temples and tall
statues… well it may have worked in normal times. We are living in a time when
earth is “well outside the operating space for humanity”. India is extremely
climate vulnerable. Policy makers cannot afford to play around this.
Election Commission must postpone
the elections, or have it early next year, so that state can focus on emerging
crisis. Diverting state machinery for elections is the last thing needed. It is
very likely that the general elections are postponed. An early election though will
be good for the ruling party since with delayed election they will have to take
the blame for climate disaster and outrage. Unless they are fully prepared for
unprecedented heat waves, drought, forest fires, food shortages…or else they
will take castetva path of entitlements (unchallenged castetva normalized objectionable reference of Nehru as ‘pandit’ and
sacred chenkol ‘touched’ by him was ominous and indicate hindutva attempt
at capitalizing on castetva degradation), of blessing and fate, deviousness,
and manipulate narration away from misery and package it for herd while
thousands die.
