Coming Clean on Going Green?

It's the end of July and we have a clear sky in Bombay here in the afternoon. Usually it is all dark and gloomy in the month of July in Bombay and we have incessant rainfall throughout the month. But this year we have had an unexpectedly long dry spell which has now entered its fourth week. It does rain intermittently but it is not even close to what we receive around this time of the year. Actually it has been quite pleasant for the whole of this month.Towards the end of June, it was as if the monsoon had made the city its nemesis, and poured its wrath on the city, ruining two weekends of its citizens in the process. The fear psychosis developed after 2005's 26 July deluge did not help either. The city's administration was at the receiving end for its incapacity in handling the 'more than normal' rainfall. It was this year that the citizens learnt that the carrying capacity of the drains only supports 5omm of rainfall. The BMC has promised the full implementation of the BRIMSTOWAD project to augment the city's drainage system.

But what was visible, was that the overly bribed, tobacco addicted, blithely ignorant BMC official had come to realise that his heydays are now numbered. This year, they were held accountable for their work like never before. It will be years before the average Mumbaikar gets his act together and demands a world class city administration. But the first signs of the unrest within were seen this monsoon.

This week will mark the second 'anniversary' of the 26th July deluge. It will be a day I'll always remember. For two reasons. The first one is for the way I made my way back home from Andheri station. I had to cross a river in spate that was the Western Express Highway. And the challenge was posed by the turbulent rapids of brown coloured water. I don't think even professional rafters would have had it easy.

The other I met Sandeep, who has over the two years become a dear friend. We boarded the last train from Dadar to Andheri after which, the tracks submerged and the valiant Western Railway gave in to the Weather Gods.

The point of this post is that we have changed the weather so much, that it has altered its patterns. This may be OK sometimes for a city, but it can and will be disastrous for the country's agriculture. The recent UN report on global warming has given the planet a 'do or die'
deadline of eight years. And the countdown has begun. What has the Indian Government proposed to tide over this horrible situation facing the planet? It has asked for relaxation of emission norms from the global community because 'it is a developing country and cant afford to invest in high cost emission standards technology while keeping the cost of production down', which is the real advantage India has in the international trade pie.

What is heartening to know that India will soon be blending ethanol in its gasoline. Though it is not going to bring emissions down considerably, but nevertheless it is a step in direction towards energy security. Also the Government has proposed making CFLs cheaper, down to a cost of Rs. 10 to encourage people to go green. The Rajasthan Government recently passed an order to have CFLs installed in all top government offices.

Well, lots can be said on this, but as I say always, I'll save it for sometime later.

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