Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Be prepared for climate change' that was published in Newsband

Be prepared for climate change

The India Meteorological Department has forecasted that there would be above-normal maximum and minimum temperatures across the country during the pre-monsoon March-May period. This can lead to enormous heat stress for millions of Indians. There can be health-related problems during a heat wave. The government should ensure that community-level interventions are taken up to help vulnerable groups.

The summer of 2018 may pose a public health challenge, for which they must prepare with the experience gained during the many previous heat waves. A heat event thus has serious implications for public health: it can lead to fatal heat stroke in a small percentage of people, while many more could encounter exhaustion, cramps and fainting. The government and the health-care system, should be prepared to deal with the phenomenon.

Water stress is a common and often chronic feature during such a phase. Arrangements should be made to meet scarcity. This is the significant sign of global warming. Now a days many number of people die due to these climatic changes. During day time people die due to extreme heat produced by the Sun and people also lose their lives at the night time due to extreme cold. Each and every person has the responsibility to make the world as a better place for you and for me. But people are not even considering these climatic changes. The sad part is Commercial market is making a sound business by manufacturing plenty number of cosmetics which can be used in summer and winter respectively. And people are also keen in safe guarding only themselves. They buy these products as a temporary solution and forget to focus on the permanent solution (i.e.) Global warming. People have to be given awareness on the adverse effects of these climatic changes. Each and every individual should realize that they are also part of these changes and take responsibilities to work towards bringing about a possible and positive change.

Awareness of global climate change is less in India and is decreasing every day. Though, most Indian read about horrors of climate change, they assure themselves to be helpless. India is soon to become most populous country in the world. The role played by IndIan community in mitigation of climate change is thus very significant.

Rise in global temperatures per se is harmful; particularly the poor have to be protected through organized measures and institutions. The poor are becoming more vulnerable due to increase in relative poverty and concentration of wealth and consequent high living by a few.

Fully irrigating Indian agriculture, that too against the backdrop of water scarcity and limited efficiency in existing irrigation schemes, will be a defining challenge for the future. Technologies of drip irrigation, sprinklers and water management — captured in the “more crop for every drop” campaign — may well hold the key to future Indian agriculture,