I think it’s high time for India to declare a climate emergency. It’s not just the climate issue but the entire breadth of environmental issues we are facing today. Air pollution, poor management of waste, growing water scarcity, falling groundwater tables, water pollution, preservation and quality of forests, biodiversity loss, and land/soil degradation are some of the major environmental issues India faces today.
According to a report by the National Institute for Transforming India, about 21 cities will run out of water by 2020. The report claims that 40% of the population will have no access to drinking water by 2030. About a quarter of the population in India is facing water scarcity nowadays and criticising the government is not going to help. India’s sixth largest city, Chennai in Tamil Nadu, has run out of water and is already facing a huge crisis.
Ministers claim that there is no such crisis but they are not the ones who wake up at 5 a.m and stand in a queue to collect water. There are many satellite and drones views available on the net that show us the extent of the water crisis in India.
What is the solution? Where do you think the problem lies? I think many of us in spite of finding a proper solution, take short-cuts and then become used to it. We adapt and keep carrying on until something serious occurs but the clock is ticking on the water crisis and the time for action is now.
There are people who are putting their efforts into making the environment clean but it’s just a few people while the whole country is grappling with the situation. All of us need to join hands in dealing with this issue and I found an interesting challenge on Youtube; it is an initiative where you can contribute according to your convenience of time. The challenge involves uploading videos before and after a clean-up drive. Even though there is a monetary reward, I believe people should participate because they want to make a difference.