Summer pangs
The mercury
is soaring above 45 degree C in many parts of Rajasthan and West
Bengal too is not lagging behind in this respect. I was in Delhi
starting of a week where the rains brought smile back on people's
faces.
On Friday
morning I got an unusual SMS greeting from a friend of mine in
Kolkata “Happy rains, welcome monsoon!” I was a little surprised
and couldn't help smiling. During our primary school days we read how
millions of farmers across India, since times immemorial, have been
celebrating the onset of monsoons like a festival.
But it
seems, that the people are gradually becoming weaker and weaker when
it comes to braving the harsh Indian summer. On the other hand, the
summers are becoming more and more unbearable.
There is a
sea change in the way in which parents are bringing up their
children. These days even a five-year-old finds it difficult to sleep
without air-conditioners. Through too much of nurture, the parents
are, unknowingly, distancing their children from the nature. As these
`sheltered' children grow up in an artificial environment, they find
it difficult to adjust to the changes in the season, especially the
summers. Needless to say, they grow up with a weak immune system and
are vulnerable to the extremities of the weather.
In the past
five years, the Indian newspapers have extensively reported on the
vagaries of the weather and the human lives lost. May be, that day is
not far off when we would also have 24-hour dedicated weather
channels like the ones in other countries.
As per my
original plan, I was supposed to drive down from Jodhpur to the
110-kilometer via Merta Road that cuts through the desert
tracts. I however, was repeatedly warned by many well wishers about
the hot weather and the prevailing heat wave that would surely roast
me.
I have
spent my few formative years growing up in the desert state of
Rajasthan like millions of others. I used to sleep on the roof
without any fan or electricity. So I am not intimidated by the the
scary picture that people draw about the weather. The Jodhpur trip,
however, did not happen due to other reasons.
I read in
the papers that the heat wave has this time already killed 150 people
in West Bengal alone. I don't recall so many people dying of heat
wave in West Bengal in recent memory. I could not help wondering if
the weather, over the years, was actually getting severe beyond the
people's endurance or is it that the people, who are conditioned by
modern luxuries like air conditioners and coolers have less ability
or endurance to face the summer heat.
Most of
today's work places are air-conditioned. So are many public places
like airport, metro rail and the malls. Due to the rising heat, our
body gets exposed to extremes of temperatures every time we enter and
exit office. According to medical experts these sudden `thermal
shocks' and rapid changes of heat and chilled AC environment
negatively affect our immune system.
The wanton
destruction of trees and the filling up of water bodies are all
adding up to our miseries. I read in the papers that nearly five
thousand more trees would have to be cut around Kolkata due to the
Metro expansion work. I think the natural defence mechanism that
shield us from the oppressive summer temperatures is weakening. There
are stretches where there are no proper trees to provide shade to the
people who fall prey to heat stroke.
Once again,
I am reminded of some of the history lessons in school. I had read
how Sher Shah Suri, a gifted administrator who took charge of Bihar
and Bengal around 1539 AD, had trees planted along the longest high
way (Grand Trunk Road) that was being built.
Back to
2012 Kolkata. Another kind of modern highway is being built – the
Metro. But there is a major difference. We are not longer planting
trees, we are just hacking them off.
Anyway, I
wish you all a happy rainy week ahead.
ess bee
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