Renewable Energy for Sustainable Growth

The consumption of electricity in India is much more than its production and its need has been increasing even more rapidly due to the rising population and industrial growth. India’s energy sector is struggling to meet the massive electricity demand. 

Unreliable supply and energy shortage is impeding India’s economic development. Even a power grid failure of lesser magnitude causes millions of people to stay without electricity for hours. Sometimes these power breaks last for days or even weeks, which lead to the complete shutdown of production in many companies, and other essential infrastructures like hospitals, banks, etc. Every small as well as large power blackouts can have devastating effects on companies which are not prepared for this. There is the need to develop sustainable energy solutions to eliminate wide-ranging power failures in the future that will ultimately help in economic development.  

Indian government should focus on the proper development of renewable energy like solar, wind, biomass and hydro energy to generate electricity. It is the best investment for both long-term economic growth and making a pollution-free environment. Moreover, a constructive energy policy could provide employment to millions of people and in the decentralization of energy distribution, which eventually would help in reducing the load on the grid. This will be a more cost-effective solution to provide affordable energy for everyone. 

India should take maximum advantage of solar energy- the prime source of free and unlimited energy. According to a report, with more than 300 days of sunshine, India has the total capacity of producing electricity from the sun is about 5,000 TWh of solar insolation every year. Even if a tenth part of this energy was utilized, it could mark the end of the India’s present power transmission and distribution issues. In addition, India can ramp up its attempts to develop and implement huge commercial wind and solar farms to meet the nation’s energy requirements and economic development goals.

The present power production capacity of India is about 200,000 MW and it would increase in future if right energy policies are formulated. There is a dire need to develop and execute favourable government policies to improve the exponential growth of renewable energy. Giving renewable energy a boost is not just a choice, but a necessity. 

Currently, India is heavily dependent on fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas to produce electricity, which are not only expensive, but also pollute the environment. Due to our vast population, India purchase energy from outside to meet the power demands, and that leads to increase in our electricity cost. Moreover, the coal reserves are limited in India therefore the excessive use of thermal energy may lead to the deficiency of such resources. Hence, it is vital to minimize the use of such resources or to use them judiciously, if we want to save something for future generations. And instead of purchasing power from outside, we should make the optimal utilization of natural resources, which will subsequently help us to improve our ecosystem. It will be considerably cheaper if we make a shift from nuclear power to renewable energy. 

A Great Loss to the Nation: The Missile Man, Dr. Abdul Kalam Passes Away

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the nation’s 11th president, widely acclaimed as the people’s president, passed away, leaving a noticeable void that cannot be filled. It is hard to believe for each of us that we are now in a world without him. It is really a bleak day for India.

Born in a poor Tamil Muslim family in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam overcame many obstacles and difficult circumstances to study physics and aerospace engineering. He received India’s top honours including the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Bharat Ratna.

He started his career as a scientist and science administrator at the DRDO in 1960 after finishing his graduation from the MIT University- Chennai. There, he first designed a small helicopter that he designed for the Indian Army. Later he joined ISRO, where he was the project director of India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) that brought him great laurels and prestige. He played a vital technological and political role in India’s Pokharan-II nuclear tests before he became the president of India. He was closely involved in the military missile development efforts and Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme which developed missiles like Agni and Prithvi. 

Dr. Abdul Kalam succeeded K.R. Narayanan and served as president for complete five years from 2002 until 2007, enjoying the backing of both ruling and opposition parties.

It was a quirk of fate that he breathed his last, while doing he liked the most-educating students- at the Indian Institute of Management-Shillong (IIM-S). He was a top scientist of global reputation, whose contributions to the progression of science and technology are unparalleled. His rise from a science lab to Rashtrapati Bhawan had earned him the sobriquet Missile Man.

A P J Abdul Kalam was a pragmatic educational scholar and visionary, who had opened new opportunities for studies and research in the area of ballistics, aeronautics and aerospace mechanics, and metallurgy. Dr. Abdul Kalam believed that education is the most crucial element for the development and prosperity of a country. He had a notable contribution in the field of education. He loved being amidst children and believed that any education system is good which has the capability to instil five aspects such as inquisitiveness, technology, creativity, entrepreneurial and moral leadership in the students’ minds. An eminent scientist and a great thinker, Mr. Kalam had the inimitable honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions.

Despite his immense power and position, he never had any kind of pride about himself. In fact, he led a very simple life and treated everyone with a lot of respect. He was a modest and an iconic personality, who with his phenomenal ability and strong leadership skills brought together people from different distinctions and disciplines to work together. His contributions to education, politics, India’s space and research projects and various other sensitive defence projects are remarkable.

He will be sorely missed and remembered forever.

Should India Ban Tobacco Products?

It is generally acknowledged that smoking is injurious to health. We also know that people have liberty to speak and eat of their choice in India. Therefore, stopping someone for something is not a right conduct. But the claim of a few ministers that not every person who consumes tobacco has cancer is not acceptable. As it somehow represents that not every accident leads to death. Some people are genetically stronger than others but it does not mean that tobacco does not cause any harm to them in one way or the other. 

Every year, almost six million people worldwide die of Oral Cancer caused by tobacco. And, as per the statement of head and neck surgeon of Tata Memorial Hospital, Tobacco companies all across the country has already admitted that their product is detrimental to health, therefore, they accepted to approve required health warning in their packaging materials as a part of manufacturer liability. People who smoke not only put their lives into risks of cancer but also endanger the lives of people near them. For that reason, smoking is prohibited in public places.

But, is banning tobacco an ideal solution? There was a law passed in the USA in 1920 to ban alcohol, which led to the birth of criminals and black marketers.   As such law creates an environment where culprit can stand in order to make a profit even such things are deemed illegal. Even it will create turbulence among those who are addicted to nicotine. Therefore, banning does not stop people to get the things they want. Government gave a large pictorial warning that is definitely a good move to discourage the use of tobacco.

Moreover, tobacco is one of the biggest and easiest sources of revenue for the Indian Government. It has a major contribution to economy by generating employment for lakhs of traders, farmers and manufacturers. However, regulating tobacco consumption might help.

There are a few things that can be done in order to regulate the consumption of tobacco. Government can increase the price of tobacco and apply heavy taxes on it so that it gets priced out of most pockets. Regulating the production of cigarettes may also help.

Also, if the price of electronic cigarettes gets reduced, then the people who are addicted can gradually control this addiction. In addition, there is need of public figures to campaign against smoking because they influence people the most.

Raise your voice for the tamed and speechless

Known for rich heritage and culture, India always had a special place and respect for animals. Even we can also see the significant role of animals like monkeys, swan, cow, crow etc, in our religious manuscripts. In early times there was no such need of animal welfare society or organization as each home itself was an animal welfare institution.  But the population explosion and urbanization have brought a big change in the society. 

Previously, dead animals’ hides were only used to make leather, today even a large number of healthy, young animals are slaughtered for leather and meat.  Animals have become soft targets for anyone trying to make quick money. Be it a pet dog, a chicken kept in cramped cage for slaughter, cattle packed like sardines in trucks heading for the slaughter house, or the dancing bears or monkeys performing on the streets and in the circuses, all kinds of animals face countless sufferings at the hands of humans. 

People find the community dogs and cats, dwelling in the colonies, as a nuisance and want them expelled. In actual, this is happened because of urbanization, the open spaces which were used to be the shelter of animals like cats and dogs are now changed into buildings and factories, letting these animals roam around the localities. 

It is a well known fact that a large number of failed, injured and old race horses were sold to a knackery, where they are killed for pet food or slaughtered for human consumption, when they were no longer profitable for the horse racing industry.  How biased and ruthless we humans are for these speechless animals as we ourselves avail the pensions after retirement while slaughter these old or injured animals when they deserve the utmost care.

Despite increased awareness about animal rights, cruelty against animals is still aplenty. In such conditions, it is important to make more animal welfare societies in each community. Also, more veterinary physicians and hospitals for the proper treatment of sick and injured animals are required. Government should set clear legal limits to human behaviour relative to animals. A strict legal action should be taken against the person who violates animal rights and disregards the well being of animals. Awareness programs about animal issues and environment should be regularly organized in schools, colleges and social groups. Although Indian Government has made several laws for the welfare of the animals and have taken strict measures against the use of live animals in scientific researches, yet more need to be done in this area, and being human we all know; what they expect from us? Of course, not cruelty.

The poor are invoking the people in power

It is the irony of our country that the people of India now struggling for those basic rights which were used to be the major causes of India's freedom struggle. Swaraj was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi, mission of B. G. Tilak and spirit of every Indian during the freedom struggle which ended 68 years ago. But, why the historic speech of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru 'Tryst With Destiny' which that time enthused every man and woman of the newly emancipated India. Despite 67 years of Independence a large section of society is deprived of the three basic needs; food, clothes and shelter.

More than 300 million people in India are living in extreme poverty, and according to the report by Oxfam, India is the domicile of a third of the world’s poor and hungry population. If we calculate the poverty line using the two dollars per capita income a day on purchasing power parity, then statistics showcase that more than 80 percent rural and almost 70 percent urban population in India is eligible to call poor.

Even after completing 67 years of independence a majority of population in the country is a victim of hunger, poverty, unemployment and inequality. 56 percent of households don’t have any piece of land, and only 9.7 percent of all rural households in total, have a family member with a salaried job. This is the reality of the masses, which portrays that how grim and gloomy is the situation of the people who work on farms to feed the nation, this is the condition of people who work day and night to erect skyscrapers and bridges. Poor labourers who work in freezing winters and hot summers to construct schools and colleges are helpless to enrol their own children.  

Our politicians and policy makers must understand that people in sheer destitute are not seeking or expecting hypothetical democratic sovereignty, they are desperately awaiting an era of good governance, which will bring equality, justice and above all emancipate them from hunger and poverty.