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Showing posts from December 11, 2009

OH, MY POOR FARMER…WHY WERE YOU BORN??

Intensification of droughts, floods and cyclones is one of the predictable impacts of climate change and climate instability. The failure of monsoons in India and the consequent droughts have impacted two-thirds of India, especially the bread basket of the country’s fertile Gangetic plains. The monsoons recharge the groundwater and surface water systems. This year, because of droughts there will be reduced recharge. The India Prime Minister will leave for Copenhagen Climate Change Summit in a few days amidst the controversial voluntary cuts by India in carbon emissions. It seems India has been again bended under US pressure. We, the people of third world countries, are paying the price for break-neck industrialisation by developed countries like the US. The Indian farmer is again the first one to face the brunt of climate change. Here is one such story from a small village called Pi on the Rajasthan border. Ramlaal...a small farmer who depends on the monsoons for the irrigation