Being A Non-Hindu Is Good For The Environment In India!

It may never be too late to mention the Sethursamudram Project, to link the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar. Because the forces who want it, despite the end users and the environmentalists saying it would be a disaster, are still at work. From my recent talks with a colleague, I understand it is DMK chief Karunanidhi's personal ego that is making him push for the project. That is what today's democracy is for you. Even if it means wholesale death and destruction, a megalomaniac masquerading as a popular leader can do whatever he wants to!

The Sethusamudram Project will be an environmental disaster, will cost a bomb to maintain and will be of no real use as a shipping lane. Still we are spending crores on it on a daily basis. The fact that it would hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus hasn't been taken into account either. Just imagine, if it was the religious sentiment of the Muslims or Christians the project would not even have seen the light of the day. The same would have happened if it was a really good project, unlike this one is. That is secularism for you!

Just one question: is being a Muslim or a Christian good for the environment in India?!

VHP to Wash Away Sins in Holy Ganga

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad is teaming up with godmen again. But wait, before you say what is new, these are not the bunch of rabble rousers and ultra-conservative set of ochre-clads who had dominated the VHP's ranks all these years. And this time it is for an environmental cause - clean up the Ganga. And these godmen are some of the most influential personalities in today's moderate Hindu society - Ravi Shankar, Baba Ramdev, Asaramji Bapu and Morari Bapu. They are not exactly pushing a religious agenda in today's Indian society either. (Read story in Mint)

The VHP's agenda is, of course, to reach out to moderate Hindus and thus remove the "untouchable" status it has acquired over the Babri Masjid demolition and riots. But the godmen say they are in the tie-up because it is for enviornmental causes that need immediate attention.

I wish the VHP's agenda fails and the godmen's agenda wins!The Ganga or Ganges needs urgent cleaning up - no doubt about that. The river has nurtured Indians for thousands of years, and now we repay that by polluting and destroying it. The government, and various political parties, with their votebank agenda, are squarely responsible for this state of affairs. If they had any concern about the well being of India, its culture and heritage, and its environment things would not have come to such a pass. What I am saying is if India had a Hindu religious government it could not have allowed the Ganga to be destroyed this way. But I am also saying you don't need any religious affiliations to keep the Ganga clean. Any government which has genuine concerns about its people and country would not have let this happen.

I am really happy this is happening. Of course, there will be people who will try to find an alliance between the VHP and these godmen worrisome for national harmony. And given the VHP's track record they shouldn't be blamed either. But I am sure these godmen, who have proven over the years that they are more humanitarians than religious fanatics would keep the VHP firmly on track and won't let them hijack the movement for narrow political gains. If they manage to do that, the whole nation will be thankful to them and they will get the blessings of Mother Ganges. And the blessings of Mother Ganges could go a long way in washing away the VHP's sins, too.

Cracking the cheap energy puzzle, finally!

Is this the future? Yes, MIT professor Daniel G. Nocera has found a way to replicate the photosynthesis reaction used by plants to make oxygen and hydrogen, to work in the real world - cheaply.
http://www.forbes.com/home/2008/07/30/nocera-solar-power-biz-energy-cz_jf_0731solar.html. Here is the article in Science journal
The experiments are still in their early stage, but Nocera's team has cracked the toughest part of it - the oxygen and hydrogen generation. This should be a landmark in mankind's quest for alternative energy. And if it really takes off, then we are in for an era of cheap and clean energy. Unbelievable but true!
Still the question remains. This won't be the end to all our environmental problems. With no more need to worry about greenhouse gases humans are going to increase their plundering of earth's riches and the pollution of its bounty to life. I am talking about the many chemicals and other stuff we create, use and release into the ecosystem in a day. Well, Nocera has helped us take a giant leap forward. Now each of use need to evaluate what we really need, and separate the need from the greed for building a really sustainable civilisation.