Saturday, March 29, 2025
Chandigarh: Experts and environmental scientists have identified major reasons behind the recent floods, landslides, and increasing heat. According to them, these situations are a direct outcome of climate change and reckless urban as well as hilly development.
Former Director General of the Indian Meteorological Department, Dr. K.J. Ramesh, and Greenpeace researcher Aqeez Bhatt explained that global warming has drastically altered weather patterns.
Rising Temperatures: With every 1°C increase in Earth’s temperature, the atmosphere’s capacity to hold moisture rises by 7%. This leads to the formation of massive clouds, causing intense but short-duration rainfall.
Changed Rainfall Patterns: Dr. Ramesh pointed out that earlier, monsoon rainfall was heavy but spread over a longer duration. Now, very heavy downpours occur within shorter periods, leaving little scope for water absorption into the ground, directly increasing flood risks. Data shows that between 1950 and 2015, instances of rainfall exceeding 150 mm rose by 75%.
Greenhouse Gases: Scientists attribute the root cause to the rising levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The burning of fossil fuels adds these gases to the atmosphere, increasing moisture retention and disrupting weather systems. Aqeez Bhatt stressed that corporations responsible for global warming should be held accountable for this damage.
Experts argue that reckless development activities have further worsened the situation.
Urbanization: According to Aqeez Bhatt, greenery and open spaces in cities have been rapidly vanishing. Lakes and water bodies have been encroached upon by buildings, disrupting natural water absorption and leading to urban flooding.
Hill Development: Construction of roads and hydropower projects in mountainous regions destabilizes slopes, becoming a primary cause of landslides. Dr. Ramesh cited the example of Dharali Bazaar in Uttarakhand, which was originally a natural water drainage pathway. He questioned whether people were aware of the risks when development was carried out in such areas.
Governments’ Stance: Authorities claim such projects are crucial for strategic and socio-economic reasons. However, experts warn that the price of such development is being paid in the form of recurring natural disasters. Aqeez Bhatt questioned: “At what cost are we pursuing such development?” He also highlighted that the lack of climate-responsive policies is amplifying the impact of these disasters.
