India’s water crisis deepens
While the world praises India’s development, the country’s acquifirs have been significantly depleted of water in the last several years. Water is being pumped from wells at a much faster rate than it is replenished by rainfall.
India’s diminishing access to clean and safe water supplies has been long apparent to those involved in the discussion on the world water crisis. Recently, this serious issue has become the subject of video awareness campaigns on international airlines.
India’s Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, has warned of severe water shortages in the next few decades. While this is fast becoming evident in urban centers like Mumbai and Delhi (which has the highest per capita consumption of water), the highest impact will be felt in rural areas.
More than ever, it is time to become mindful about taking steps towards conserving water. If you are looking for ideas as to how you can make a difference in your own home, then take a look at the Green Living Guide to Water Conservation.
Will Asian countries impose a carbon tax?
Since China was declared the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases in 2006, talk in international economic circles has revolved around the wisdom behind imposing a tax on carbon heavy industry.
Marathon Oil’s CFO sees carbon taxes becoming a reality
Not that a tax will necessarily mitigate the effects of emissions but it can certainly penalize industry for contributing to a high carbon environment. However, if indeed the reality of such a tax is looming, it is still quite far. [...]
Terrorism: Whose War is This Anyway?
The only surviving suspect, Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, in a photo taken during the attacks.
The media has been closely following the fallout on diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan. It has questioned whether the terrorist attacks on Mumbai last week should lead to stronger action by both India and Pakistan to ferret out these terrorists from their training camps in Pakistan.
Gauhar Ayub Khan, Former Foreign Minister of Pakistan who was interviewed on NDTV today evaded questions about whether Pakistan would or could deal with terrorist groups openly operating on its own soil, by focusing instead on a massive security failure in India. When the NDTV journalist pressed the issue quoting US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice’s statement today, “Non-state actors, that’s still a matter of responsibility if in fact it somehow relates to your territory. ” But Khan continued to point to the uselessness of Indian intelligence, its national security and anti terrorist forces. He even suggest that India has orchestrated the killing of its own Top Guns and has “cooked up” information about the 10 Mumbai attackers.
As much as I stand aghast at the lack of sensitivity and intelligence shown by our Mumbai politicians, it amazes me that a man like Khan could be appointed such a high post in any state.
Whose war is this anyway? Mr. Khan… is this not your state’s war against terrorism as much as it is anybody elses’s? Have you forgotten Benazir Bhutto’s assassination just a few months ago?
Do people like Khan not understand that it is statements like his that inflame the sensitivity of a highly emotional group of people? Mr. Khan..what will we achieve with this attitude? The last thing we need right now is an India-Pakistan war which given the history of hostility between these two neighbors, is always a possibility.
Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving suspect in the deadly attacks on Mumbai has reportedly given up information, including his name, the identity of his father and details on a three-month training stint in Pakistan, Indian police said Wednesday. He has confirmed that he is from the village of Okara in Pakistan’s Punjab province and that he has spent the last 18 months at training camps run by Lashkar-e-Tayyiba — a Pakistan-based terror group allied with al Qaeda. (CNN)
Listen to Condoleezza Rice’s words today:
“Non-state actors sometimes operate within the confines a state … and when that is the case, there has to be very direct and tough action against them.”
When it comes to terrorism, it is not just a matter of punishing the crime, but also a matter of preventing the people that continue to plot and plan these events in the future. At this point many nations have expressed a desire to help India in flushing out the people who contribute to the global war against terrorism….Britain, U.S. to name a few. Like all nations, Pakistan also has a responsibility to address this issue fully, transparently and urgently.
Image Credit: Associated Press
Bhai Dooj – The Final Day of Diwali, India’s Biggest Holiday
The five-day-long festival of Diwali ends with the celebration of Bhai-Dooj.
This final day of Diwali cherishes the affectionate relationship between brothers and sisters. A sister prays for her brother’s longevity and in return the brother promises to protect her for life.
In Punjab, the festival is referred to as Tikka named for the mark of vermilion that a sister applies to her brother’s forehead to symbolize her affection for him. Legend tells us that this tradition was started by Yami (the sister of Yama, the Lord of Death) who prayed for her brother’s well being with the auspicious vermilion mark on his forehead. So a brother who receives a tikka from his sister will escape an untimely death.
Like many other Hindu festivals, Bhai Dooj is about family ties and social attachments. It is a time when a married sister reunites with her own family.
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