Where India stands
With the disastrous consequences of climate change making their presence felt rather forcefully in the world today, the veritable truth is that the man-made-catastrophe of global warming can be mitigated only through collective efforts. India has become one of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases, and it is imperative that it joins the climate mitigation bandwagon (Page 1, “India will stress ‘climate justice’ at global summit, says Minister”, October 29). However, what is unjust and unacceptable is that historical polluters are conveniently overlooking the clause of ‘common but differentiated responsibility’ enshrined in the Paris Accord of 2015.
The points that the Indian Prime Minister and his French counterpart together launched the International Solar Alliance; the country has set a target of installing 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030; has a robust electric vehicle policy in place, besides a mission for hydrogen, and is steadily increasing its forest cover, all prove that India has recognised need for global climate change mitigation efforts.
Nalini Vijayaraghavan,
Thiruvananthapuram
Committing to net zero carbon emissions is a tall order. India is a developing nation, with the lion’s share of its energy produced through thermal power. The country should for now focus on gradually turning to and relying on renewable sources of energy.
Aanya Singhal,
Noida, Uttar Pradesh
‘Drug bust’ case
The recent case of alleged drug seizure on a cruise ship and the arrest of high-profile celebrities only highlight the growing danger of the consumption of narcotics in India, especially among the young. It is no exaggeration to say that there is a culture of rave drug parties in Mumbai. Why does the Narcotics Control Bureau not crack the whip? While walking down Colaba Causeway, one can often spot youngsters smoking narcotics in the narrow lanes and bylanes. There are also those who are on the fringes of society who indulge in drugs. There need to be concerted moves to educate all, especially youngsters, on the dangers of narcotic use.
Jubel D’Cruz,
Mumbai
The way the high-profile case has proceeded only raises more questions than answers. Of concern is the way the investigation has proceeded. The seriatim of controversies that have arisen will certainly open a Pandora’s box. Let the case not drag on for months.
Mani Nataraajan,
Chennai
Films and the messages
Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu while appreciating the standing of the iconic thespian,Rajinikanth, also indirectly highlighted the status of cinema today that vastly differs from its purpose of being a carrier of social, moral and ethical messages. This should serve as a reminder to actors and producers. The selectors of the National Film Awards should also choose films that shun violence in their plots.
Baby Harline,
Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu
