IN INDIA ITS EARTH HOUR EVERYDAY

A few days ago there was this really huge hype all around the world about the Earth Hour, and the same hype reached to India as well. Pretty much everyday before the Earth Hour day, there would be something in the newspapers about it. Few big companies decided to celebrate the occasion at their India centers, also there were few people who happily wanted to be part of it, but overall the response to it was null. The reason was very simple- Earth Hour is of relevance to only those countries where there is 24x7 power supplies, in countries like India where people almost everyday celebrate Earth Hours, it really doesn’t make sense.

A thought provokes a new thought, and I got this pitiful thought on the day of Earth Hour. In India, the infrastructure is yet so far away from the basic needs of common man that 24x7 power supply is still a big dream. As per the experts there is 22% power shortage on average in India during the peak hours between 5pm and 11pm, and it is anticipated that the number could be higher. Anyway, I m sure the figures don’t show the real picture because there are still so many places in India where there is no electricity et al. People will survive in dark using candles etc, children will study in candle lights, the condition is so bad.

The government has yet not taken severe steps to improve anything, and the best answer they came up was- the situation will improve only after the onset of the monsoon rains. I just wonder we make a huge fuss about the GDP growth of 9% annually, we make a huge fuss about the hot job market, we create unwanted violence for religious and caste issue, but there is nothing done to improve the basic needs at grass-root level. The infrastructure especially the power infrastructure is so pathetic that even after paying so much money in taxes to government nothing has been done. India’s track record in adding power generating capacity is poor- in the last 5 years, the country has just added 20,550MW of capacity, against a target of 42,000MW.

It’s high team, we all focus on the basic needs first, otherwise just imagine what will be the use of buying air conditioners when there is no power to turn them on. Let’s do our bit first, let’s conserve and preserve by using the electricity efficiently. Let each one of us spread the awareness about it, let invent and discover various sources of energy that can make our future better. Let’s do it now !!