Blame it on the global warming, our planet is currently facing the consequences of our over abuse of natural resources, deforestation on massive scale etc. At least in Maharashtra, the places that are facing severe drought are because of overplanting sugarcane crops which uses too much water, resulting in depletion of ground water levels and zero efforts to trap rainwater to help maintain ground water levels. I think this is a wake up call, but whether we respond to it wisely, is the question.

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

Blame it on the global warming, our planet is currently facing the consequences of our over abuse of natural resources, deforestation on massive scale etc. At least in Maharashtra, the places that are facing severe drought are because of overplanting sugarcane crops which uses too much water, resulting in depletion of ground water levels and zero efforts to trap rainwater to help maintain ground water levels. I think this is a wake up call, but whether we respond to it wisely, is the question.

Yes Kalyani, I too would think this is a wake up call and unless all people do their bit, things will only become worse in the future. Deforestation is the single most factor besides our own greed for building superstructures that are anything but environmental friendly. I hope t least now our leaders realise the importance of living in harmony with nature rather than go against it..

usha manohar wrote:

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

Blame it on the global warming, our planet is currently facing the consequences of our over abuse of natural resources, deforestation on massive scale etc. At least in Maharashtra, the places that are facing severe drought are because of overplanting sugarcane crops which uses too much water, resulting in depletion of ground water levels and zero efforts to trap rainwater to help maintain ground water levels. I think this is a wake up call, but whether we respond to it wisely, is the question.

Yes Kalyani, I too would think this is a wake up call and unless all people do their bit, things will only become worse in the future. Deforestation is the single most factor besides our own greed for building superstructures that are anything but environmental friendly. I hope t least now our leaders realise the importance of living in harmony with nature rather than go against it..

I doubt that a lot, otherwise the authorities would never have given permission to construct buildings that are covered with aluminium frames and glass frames that heat up the buildings inside and outside so much that they become giant guzzlers of both electricity and water resources to keep them cool inside. Such buildings are a necessity in European countries with cooler climates but are built here in India just for the sake of impression and maintain outward appearances without thinking how much wastage of utilities occur due to them.

this year summer came very fast and started showing his importance and destructive image 

@Kalyani is very right about her views. But I feel the main reason is that our education system is western oriented and it needs modification to suit Indian conditions. Therefore cold climate buildingscare made in hot India. One just had to go back pre 1947 to see how heat friendly building a were made in India. Today's buildings are heat traps.

vijay wrote:

@Kalyani is very right about her views. But I feel the main reason is that our education system is western oriented and it needs modification to suit Indian conditions. Therefore cold climate buildingscare made in hot India. One just had to go back pre 1947 to see how heat friendly building a were made in India. Today's buildings are heat traps.

I agree, it is the British who rightly recognised that and created buildings that remained cool in summer and warm in winters, sadly, those pre-independence era buildings in cities such as Mumbai are now deliberately neglected and not maintained so in a few years' time they could demolished and modern glass-structures built on their place, many such buildings have already been lost. It is the progressive, modern outlook that frowns upon everything traditional is the cause behind such silly attitude. Look at all the traditional houses built in any part of country, be t the sloping red-tiled houses in Konkan, Karanataka or Kerala etc. and they are built in tune with the harmony of nature. Modern architects and designers, need to look at such structures and use them in new buildings.

We have to search and develop our own solutions which our ancestors did without western influence but today no one wants to take initiative. In multistorey apartments the ceiling heights have been redced to bare minimum and no ventilation for hot air to go out are provided. The natural draft helps flow of air but todaty it id trapped. Side walls need to be thicker to act as insulation but single brick walls are now common. Effort is to reduce cost and give a houd which is nothing but a heat sink.Sad .

Kalyani Nandurkar wrote:

vijay wrote:

@Kalyani is very right about her views. But I feel the main reason is that our education system is western oriented and it needs modification to suit Indian conditions. Therefore cold climate buildingscare made in hot India. One just had to go back pre 1947 to see how heat friendly building a were made in India. Today's buildings are heat traps.

I agree, it is the British who rightly recognised that and created buildings that remained cool in summer and warm in winters, sadly, those pre-independence era buildings in cities such as Mumbai are now deliberately neglected and not maintained so in a few years' time they could demolished and modern glass-structures built on their place, many such buildings have already been lost. It is the progressive, modern outlook that frowns upon everything traditional is the cause behind such silly attitude. Look at all the traditional houses built in any part of country, be t the sloping red-tiled houses in Konkan, Karanataka or Kerala etc. and they are built in tune with the harmony of nature. Modern architects and designers, need to look at such structures and use them in new buildings.

It is the same here, we used to have such comfortable houses with Mangalore tiled roofs, wide verandahs and open courtyards . There are still many such houses but fast disappearing because of the escalating land price and expanding city limits. We have never ever had water problem so far in this city but this year it is very severe and people now realise the folly of closing wells and building on top of that and not maintaining natural lakes. Trees around the house makes a lot of difference and even that is becoming a rare sight because of lack of space.

This is just April and it is so hot that coolers and A.C. are being used.  There is water shortage also. The Municipal corporation is unable to supply water regularly through tapped water supply. In my locality there is no supply of water and so we need to use submersible pumps. Needless to say that the cost of digging and installing such pumps is not affordable for poor. Moreover the water level is also going down and peoole are forced to dig deeper every two or three years. 

Here is my area temprature is about 41 degree, but we are habitual of facing it. In coming day we will  face 48 to 50 degree. It is plus point for us that we have not water problem.