Climate change is today's biggest problem, threatening mankind with extinction. The problem, largely of man's own doing, must be treated as an emergency by all. There are already manifestations in the form of terribly hot summers, floods in Europe and delayed and erratic monsoons in the Indian subcontinent.

Two ways to mitigate this problem is to make tree-planting and rain-water harvesting compulsory. Wastage of water and electricity should be made criminal offences and be strictly enforced.

Climate change is as much a local problem as it is a global one. The ground water table is fast getting depleted and the forests are vanishing.

In India, the biggest threat to the environment comes from its exploding population. Unless India too adopts the one-child policy, as China has done,, it is next to impossible to save the environment. If the environment is gone, so are we.

R. P. Rammohan

Hyderabad

Letters to the editor and contributions can be sent by e-mail to: bleditor@thehindu.co.in

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu Business Line