If coal is here to stay, so are credible threats of 'calamitous changes' to our life-style

By Shankar Sharma*
"Coal is here to stay despite India's ambitious renewable energy goals", says a PTI report. But the same report has failed to acknowledge the fact that credible threats of calamitous changes to our life-style, and the growing threats to early extinction of mankind are also here to stay, and that the same can escalate with the passage of each year with such a common but unfortunate frame of mind in our authorities.
One can only wonder whether there is no one in our governance structure who can think beyond today and beyond the business as usual (BAU) scenario of high GDP growth rate, and foresee the near future for our children and grandchildren on the basis of a plethora of global scientific reports, which have elaborately highlighted the perils of continuing with the BAU scenario.
What is worrying is the grand silence or indifference of most sections of our intellectuals, media and law makers on such credible threats. It will be highly unfortunate if we, as a welfare oriented society, ignore our own associated responsibilities to our own families, children and grandchildren.

It is also sad that few media houses, which are seen as carrying some articles on the topic, are seen as failing in undertaking due diligence in such reporting, and in asking relevant questions of critical importance to our people.
But why is it so hard for our bureaucrats and political leaders to learn from the associated developments and alternatives from around the world?

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*Power & Climate Policy Analyst, Karnataka

Sardar made up his mind on Pakistan in Dec 1946 "before" Mountbatten's Partition Plan

By Hari Desai* One has to be extra cautious while dealing with the history of towering personalities of the Indian freedom struggle, especially that of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (October 31, 1875 - December 15, 1950). Present-day politicians prefer to "pronounce” on his life and quote him according to their convenience like a blind person describing an elephant.

To Sonam Wangchuk: 'Will undertake 70 hour solidarity fast in Gujarat'

By Martin Macwan * Dear Colleague Sonam Wangchuk, I have never met you personally. I wrote a short article at the time of your arrest. Your work correctly introduces you. There is truth in your words. You have embarked on a fast, following the footsteps of Gandhiji. Your intention is to make people think. Your demand is reasonable; I believe that the resignation of a single education minister will not improve the state of education in India. However, the question you have raised is extremely important for the future generation of the marginalized. Education is the key to power, development, and progress, which empowers a citizen.

Remembering Rampur ka Tiraha: State violence and the birth of Uttarakhand’s struggle

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* In the turbulent political landscape of the early 1990s, India witnessed events that reshaped its social and regional equations. After the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, Uttar Pradesh politics shifted dramatically, bringing the Samajwadi Party–Bahujan Samaj Party coalition to power in 1993 under Mulayam Singh Yadav. But the partnership was uneasy. Mulayam was never entirely comfortable playing the “Mandal card.” While Kanshi Ram and the BSP had consistently demanded the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations, Mulayam hesitated, wary of how the move might play out.

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