Rain deficit, urgent action

A monsoon rain deficit figure of 40% is deeply worrying. Hydropower generation could fall sharply amid warmer nights being forecast for July, and farmers having to bear the brunt of changing weather patterns. These developments once again underscore the urgent need for environmental protection and better water management. While El Niño may be a major factor this year, the cumulative effects of deforestation and the unchecked growth of concrete cities could also be issues to consider. In this context, rainwater harvesting is no longer just an option but a necessity. Capturing and storing rainwater can help replenish groundwater, improve water security, and reduce the impact of erratic monsoons, especially for farmers and drought-prone regions. The weather knows no borders, and El Niño clearly demonstrates this. Yet, countries continue to wage conflicts over territorial disputes while the shared challenge of climate change grows more severe. Measures to protect the environment will remain inadequate unless the rapid destruction of ecosystems is addressed with the urgency it demands.

M. Chandrasekhar,

Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh

Faith, accountability

The alleged misuse of funds and donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya is distressing. More than missing money and offerings of valuables, the faith, public power, political symbolism, and the moral obligations that come with the sacred trust of the temple have taken a beating. The professed irregularities at the temple teach an important lesson — when faith is mobilised on a national scale, the systems that manage that faith must be transparent. And, devotion and inner prayers by the devotees should never be used to silence them from asking questions about money, power and responsibility.

R. Sivakumar,

Chennai