April Angst; Humanizing Health; Icing ICE
Opinion Watch
April Angst
The Telegraph has said in its Editorial that the geological epoch Anthropocene is proving right T S Eliot’s lament of April being the cruellest month. It quoted Lancet study to state that 31000 people in the country lost their lives due to heat conditions during 2017-21, while globally the toll was three lakh.
The Kolkata-based daily has also argued that 50 per cent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is vulnerable to heat conditions. It also quoted a report of the Centre for Policy Research to state that state summer action plan is hamstrung because of lack of fund and legal architecture. The daily rued that India is not ready to face the heat.
The climate change bared its ugly face last year through extreme weather conditions in India and across the world. Humanity is evidently losing the environment battle, and talking heads stay fixated on issues such as who will pay the bill of the climate mitigation efforts. India must walk on Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘ekla chalo’ torchlight and make all efforts for climate mitigation.
Humanizing Health
The Hindu has castigated the agitating doctors in Rajasthan who have hit the street against “The Rajasthan Right to Health Act, 2022”. The daily has reasoned that right to access to health is enshrined in right to life (Article 21).
The Chennai-based daily hailed the legislative move of the Rajasthan government, calling it progressive. It also urged upon the state government to dispel the misgivings of the doctors about compensation for providing free treatment to patients.
Health is the most lucrative business now and insurance-based healthcare has been accused to have turned doctors into greedy sharks. The government has been a mute spectator to patients being fleeced by private hospitals. More power to Rajasthan government!
Icing ICE
The European Union has decreed that no fossil fuel-based vehicle will be sold in the continent from 2035, said the Economic Times in its Editorial, adding that the move may accelerate efforts for faster adoption of zero emission vehicles.
The business daily has cautioned that India should not become a dumping ground for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The daily urged upon the government to also explore the non-EV options in automobiles and aim to become part of the manufacturing ecosystem.
Facts on the ground portray a dismal picture pointing to a quick fix mindset. Seventy per cent of electricity generation in India is coal-based, and Chinese imports drive India’s EV story. This must call for some soul searching.
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