Nearly half of the European Union faces worst drought in a 500-year record

Countries in the European Union are in a crisis. Severe drought is affecting agriculture, energy production and water supply. The picture is grim. France is handing out water; Serbia faces death of fish while Germany sees an evaporating river. In addition, Spain and Italy watch olive trees withering. This is the scenario of the EU as it suffers from the worst drought in a 500-year record. According to the EC's European Drought Observatory (EDO), nearly 47 percent of its land is now under drought conditions. Insufficient rainfall is the prime factor that led to drying out of the soil and consequent loss of plants and crops. In case dry weather continues, the situation could deteriorate. Climate crisis: Drought hitting nearly half of Europe - and it could last for months. Water levels in rivers, lakes and reservoirs across Western Europe are running low. Some have even dried up. As a result, there is stress on supplies of drinking water. This, in turn, hampers tourism and threatens the yield of crop. These have cascading effects.

These are the ill effects of global warming. Reasons of drought are many and the most serious one is lack of rainfall due to climate change. When rainfall comes in shorter and more intense bursts, the soil is unable to retain it. The result is flash floods and mudslides that wash away the soil. Moreover, the dry weather can and often does result in forest fires. These mean loss of greenery in the form of trees. The rise in temperatures lead to evaporation of water. Heatwaves are linked to global warming, and increase the demand of water as people seek to cool off. Right now, high temperatures and scant rainfall have drained the water levels of the Rhine. This is the commercial artery of Germany. Low water level is leading to delay in transporting the goods. These are pushing up freight costs several times. Moreover, low water levels in reservoirs lead to lower output of hydropower. Some countries that face this issue are Italy, Serbia, Montenegro and Norway.

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Will the Sun shine in Bengal on Sujjo Kanta? (satire)

The elections were finally over and, while all of them had heaved a sigh of relief, suspense hang heavily in the air because no one could hazard a guess on which way the wind was blowing. Will Didi score 294? Will the Sun shine on Sujjo Kanta? Didi and her band of followers had, suddenly, vanished from the scene and there were fears in certain quarters that many tall claims had fizzled out – after all, one cannot fool others indefinitely, the truth was bound to come out in the open.
‘I think we should draw up some action plan,’ Sujjo Kanta said. ‘I can feel power creeping back it into my bones.’
‘You are right,’ Audy Choudy agreed. ‘I am in contact with my bosses in Delhi and, once I get the go ahead, I can breathe easy. Our gang can give a new meaning to the people who have got fed up within five years.’

‘Yes, we must abandon the experiment that has fallen flat on its face,’ Sujjo Kanta said. ‘And – embark on a new experiment.’
Momad Sulley and Ritu Bruto had been listening till now. Sulley opened his mouth.
‘Agriculture is our power and we must weave industry into the fabric to get noticed,’ he said. ‘We must move with the times.’
‘Instead of one motor company manufacturing one type of cars we must have several of them – and, they must make use of common facilities,’ Ritu Bruto added.
‘You mean to say we must have dedicated groups of men to ensure that everything goes as per our plans? And – there will be no coercion or use of force?’
‘Yes – farmers must be willing participants,’ Ritu Bruto went on. ‘We do not want to burn our fingers again. Our strategy must be to marry agriculture with industry. That way, all parties will be happy. Our motto should be to spread happiness and goodwill.’
Audy Choudy looked from Sujjo Kanta to Ritu Bruto and Momad Sulley.
‘And – how do we do that?’ he asked.
Wee Man Bose, the wizened old man had been a silent spectator till now. It was now his turn to make his presence felt. ‘There is a time and place for everything,’ he said slowly. ‘Let us not put the cart before the horse. Once the time is ripe, all the jigsaw pieces will fall in place.’
‘And create a wonderful canvas,’ Sujjo Kanta said.
‘A canvas that will not be for sale,’ Ritu Bruto added. (to be continued …)


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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