Climate change a matter of concern for the security of Britain

Britain is worried. Its national security appears on shaky ground. This is believed to be a fallout of the failure of the government. A parliamentary report cautions that the reasons for such a situation could be attributed extreme weather events caused by climate change. The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy consists of senior MPs and peers. It has urged the government to take control of the major security risks posed by the effects of climate change on critical national infrastructure. These include power, transport, water and communications. The world of today depends heavily on these factors. The report highlight salient issues of the recent past that could be pointers on possible repercussions in future. A few of these are – (i) loss of power to millions in parts of England and Scotland during Storm Arwen in November 2021 due to downing of power lines (ii) loss of lives in Scotland due to derailment of a train in August 2020 and (iii) heatwave of July 2022 when temperatures rose to 104F in the U.K. UK security in danger as govt fails to prepare for extreme weather sparked by climate change - report. The report mentions about finding "overwhelming evidence" that climate change is already having an impact on UK infrastructure and that "no minister has been taking responsibility" for adapting it.

The report follows a series of extreme weather events in recent years. It reveals an "extreme weakness at the centre of government." Moreover, the committee hauls up the ministers of "a severe dereliction of duty" and stresses that "even more severe weather - and consequent impacts - will be prevalent soon." These observations leads the experts to predict that high temperatures are likely to give rise to issues like sagging of electricity cables, softening of roads and increase in the frequency of flooding. These, in turn, might result in frequent failure of railway embankments. Chair of the Joint Committee, Labour MP Dame Margaret Beckett, said Rishi Sunak, the new Prime Minister “must pull all the strands of government together to mitigate against potential disasters… This government must finally recognise that prevention is better than cure and move on from their dangerously reactive approach to risk management."

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Unique flower market of Kolkata at Mullick Ghat on the banks of the Hooghly

Flowers are required for any ritual from different pujas and birthdays to wedding and death. When the requirement is for bulk supply, all eyes focus on the wholesale market at Mullick Ghat in Kolkata. It is located on the banks of the Hoogly River opposite the Howrah Railway Station and comes to life with the first rays of the sun. The flower sellers arrive at dawn by train with the fresh flowers from their far-off villages. It is not just about flowers, but innumerable decorations with flowers that has survived for well over a century. Rammohan Mullick built the ghat in 1855. It was in memory of his father Nimai Charan Mullick. Another ghat known as the Jagannath Ghat, built by Shobharam Basak in 1760, stands right next to the Mullick Ghat. The history of how the flower trade originated at Mullick Ghat is not known. However, it might have links to the religious factor related to pilgrims heading to Puri. Today, this ghat is one of the most vibrant, active and crowded sections of the Hooghly along Kolkata. Mullick Ghat market: Saying it with flowers for well over a century. In the words of a member of the seller’s association of the market, this part of Kolkata attracts innumerable people every day.

They come from different parts of Bengal regularly and the market caters to all kinds of budgets. This is [one of] Asia’s largest flower markets. It is a fact that like other businesses elsewhere, this has also dwindled. The sellers have to be content with negligible profits. However, the endless varieties of requirements for different rituals and festivals that happen throughout the year brings home something extra. As a veteran explains - “Ever since the pandemic, the sales at the market are not encouraging or healthy at all, and we are just able to make ends meet.” When one comes across a flower or a flower decoration when in Kolkata, one must remember that such a creation is a result of the hard toil and daily struggle of countless people. They include those who grow them and transport them from far-off villages to the market in Kolkata.

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