Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy has expressed concern over rising climate change effects on India’s rural and urban territories. Speaking at an event in Pune, Murthy said that an increase in global temperatures and changing weather patterns will lead to mass migration to places like Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad, he told The Economic Times.
Murthy said climate change may even make rural areas of the country uninhabitable, at least in some part of the country, during the next 20-25 years. He sounded a caution to the effect that such a situation could be more than enough to cause massive movements of population to cities facing problems of traffic congestion and overpopulation. As an NDTV report quoted, such moves would create further burdens on the existing infrastructure and services of urban centers.
Collective Action
Murthy advocated for joint efforts among governments, corporate entities, and bureaucrats to curb the inevitable crisis. He challenged Indian corporate entities to work together with policy makers in such a manner as to avoid the migration of the masses.In Murthy’s view, intervention and cooperation between the right stakeholders would see India beat its climate change target by 2030, which in turn would overcome the migration menace.
Role of Youth and Innovation
He called upon the youth to play a vital role in the fight against climate change and suggested technological innovation in the form of, for example, battery technology improvements as possible solutions. He also referred to companies like Infosys as models for how the corporate sector could help India meet its climate goals.
Wider Climate Change Issues
Murthy’s words echo the concerns at all India’s urban as well as rural areas. Cities like Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad are always under stress due to massive urbanization, while regions like New Delhi are already facing deteriorating air conditions. In rural areas, rising temperatures and water shortages have emerged as pressing problems, further worsened by climate change.
Recognitions and Notable Attendees
This was the Pune event that honored Madhav Gadgil for his contributions toward sustainability, while Alok Kale was acknowledged as an entrepreneur. Those in attendance included Raghunath Mashelkar, Pradeep Bhargava, and industrialist Jamshyd Godrej, who all agreed to support Murthy’s call to action on climate crisis.
Stressing a collaborative approach, Murthy urged readiness for the challenges that climate change will throw up, both in rural and urban areas. In that context, climate change’s impact is increasingly impacting India’s population and resources, and thus more urgent is the implementation of sustainable development strategies.
Source:The Economic Times, NDTV