The situation has become dire for many of the 12 million
residents in the capital city Dhaka who are facing their third week of severe
power shortages. Accompanied by ongoing lack of rain, the diminished electricity
has also affected water supplies due to a dependency on mechanical pumps that
remove water from the soil.
Thus, city officials estimate a yield of 1.9
billion liters of water daily despite the need for at least 2.2 billion liters.
In desperation, many people have turned to drinking surface water, whose foul
smell and frequent contamination cannot be remedied by boiling because of the
power shortages.
This has led to a surge in water-borne diseases, with
hospitals now filled beyond capacity.
In response to the crisis, the
government has brought in troops to coordinate distribution of water and has
arranged with companies such as US-based General Electric and Scotland’s Aggreko
to quickly set up a group of power plants by August.
However, with
groundwater levels already declining by about 3 meters per year due to global
warming-related drought, the United Nations warns that without mitigation, water
shortages are expected to worsen.
We join in sadness for the plight of
the Bangladeshi people as we send our appreciation to the Bangladeshi government
for its efforts to ease this difficult situation.
Let us join in caring
more diligently for our precious resources so that all may live in safety and
well-being. During a September 2009 videoconference in Peru, Supreme Master
Ching Hai conveyed her concern as she has on previous occasions for the human
impacts of global warming, while suggesting meaningful actions that would ease
conditions for both people and the planet.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: Some countries and
communities have to cope with worsened drought situations. There is not enough
water to raise crops or even to drink.
Every child, family, and society will
be affected in some way by this experience of trauma and tragedy.
The
smartest way would be to stop the worsening of global warming by being vegan. It
sounds very simple but it is the best solution, the most effective and the
effect of it will be felt almost immediately.
Moreover, the problems we
already face now – such as the warming atmosphere, water shortage, food
scarcity, desertification - we can quickly eliminate by stopping meat
production. Stop it now, no further! So please,
before the situation
gets any more out of hand – let’s choose the vegan diet.
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Business_News&subsection=market+news&
month=April2010&file=Business_News2010042222526.xmlhttp://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/04/22/bangladesh.water.shortage/index.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hOfm1VrwqSTgk-9CiTQj4-diNy0g
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/world/article40298.ecehttp://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/152886/t/%27Living-hell%27-
in-energy-deprived-Dhaka--/Default.aspxhttp://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2010/04/201042474848951205.html