‘Batti Bandh’ in Mumbai
December 10th, 2007A local environmentalist group has called for residents of Mumbai to observe an hour of abstinence from the use of electricity on December 15 from 7:30pm to 8:30pm, in a bid to increase awareness about global warming.
The city has been constantly battling an ever-increasing demand for energy, given its constant strain on resources. Residential areas across the city have had to endure rationing of electric supply for decades, in order to accommodate for load sharing with industrial zones. This problem has been aggravated even further by the exponential demand for energy resources over the past couple of years, as the city witnesses a surge in conspicuous consumption. The mushrooming of malls all over Mumbai, and the increasing demand for motor vehicles by the burgeoning middle class, are factors spearheading the onward march towards increased pollution and the depletion of precious resources.
The city of Sydney faded into black on March 31 this year with it’s event called Earth Hour (pdf), in a similar effort to send a message across Australia about climate change. I sincerely hope that this token move to achieve one hour of no power, will help in educating the masses in Mumbai and India, and increase awareness about the change each individual can bring forth.
Check out MumbaiUnplug.com for more details. Good luck Mumbai!
