September 16 every year is observed as "World Ozone Day". The celebration of this day is made to pay our homage to the ozone layer, that saves our earth from the harmful ultra-voilet radiation of the Sun.
The life on the Earth , depends on the energy provided by the Sun in the form of various radiations.
Out of total energy received by the Earth, 35% will be reflected back to the space by the clouds, dust-particles and ice particles present in the atmosphere.
14% of the energy , which comes in the form of ultra violet radiation gets absorbed by the ozone layer, thus saving the earth from the harmful effects like over warming of the Earth or diseases like cancer
34% of the energy is radiated back from the Earth in the form of direct solar radiation and 17% radiated back from the Earth in the form of terrestrial radiation.
The part of the energy radiated back from the Earth unabsorbed is called "Albedo". Average Albedo ranges between 29% to 34%. Because of the artificial cover provided by the green house gases the Earth surface is unable to reflect the total energy thus gets heated. So lesser the Albedo more will be the temperature on the Earth and viceversa.
Besides this the tarnishing of ozone layer provides the way to ultra violet rays to enter in the Earth's atmosphere which can cause great destruction , catastrophies (famines ,droughts etc.) and diseases like cancer.
The fact that the density of ozone layer reduced considerably making the situation more horrified. (from 1956 to 1970 the density of the ozone layer was nearly 280 to 325 doveson which in 1994 got reduced to mere 94 doveson. The density has been on a decline since then.)
The gases which are responsible for increasing the Earth temperature artificially are called "green house gases " which includes:- carbon di-oxide, methane, chloro floro carbon (CFC), sulphur herxa-floride, nitrous oxide, perflorocarbon. These gases are called green house gases because they increase the temperature in the glass house made artificially to provide higher temperature in colder areas which in turn helps plants that are native to warmer climates, to grow in the hilly areas.
The gases like CFC, or carbon di-oxide have been used in the modern appliances like air-conditioners, refrigerators, fire extinguishers etc. So its looks like where there is more industrialisation there is greater chance of causing harm to the ozone layer.
But the reality is unbelievable and horrifying. Unbelievable because the ozone hole was discovered in the polar regions where there is negligible industrialisation and horrifying because this reality can cause more destruction in less time. The reason behind this reality is the polar stratosphere clouds provide basis for chlorine molecules (present in the CFC) to act freely in the colder regions ( as in polar regions) and in the presence of sunlight in the Antarctica region the chlorine molecules attacks on the ozone molecules (O3) and kill them in the process. More damaging fact is this molecule could have a life of 45 years to 250 years. This is also causing the glaciers to melt.
The recent report of the Inter-governmental Panel On Climate Change (IPCC) states that Earth's temperature has increased by 0.74% in the past hundred years. Its effects are disastrous like:
Unexpected increase in the sea level that can submerge low lying regions including UK
The melting of glaciers like Himadri in India, which will first result in floods and then a long lasting drought
Exposure to ultra-violet rays can up the risk of cancers
Unexpected climatic changes
USA which pretends itself as a global leader, is also the biggest producer of these harmful green-house gases (nearly 30%) but hasn't signed the "Kyoto Protocal" - a legally binding global treaty for reducing the emission of these gases.
To efficiently deal with this current fearsome situation, we have to take stringent steps. Some are:
Save trees as they save life by inhaling harmful gas carbon-di-oxide.
more sustainable behaviour in our daily lives like saving energy at every step.
To use technologies which are environment-friendly, like bio-fertilizers.
The expansion of carbon trading by the developed countries from developing countries.
Globalize the technologies to the under developed nations that supports the climate.
Let us act now before it is too late.
Vasu Shena Misra (The author is a development activist who did his post-graduation from University of Lucknow. He is a fellow of CNS writers' bureau)
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday said that ruling Congress did not indulge in vote bank politics. Talking to reporters Gogoi said that there is simply no question of vote bank politics. Criticizing AGP and BJP, he said that the illegal immigrants are not the only problem to be dealt with. He claimed that only the Congress government would be able to complete work on the photo-IDs of voters.
Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi have greeted the people on the occasion of Eid-ul-Zuha on Saturday.
In his message, Patnaik appealed for upholding the tradition of amity and communal harmony in the state and urged the people to strengthen the bond of fraternity so that anti-social elements do not create any dent in their peaceful co-existence.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Eid would spread the message of universal brotherhood, love, peace and sacrifice would further strengthen the bond among the people.
Curfew in Dhubri town has been relaxed on Friday two days after it was imposed following clashes between police and civilians. There is no report of fresh incident in view of Eid-ul-Zoha on Saturday. Shops, markets, offices and banks remained open during the curfew relaxation period. However, educational institutions were closed because of Durga Puja vacation.
In view of the festival, security measures have been augmented in vulnerable areas. Curfew was imposed in the district headquarters after three persons were injured in clashes between two groups in IG road area in this town.
Dispur would soon set up a commission to study the issue of unemployment in the State. It would also suggest measures to eradicate the problem. Disclosing this, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Commission will comprise experts and besides studying the problem of unemployment in Assam, it will also suggest ways to solve it. The Commission’s report will be out by Bohag Bihu. The Commission will further look at the steps taken by the Government during the past decade to deal with unemployment and success and failure of various schemes.
A 5-day-long celebration of North East is going to be held at Dilli Haat, New Delhi on November 1-5. Titled as "Traffic Jam” the event is around the theme of community and unity. During these days, the event will bring people together around issues that break down community. There will be a special focus on Human Trafficking and in view of recent happenings also on discrimination towards the North East.
The festival will feature two event evenings (November 2nd and 3rd). Both evenings will be an assortment of music, live painting, cultural dances, and street theatre performances interspersed with short talks and presentations. The impact of the festival will be furthered...
In what could be described as a highly-encouraging news for Indian children’s cinema, a script that takes a look at the issue of witch hunting as seen by a small Assamese kid has found itself to be the only non-European project chosen for the co-production market of Cinekid, the world’s largest film, TV and cross-media festival for children.
Adapted from acclaimed Assamese writer Manikuntala Bhattacharjya’s children’s novel “Ishu” by National Award-winning film critic Utpal Borpujari, the script, also titled “Ishu”, is among the 15 film projects chosen to be presented before a high-profile panel of co-producers, distributors and sales agents...
Assam chief minister, Tarun Gogoi on Saturday released the white paper on the implementation of the Assam Accord saying that foreingers are no longer a huge problem to be dealt with. Gogoi claims with facts and figures that influx was on the decline. According to him, immigration was one of the issues like education, health and unemployment. He said that state will start the process for giving voters identity card after the completion final electoral roll.
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Saturday visited the porous Indo-Bangladesh border in Dhubri district on Saturday. Shinde visited the Shishumara and Mohamayachar border areas by a BSF boat to take stock of the unabeted influx from across the border. He inspected the eastern flanks accompanied by senior officials of the Home Ministry and Border Security Force. Earlier, he landed in Guwahati in the morning from Delhi on a day-long visit and took off in a helicopter to the BSF border camp in Panbari near Dhubri.
One more rhino was found dead on Saturday a week after its horn was sawed away by poachers in Kaziranga National Park. The rhino was believed to have been shot at by poachers at Agoratoli range of the Park and its horn was removed on October 13.
Amid Durga puja festivities, a shoot out rocked Guwahati city on Friday where a person lost his live at the hands of a miscreant.The incident took place at Chatribari area where an armed miscreant shot dead a person when he tried to overpower the miscreant. Identified as Brajen Rajbanshi, the victim was rushed to the hospital but died on the way to it. Police officials rushed to the spot and the miscreant manage to flee from the spot.
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