This is apropos of the article “Hunza's water bomb” (May 21). Undoubtedly, the inhabitants of Hunza Valley are suffering from the massive water outburst which is increasing at a monstrous rate, threatening all the villages that come in its way.

Certainly this disaster threatens to cause further destruction to the surrounding homes, schools, fields, dams, infrastructure and the socio-economic life of this region.

Glacier melting is one of the causes attributed to the Hunza lake disaster. We can condemn the government for not taking precautionary steps to avert the disaster or censure it for not taking immediate relief efforts after the disaster. But we cannot absolve ourselves of the responsibility of this calamity.

The connection lies between rising temperatures caused by carbon emissions and melting glaciers.

We luxuriate in the cities with our lavish lifestyles and the cost is borne by these rural people oblivious of the cause of the catastrophes they've fallen prey to.

Our hazardous activities like burning of fossil fuels results in enormous amount of emissions of greenhouse gases, leading to global warming/climate change which lead to such catastrophes.

Carbon emissions come from our cars, industries, unnecessary electricity consumption for our modern living like micro-ovens, electric cooking stoves, air-conditioners, etc.

We need to bring about small changes in our lifestyles by taking a few steps. We could always choose to walk for small distances, use mass transit or car pool for longer ones, decrease fossil fuel burning in thermal power stations — the dominant resource for our energy generation — by consuming less electricity, i.e. switching off unnecessary lights; keeping the thermostat of our air-conditioners at 24-26 Centigrade; brightening up our house with sunlight and using minimum of electrical appliances.

Furthermore, we should avoid unnecessary air travelling since that is one of the major contributors to global warming. Executives could utilise technology of video conferencing for meetings, conferences and seminars. At a smaller scale, there should be lesser use of paper and recycling should be made a priority of life.

Living a simpler life closer to nature is the need of the hour because it is inhuman to live at the cost of others' lives. The world needs to come together and join hands in the fight against climate change because it is a global issue and not just a national issue. The rising water levels in the Hunza Lake are just not a natural phenomenon. We all are contributors to it.

JAYA S. LOUNGANI
Karachi