Educated Indians fall for every fraud that comes out of the west. In the awe of the Colonials, everything is lapped up unquestioningly. And so it is with the Global Warming/Climate Change/Climate Disruption or whatever they are calling this fraud this week. Indians are among its most enthusiastic supporters worldwide, across entire ideological spectrum.
Therefore, when skies became clear in lockdowns, chest beating against industrialisation was resumed with renewed vigour: “see if we commit economic suicide, we would have clear air and water.”
And what exactly will we do with the clear air and water? Eat them? Were the “dirty” air and water killing us?
Let us see.
Indian mortality (deaths per thousand of entire population) was around 45 till 1920s, and came down to 30 in 1950. With the on and off industrialisation, it is now 7.4. That doesn’t look “industries are killing us through pollution” to me. Contrary in fact. Industries seem to be saving us.
The US had achieved the figure of 30 in 1880 itself. It became the world’s biggest economy in 1875. In 1950 its mortality was already well below 20.
More dramatic change is seen in the Infant Mortality rate. In 1950, India had IMR 189, South Korea, 195, Malaysia 114. Now, India has 32, South Korea 2, and Malaysia 6. South Korea and Malaysia went full Capitalist, we adopted Capitalism with a noose around its neck, so we lose around 750000 children per year who would survive if we had industrialised like South Korea and Malaysia.
So, even if industrialisation affects air and water, the benefits are thousands times more than any harm claimed by the Leftist thugs and the NGO mob. And with industrial processes improving, even this effect on air and water is getting smaller and smaller with each decade.
In fact, only because of industries we have survived the current pandemic. We could have hospitals and oxygen and could fly more oxygen, could run trains, only because we had industries. In fact, even if we accept the claim of the toolkit managers that Indian Covid deaths are ten times higher, around 30 lakh, even that would only make total deaths in India (natural and pandemic)1.3 crore this year. That means a total mortality rate (natural plus pandemic) of 9.5 per thousand of population. We achieved this mortality rate only in 1995. That is, before 1995, we were dying in larger numbers in each year per thousand of population than in the pandemic year like the current one.
For the individual and the family, his demise is the end of the world and statistics a cruel mention. But policies affecting the survival of the Civilisation and the Nation are also not based on individual tragedies. In fact policies triggered by tragedies almost always result in bigger and far more prolonged tragedies.
