Readers Digest

JULY 2021 `100

WPHLAAT ONUERT

NEHcEoo-wEExYDpoeurSCtsaNEnxHOpellaWpin

HEALTH OPINION

How Anxiety Let Science
Harms Your Show Us
Body and Mind The Way

BONUS READ 8 Ways To Lift
Your Own Spirits
Can an Unloved
Child Learn to Love? INTERVIEW

In Conversation
with Neena Gupta







Reader’s Digest

CONTENTS

58 62

Features drama in real life

40 Rescue on the
High Rise Bridge
cover story
A trapped driver’s
AT HOME IN only hope is a team of
A SHRINKING emergency rescuers—
WILDERNESS who are stuck in traffic.

A famed naturalist on by anita bartholomew
the creeping effects of
illustration by siddhant jumde climate change. 50 70

by stephen alter health fascinating facts

WHAT OUR PLANET Quieting Anxiety Accidents that
NEEDS NOW Changed History
Crisis situations make
Eight eco-experts offer us jumpy. But how Altering human events
insights and solutions. can you tell when it has takes careful execution—
become a real problem? but at these fateful points,
by team reader’s digest plans went out the window.
by rebecca philps
by jacopo della quercia
58
78
kindness of strangers
bonus read
Man on the Rann
Can an Unloved
Lost in the desert, one Child Learn to Love?
woman must face the
elements or trust a A family opened their
complete unknown. hearts to a boy from
Romania’s former
by sunandah satwah ‘child gulags’. But they
weren’t prepared for the
challenge of raising him.

by melissa fay greene

reraedaedresrdsidgiegsets.tin.in 33

Reader’s Digest

10

8 Over to You points to ponder news from the
world of medicine
event 18 Federico Fellini,
Urvashi Butalia, 34 Why Women
37 RD Health Anand Venkatesh, Should Pump
Summit 2021 and Glen Close Iron and the Best
Shoes for Knee
Conversations it happens Osteoarthritis
only in india
in my opinion 28
20 Radio Silence for
10 Science Eloping Women top: alamy; below: joleen zubek
Must Prevail and Pedal Power

by dr abhay shukla by naorem anuja

ask an expert Better Living

14 Why Do People 28 How to Lift Your
Fall for Conspiracy Own Spirits
Theories?
by courtenay smith
by courtney shea and samantha rideout

good news health

16 Food for Furry 32 Fire in the Belly
Friends and A
Walking Librarian by viviane fairbank

by ishani nandi

4 july 2021

Culturescape studio Humour

interview with 107 Parvathi 7
neena gupta Nayar’s Wave Humour in Uniform

94 Saying it Like it Is by shreevatsa nevatia 13
All in a Day’s Work
by suhani singh me and my shelf
36
rd recommends 108 Peggy Mohan’s Laugh Lines
Favourite Reads
102 Films, Watchlist, 55
Books and Music Brain Games As Kids See It

review 110 Brainteasers 56
112 Sudoku Life’s Like That
106 Into the Wild 113 Word Power
115 Quiz 98
by shreevatsa nevatia 116 Quotable Quotes Laughter, The Best

102 Medicine

real444/getty images On the Cover

Cover illustration by Nilanjan Das

What Our Planet Needs Now ..........................................................................40
Opinion: Let Science Show Us the Way ..................................................10
8 Ways to Lift Your Own Spirits ...................................................................28
Interview: In Conversation with Neena Gupta .................................. 94
Health: How Anxiety Harms Your Body and Mind........................... 50
Bonus Read: Can an Unloved Child Learn to Love? ......................... 78

readersdigest.in 5

VOL. 62 NO. 7
JULY 2021

Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie
Vice Chairperson Kalli Purie
Group Chief Executive Officer Dinesh Bhatia
Group Editorial Director Raj Chengappa
Chief Executive Officer Manoj Sharma

editor Kai Jabir Friese IMPACT (ADVERTISING)
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group photo editor Bandeep Singh
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BUSINESS
consulting editor Shreevatsa Nevatia group chief marketing officer Vivek Malhotra
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gm, marketing & circulation Ajay Mishra
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Published at F-26, First Floor, Connaught Place, New Delhi-110001. Editor: Kai Friese (responsible for selection of news).

6 july 2021

Reader’s Digest

Humour in

UNIFORM

seth fleishman/cartooncollections.com I knew my young wife Stationed in Iraq cover just how far
was not up to speed during Operation from home I really
with military protocol Desert Storm, I found was. She had filled
when we drove to the myself in a world that it with packages of
base commissary. had changed little since microwave popcorn.
Still, I was dismayed Biblical times. With so —Robert T. Sims
when she parked in few creature comforts via gcfl.net
the general’s reserved available, packages
parking space—some- from home containing Reader’s Digest will pay
thing she mentioned cookies and canned for your funny anecdote
she’d been doing for goods were received or photo in any of our hu-
the past year. with great anticipation. mour sections. Post it to the
editorial address, or email
As a newly minted When I got a box us at [email protected]
second lieutenant, I from my sister, I happily
knew that was a big tore into it, only to dis-
no-no. Even colonels
couldn’t park there, so
I asked why she would
do such a thing.

She said, “I thought
that the sign meant for
anyone in general.”
—Alfred Ludwig

readersdigest.in 7

OVER TO in the next, from
YOU the friendship and
conversation of a few
Notes on the companions; it loves
May issue shade and solitude.
M. V. Apparao,
Hyderabad

Making Aristotle Your Life Coach Let Us Meet
on the Bridge
Good Aristotelians acknowledge both their best and
their worst moral characteristics and work continu- Consoling desolate
ously at self-improvement. They try to develop habits friends and dear ones
of generosity, fairness and good humour. The result who lost either their
is a comforting moral self-sufficiency that even be- parents or children to
reavement, bankruptcy or sheer bad luck can’t take COVID-19, I have often
away. Aristotle’s common-sense prescriptions for sometimes morosely
happiness offer hope for the wider community. When contemplated which
he said that we are political animals, he meant that of the two is a greater
we flourish by cultivating the virtues in relation not loss. Xu and Qian’s
just to ourselves and our families, but also to our heart-wrenching deci-
friends and fellow citizens. He offers us a way to pur- sion to abandon their
sue individual happiness, but his principles can help second infant due to
us make the public arena a better place as well. China’s one-child pol-
—SANJAY CHOPRA, Mohali, Punjab icy was no less painful
than bereavement.
Sanjay Chopra gets this month’s ‘Write & Win’ prize of ₹1,000. —EDs What if they had never
reunited with Kati?
This article reminded me of the poem The Miller of While this hopeful
the Dee by Charles Mackay. The poem tells the tale of story felt like warm
a happy miller. Such was his joyfulness, that even the sunshine in this hap-
king of the land was envious of him. One day the king less time, it is impera-
met him and enquired about the cause of his happi- tive that governments
ness. He answered that he was happy because he had change the way they
enough to eat, he loved his wife and children and was function. The world
never in debt. True happiness is often of a retired na- doesn’t require poli-
ture, and an enemy to pomp and noise. It arises, in cies that ruin families,
the first place, from the enjoyment of one’s self and neither does it need
inaction or indifference
resulting in life-altering

8 july 2021

Reader’s Digest

situations. But, despite warning on the Air spotfixing and he
everything the human Quality Index. Medical was rightly booked
spirit has never known misinformation creates and punished!
to give up. Heroes have panic and terror. This K. V. DHARMARAJAN, Pune
always emerged in dire article clears all miscon-
situations—be it the ceptions and gives hope. Telepathy with My Dog
Holocaust, the two Dr N. Gopalakrishnan,
World Wars, under Bengaluru The story bought an
tyranny or COVID-19. instant smile to my face.
Ridhima Choudhry, Bring Back the With monotony of work-
Gurugram Handkerchief! from-home setups and
enjoying no visitors or
If Not Now, When? A handkerchief is an outings due to the lock-
all-weather friend; you down, it felt like life had
Surgeon duo Kalpish use it in summer to nearly come to a stand-
Ratna’s eye-opening wipe off sweat, in the still. One evening, much
article has several firsts rain to wipe off water. to our surprise, a kitten
to its credit. No other It comes handy to wipe was found sleeping on
article in recent memory away the tears of dis- our doorstep. Kitten
has opened with such tressed near and dear Roger, as we call him,
a thundering word— ones. While driving a enters our house only
‘omnishambles’! The two-wheeler a hanky when asked to come in-
second is the distinction tied across the face un- side and eats only from
the article draws be- der the helmet provides his designated plate.
tween the virus and its extra protection from Our sole visitor Roger
effect (inflammation). the wind and dust. has quickly become a
The third is the remin- And during the pan- stress buster for my fam-
der that we are not just demic, if one happens ily. Roger made us real-
dealing with the inflam- to forget the mask at ize the worth of having
mation of lungs but home, the handkerchief pets, ridding us of
many other organs like, comes to the rescue. I our pet-phobia.
heart, liver and kidney. have been using hand- Preetha Rengaswamy,
It goes further to under- kerchiefs since my Chennai
line the importance of school days and con-
comorbidities like dia- tinue to do so even at Write in at editor.india@
betes and arthritis (with the age of 70. Inciden- rd.com. The best letters
the all-important obe- tally, a few years ago discuss RD articles, offer
sity in the background). an Indian cricket criticism, share ideas.
The final factor that player misused the Do include your phone
makes it unique is the handkerchief to signal number and postal address.

readersdigest.in 9

CONVERSATIONS

Science
Must Prevail

Overcoming the problem of COVID-19
vaccine hesitancy in India

by Dr Abhay Shukla

Today, hesita- are reluctant to approach vaccination
tion regard- centres, even actively avoiding vacci-
ing COVID-19 nation staff visiting their homes. Before
vaccination is a rushing to dismiss them as being ‘un-
significant barrier scientific’, we need to understand that
to achieving rapid scientific attitudes among the public are
vaccine coverage in shaped in a social context. We need to
many parts of India. reflect on how rational thinking in India
Massive shortage in availability of vac- has been undermined in various forms,
cines and issues regarding its distribu- especially in recent years.
tion are, of course, major factors holding
us back in many states, but reluctance One does not have to look too far
towards the vaccine also makes the to understand the roots of growing
task of ensuring immunity among the irrational beliefs. Take the example of
majority of our population difficult. a chief minister who persists in host-
But moving beyond ‘victim blaming’, ing the massive Kumbh mela in his
we need to dig deeper and understand state during the second COVID wave,
the underlying reasons for vaccine encouraging lakhs of people to bathe
hesitancy so that it can be minimized. together without any precautions and
Addressing this issue is as much an declaring that “Maa Ganga’s blessings
essential step as is stepping up steady are there in the flow … So, there should
vaccine supply and delivery. be no Corona”; a vocal MP claims that
We regularly read stories about drinking cow urine can ‘cure Corona’;
people, particularly in rural areas, who a minister advises people to burn cow
dung to ‘sanitize’ the environment. And

10 july 2021

Reader’s Digest

photo: alamy when a prominent ‘godman’-turned- planning programme of the 1960s and
businessman publicly dismisses mod- 70s, which included coercive measures
ern medicine as being ‘stupid science’, and even forced sterilizations. Public-
yet no action is taken against him, we health staff, themselves under pressure
begin to understand just how deeply to achieve targets, began to be shunned
entrenched the systematic undermin- as agents of a hostile scheme. Subse-
ing of scientific ethos in India is. When quent poor functioning of public health
irrational messages by such ‘opinion systems due to underfunding, under-
makers’ are showcased as ‘solutions’ staffing and political neglect have also
on social media, the stage is naturally contributed to breaking public con-
set for popular opinion to become less fidence in these services. Often there
receptive to scientific measures. is also concern about the motivations
of private health-care providers, due
The spread of irrational beliefs alone to large-scale commercialization and
does not explain people’s hesitation frequent patient experiences involving
about COVID-19 vaccines. A WHO doc- overcharging and irrational care.
ument analyzing vaccine hesitancy has
identified lack of trust as being a crucial Supporting this explanation is a na-
factor in shaping this phenomenon. In- tional study on COVID vaccine hesitancy
adequate trust in health-care systems among Indian states, in which Kerala
can lead people to become reluctant, was found to have the least vaccine
even suspicious, when they are offered reluctance. This reflects higher public
services in certain situations. Such trust and a more positive perception of
weakening of trust, especially in north the state’s primary health-care system,
India, can be traced back to the family allowing it to effectively reach a popu-
lation already motivated and willing to
use various public-health services.

A third important factor here is so-
cial grounding of mass communication.
While routine messages promoting CO-
VID vaccination have been broadcast
across India, field-level observations tell
us that, until now, such official commu-
nications have not been sufficiently im-
pactful. In contrast, consider the story of
a cluster of tribal villages in Maharash-
tra’s Amaravati district, where local staff
developed and displayed a series of vid-
eos in Korku, the indigenous language
of the area’s residents, to convince them

readersdigest.in 11

Reader’s Digest

to take the COVID vaccine. Combined coordination committees along with

with organizing gram sabha meetings, civil society initiatives and bodies at

and actively involving local people in various levels, to enable positive feed-

culturally relatable messaging, this back and social mobilization.

has led to four tribal villages achieving Finally, we need to remember that it

100 per cent COVID vaccination. There was Jawaharlal Nehru who coined the

are similar experiences of locally rooted term ‘scientific temper’—defined as

communication strategies leading to an internalized attitude of logical and

markedly improved vaccination cover- rational thinking; not merely parroting

age from other states too. science lessons for examinations, but

Given this complex interplay of fac- applying scientific thinking in our daily

tors, an integrated approach is required lives. Today, as citizens, we should de-

to minimize vaccine hesitancy in India. mand that political leaders at all levels

Firstly, governments across India need set the right example by standing up

to partner with diverse civil society for socially relevant science, which is

groups and community LEADERS AT ALL the foundation of pub-
leaders, to reshape and LEVELS MUST lic health. This must be
refine communication SET THE RIGHT done not just in words,
strategies. Vaccination but through concrete

messages must be lo- EXAMPLE BY decisions and actions to
cally contextualized, and STANDING UP curb all kinds of obscu-
shared in language and FOR SCIENCE. rantism, even if it ema-
idioms ordinary people nates from the powerful.

can relate to. Secondly, Overcoming vaccine

trust in public-health services must be hesitancy is not just an issue of broad-

greatly strengthened, so that people casting routine information, it involves

regain confidence in these systems. rallying people to join the movement

As part of the long overdue agenda of towards collective health and welfare;

upgrading public-health infrastructure, it requires better trust and communi-

a number of steps could be taken im- cation between public agencies and

mediately to rejuvenate people’s trust. citizens; it is about strengthening sci-

This may include setting up help desks entific attitudes and deepening public

in all medical facilities to assist and dialogues, which lie at the heart of a

guide patients, improving the hono- functioning democracy.

rarium and morale of frontline health

staff such as Accredited Social Health Dr Abhay Shukla is a public health

Activists (ASHA) workers as well as professional and health activist.

rapidly orienting them to better com- He is the National Co-convenor

municate with communities and form of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan.

12 july 2021

Reader’s Digest

All
in a Day’s

WORK

“OK, I messed up. He didn’t have to rub my nose in it.”

My husband is a physi- In case you’re wonde- I realized just how long leo cullum/cartooncollections.com
cian and uses a dictation ring how being mana- we’ve been working from
service to transcribe his ger is going ... no one home the day a package
oral notes. On occasion showed up today be- was delivered and my
the typists have acciden- cause I forgot to make husband referred to
tally altered the sentence this week’s schedule. the entrance of our
structure or words, re- — @AriiiGonzalezV house as “the lobby”.
sulting in something my —Kim Schafer
husband had not neces- As finishing her dinner,
sarily intended. my stuffed granddaugh- Reader’s Digest will pay
ter turned to her mother for your funny anecdote
For example, one and declared, “Mom, or photo in any of our
transcriber wrote, you make hamburgers humour sections. Post it
“The patient is recently so good, you could to the editorial address, or
married; otherwise, he is work at McDonald’s!” email: [email protected]
normal and healthy.” —Linda Rauch
—Elaine Ehrenpreis readersdigest.in 13

ASK AN EXPERT

Why Do
People Fall for

Conspiracy
Theories?

We quiz Ghayda Hassan,

psychology professor

BY Courtney Shea
ILLUSTRATION BY Lauren Tamaki

Not that long ago, conspiracies were of circumstances as the result of a
for wing nuts in tinfoil hats. Now secret plot, usually by a powerful
they’re everywhere. What happened? organization. In the case of QAnon, it’s
We’ve definitely seen them gain a lot of the belief that there’s a secret cabal of
momentum in the last few years—the Satanist pedophiles running a global
last year, in particular, with COVID-19 child sex-trafficking ring and plotting
and the divisive political climate. against Donald Trump.
Conspiratorial thinking becomes more
popular during times of strife and It’s healthy to question authority, but
instability. People are scared and with conspiratorial thinking you get
they’re looking for explanations. people ignoring evidence and misinter-
preting facts. For instance, Pizzagate—
What’s the distinction between a a precursor to QAnon—is the belief that
conspiracy theory and healthy
skepticism?
Broadly speaking, a conspiracy theory
is a belief that explains an event or a set

14 july 2021

Reader’s Digest

Hillary Clinton’s emails contained end of a relationship, a death. These
codes about a secret child sex ring run may lead to isolation, and when a
out of a pizza restaurant in Washington. person is isolated they become far
It’s true that Clinton did have emails more susceptible—particularly if
that were under investigation, but that they’re spending a lot of time online.
is not evidence of a child sex ring.
How can you help a loved one to not
It all sounds so preposterous. How do get caught up in a conspiracy theory?
people get sucked in? We want to talk about prevention
Most people don’t wake up one day rather than interruption, because once
believing that, for example, the moon a person gets entrenched, pulling them
landing was staged in a television
studio. Instead, it’s more of a grooming IT’S HEALTHY
process. A person feels dissatisfied or TO QUESTION
alienated and maybe they watch a AUTHORITY, BUT WITH
video on social media about the CONSPIRATORIAL
landing being a hoax. Certain ideas are THINKING, PEOPLE
normalized, and it’s a slippery slope IGNORE EVIDENCE AND
from there. MISINTERPRET FACTS.

Are popular conspiracy theories out is a lot more complicated. It’s
always political? important to understand that you don’t
They often are, but not always. For have to debate the conspiracy theory.
instance, there’s one that the under- In fact, that can be counterproductive
wire in bras causes cancer and another because it can make the person feel
that Bill Gates wants to use vaccines to more isolated. The best way to help
install tracking devices in humans. someone is to address the circum-
stances that have made that individual
Are there characteristics that make a vulnerable—checking in on them regu-
person more likely to fall for them? larly and encouraging social connec-
There are, but they’re not necessarily tions and community ties.
what you would think. People have this
idea that it’s more common among less Ghayda Hassan is the director of the
educated people, but that’s not really Canadian Practitioners Network for
the case. We know that access to broad the Prevention of Radicalization and
sources of information is beneficial, Extremist Violence
which may relate to a person’s level of
education, but far more often we see a
connection to life events: a job loss, the

readersdigest.in 15

25-year-old Archie Sen on one of her daily food drives for stray dogs in Ranchi’s Morabadi.

GOOD NEWS community for animal lovers and oth- (top) facebook: @streetdogsofranchi; (right) facebook: @justopenyourselfdehradun
for a ers to donate money, material or medi-
Better Planet cines for the dogs every day. The Sens
have also helped some of the dogs find
Food for Furry Friends forever homes through legal adoption.
“Everyone talks about animal welfare,
animal welfare Stray animals were but very few want to really do some-
hit hard by the pandemic and the sub- thing for them. I appeal to everyone to
sequent lockdown, but one family’s ef- come forward and feed at least one ani-
forts have given pups a new lease of life mal every day as they are also a part of
in Ranchi’s Morabadi. 25-year-old our society,” Archie says.
Archie Sen and her father, Sanjeet have
been running a feeding drive for The Walking Libarian
around 160 dogs every day since last
year. The duo ensures that the dogs are service When 61-year-old P. Suku-
fed, watered and vaccinated, and have maran packs two bags and sets off for
even fitted more than a hundred with his 12-km walk across Karuvatta and
reflective collars to avoid run-ins with Kumarapuram gram panchayats in
passing vehicles. To offset the financial Alappuzha, Kerala, he is thinking of
weight of their work, they started the more than just physical fitness. His
‘Street Dogs of Ranchi’, an online daily stroll in fact takes him to the
doorsteps of the area’s residents to
whom he delivers books and reading
material as a way of encouraging a love
for the literary. Sukumaran joined the

16 july 2021

Reader’s Digest

Sources: Animal Welfare: The Logical Indian, 31.05.21; Service: The Hindu, 03.07.21; Health: The Better India, 27.04.21; Community: Times of India, 22.06.21 Kumarapuram Public Library at subsidized costs. “Even in a city like
Karuvatta South as a librarian in 1979 Bareilly, finding an endocrinologist
and began the practice in response to was very hard. In villages, patients go
the poor reader turnout at the library. back to old grandmother remedies,
increasing risk of hospitalization.
“What makes me happy is that a lot We work to reduce this risk,” he tells
of people have become avid readers The Better India.
after reading books given by me,” says
Sukumaran. The sexagenarian visits Help for Young Orphans
around 30 houses and shares more
than 1,000 books on foot every month. community COVID-19 deaths around
the country have left hundreds of
The `3,100 paid by the Library Coun- children orphaned, many of them
cil, along with a 30 per cent commis- from disadvantaged backgrounds. But
sion on book sales supports his wife good Samaritans are stepping up to
and 12-year-old child. “I may not be fill the void. While various government
earning much, but I am proud to say I
make a living as a librarian,” he says.

Healthcare for All Jai Sharma, founder of the NGO JOY

health After a terrible accident in efforts have been set up, Dehradun
2008, Ayush Mishra was left with an resident Jai Sharma, founder of the
amputated leg and a troubling NGO Just Open Yourself (JOY) revealed
realization: What if his family didn’t his intention to adopt 100 orphans
have the necessary connections that bereft of care due to the pandemic.
got him the quality, life-saving care he JOY has already begun offering
received in Delhi? What if, like so financial support to 28 of them. “We
many others, the sub-par treatment in aim to finance the education of these
his college city of Jaipur or hometown students for the next two to three
in Bareilly was all he had been able to years till they become self-reliant,”
access? Would he have lost more Sharma told Times of India.
than a limb?
—COMPILED BY ISHANI NANDI
Mishra’s traumatic experience led
him to create Tattvan E-Clinics in 2018
in an effort to connect people from
smaller towns with the high
healthcare standards provided in
bigger cities. The tele-medicine outfit
allows residents of remote, rural areas
to consult qualified doctors, and even
specialists, for timely healthcare at

readersdigest.in 17

POINTS TO PONDER from left: alamy (2), hcmadras.tn.nic.in

One of the greatest handicaps is to fear a mistake. You have stopped
yourself. You have to move freely into the arena, not just to wait for the
perfect situation, the perfect moment ... If you have to make a mistake,

it’s better to make a mistake of action than one of inaction.

Federico Fellini, filmmaker and screenwriter

I have no hesitation in accepting that I too belong to the
majority of commoners who are yet to comprehend

homosexuality completely. Ignorance is no justification for
normalizing any form of discrimination.

Anand Venkatesh, Madras High Court Judge

It seems reasonable to believe—and I do believe—that the more clearly
we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe

about us, the less taste we shall have for the destruction of our race.
Wonder and humility are wholesome emotions, and they do not
exist side by side with a lust for destruction

Rachel Carson, marine biologist

Federico Fellini Anand Venkatesh Rachel Carson

18 july 2021

from left: shutterstock, purushottam diwakar, shutterstock Reader’s Digest

What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candour
and more unashamed conversation.

Glenn Close, actor

For every policeman who raises a stick to the brave young
feminists, the anxiety he is dealing with is real. For, in them,
he sees the paths his daughters will surely take as they begin

to assert themselves and assume control, and he begins to
lose it. It’s time we took our young feminists seriously,
and started listening to them.

Urvashi Butalia, writer and activist

It is likely that some troubles will befall us; but it is not a present fact.
How often has the unexpected happened! How often has the expected
never come to pass! And even though it is ordained to be, what does it
avail to run out to meet your suffering? You will suffer soon enough,

when it arrives; so look forward meanwhile to better things.

Seneca, philosopher

Glenn Close Urvashi Butalia Seneca

readersdigest.in 19

It Happens

ONLY IN INDIA

“Damned the inflation. All my dough is worthless.”

No Cell Phones Please member of the Uttar for such acts. But, the
Dear women, dump Pradesh Women’s Com- language of outrage
your cellular devices, mission. There is much over thinly disguised
lest, you be held res- to rage over—from her misogyny is so wearied
ponsible for actively call to block girls’ access by repetition ad nau-
encouraging any sexual to phones as a way of seam, we scarcely have
misdemeanours that curbing sexual assault, words left to register this
come your way. Before prescribing surveillance fresh transgression.
you get mad, allow us to as a quick-fix to keep
quickly direct you to the girls from eloping and Source: IndianExpressOnline
source of such cretin- squarely laying all
ism—Meena Kumari, blame on mothers Foot on the pedal
Sky-rocketing fuel prices
20 july 2021
illustration by Raju Epuri

Reader’s Digest

straining your purse? sembled to inaugurate a total of 745 cases are
Madhya Pradesh Energy a speed breaker at still pending before
Minister Pradhuman Moti Nagar, Delhi. Busy the district courts in
Singh Tomar has just day at the office, eh? 11 states, wherein the
the prescription for accused are being
you: Cycle your way Source: financialexpress.com prosecuted for offences
out of the surge and under the same section.
into health, and tackle Rule of Law
air pollution to boot. In a rather queer turn Source: indiatoday.in
In light of the frequent of events, it turns out
hikes in fuel prices— the state machinery For Your Eyes Only
16 times in June alone— has been overzealous Women in the system of
Tomar held himself up in implementing the arranged marriages are
as a champion of this letter of the law. Except, often located, to put it
new lean petrol–diesel the section in question— baldly, between a rock
diet, and offered details Section 66A of the IT and a hard place. So,
of his green routine for Act—was scrapped in when Archana, from
the last 30 days as proof. 2015. The Supreme Kanpur decided to call
With petrol prices touch- Court expressed shock off her wedding after the
ing record highs, Indian that its judgement strik- discovery that her groom
citizens feeling the pinch ing down the law hadn’t suffered from terrible
might just have to resort been implemented, and eyesight—a fact that
to making the best of issued a notice to the was hidden from her—
their legs. Centre on the use of the we find it hard to fault
section. The Attorney her. The bride’s family
Source: Indianexpress.com General of India, K. K. had gifted the groom
Venugopal offered a pre- a motorcycle and cash—
Busy Bee liminary explanation for so its only fair the bride
Aam Aadmi Party MLA the disregard displayed too get her wish: a
Shiv Charan Goel is a for the Supreme Court man who can read
hard-working man who judgement: The post without glasses.
leaves no stone untur- judgement publications
ned, no task undone of the IT Act contained Source: timesofindia.com
and no speed breaker the section, with only
‘un-inaugurated.’ The an asterisk to indicate —COMPILED BY NAOREM ANUJA
MLA took to social me- a footnote that says
dia to share pictures deleted by order of Reader’s Digest will pay
of him doing ‘develop- Supreme court and for contributions to this
ment’ work, surrounded “no one reads the foot- column. Post your sugges-
by over 20 people as- note.” As of March 2021, tions with the source to the
editorial address, or email:
[email protected]

readersdigest.in 21













BETTER LIVING

How to Lift Your
Own Spirits

We all feel down now and then,
especially lately. These techniques
can help you bounce back

By Courtenay Smith
and Samantha Rideout

28 july 2021 Photographs by Joleen Zubek

Reader’s Digest

On a freezing January evening, year. Since the pandemic began, three
Ashley Austrew sat in her times as many adults have reported
car in an Omaha, Nebraska, symptoms of depression or anxiety
parking lot, working up the courage (the malevolent cousins to low self-
to go into a comedy improv class. For worth) compared with 2019. Thank-
20 minutes, the 33-year-old journalist fully, like Austrew, we can learn to feel
and mom of two sat with swirling better about ourselves and strengthen
thoughts of self-doubt: “OMG, I can’t our feelings of hope. (Of course, any-
do this. I’ll be the worst one.” Then one experiencing severe or persistent
she turned off the engine, took a few symptoms should seek professional
deep breaths and went inside. help.) Here are eight science-backed
strategies to improve your relation-
For Austrew, trying improv was the ship with the person in the mirror.
first small step to improve her self-
esteem. “All my life, I’ve lacked con- Embrace the Upside
fidence,” she says. “I didn’t have the of Feeling Down
courage to try anything new.” So she
made a list of all the things she was First, realize that negative emotions
afraid to attempt and then asked her- aren’t inherently bad—they can be
self, What if I didn’t let my excuses useful. “That ping of anxiety gets my
win? Improv was her biggest target. attention and says, ‘Hey, you need to
focus on this,’” says psychologist Ethan
Her fear dissolved as soon as she Kross, author of Chatter: The Voice in
walked into the class. Her classmates Our Head, Why It Matters, and How
were also beginners, and she discov- to Harness It. If you need to deal with
ered that she was perfectly capable an immediate problem—say, reining
of earning a few laughs and making in overspending—that call to focus
new friends. Over the next two years, is helpful. But negativity spirals into
Austrew went on to tackle other what- something harmful when a particular
ifs, including writing a book. “Self- thought circuit just won’t shut off. If
esteem is like a muscle—you have to you can’t sleep because of it, feel phys-
work it constantly,” she says. ically stressed all the time, or keep
rehashing the same situation, those
Some people are blessed with a are signs you need to employ tools to
seemingly unshakable positivity, but break the cycle, says Kross.
most of us need to learn how to pull
ourselves up by our bootstraps. Psy- Engage in Smarter Self-Talk
chologists say we tend to experience
our lowest self-esteem in adolescence In his lab at the University of Michi-
and spend much of our adult lives gan, Kross asks subjects to talk to
slowly building it back up. Staying themselves in the second person,
positive has been tough in the past

readersdigest.in 29

Reader’s Digest

and to use their own names. Instead
of saying, “I’m so nervous about this
meeting on Tuesday,” for example,
say, “[Your name], you seem pretty
nervous about this meeting.” Kross’s
research shows that this simple
shift in language gets people into
problem-solving mode quicker. “They
turn into coaches and start advising
themselves, taking stock of the prob-
lem and figuring out if they have the
resources to meet it,” Kross says.

Change Your View—Literally about yourself,” he explains. So don’t
wait until you’re feeling confident to
If you are forlornly looking out the work on your chess game, learn to
window lost in a thought loop, walk build furniture, or try out a new rec-
to a different window. Alternate per- ipe. According to a 14-year study of
spectives help us digest our experi- 7,000 volunteers, increasing the self-
ences, and changing our physical view perception that you’re mastering an
intuitively jogs a different emotional activity of interest to you can boost
one as well. “When I’m stuck feeling a your self-esteem at every age.
certain way and I choose to walk away
and look for something better—that’s Reminisce
a choice to do something good for
myself. That itself is a treatment,” says While some research suggests hap-
Sasha Storaasli, LCSW, an end-of-life piness increases with age, studies
counselor to terminally ill transplant also suggest that self-esteem peaks at
patients in New York City. age 60, then declines. As people get
older, the loss of loved ones, profes-
Repeat a Task You’re Good At sional identity or independence can
threaten the sense of who they are.
Canadian psychologist Patrick Keelan Telling someone stories from the past
plays piano every day. It’s one way he may bolster self-esteem at this key
practises what he preaches. When he’s moment. In a 2015 study from Iran,
helping people with low self-esteem, a group of widowed men 60 and over
he suggests they routinely engage with shared memories of the events and
activities that use or improve their life lessons that had shaped their lives.
skills. “When you’re doing something
that you’re good at or getting better
at, it gets harder to think negatively

30 july 2021

Better Living

This “promoted a sense of identity Share Your Feelings—Carefully
and a positive contribution to the next
generation, and reaffirmed the mean- When we feel strong negative
ing of their lives,” the researchers re- emotions, we often feel an urgent
ported. Take a trip down memory lane need to talk about them. Research
by looking through a photo album shows that this doesn’t always ease
with loved ones or playing music that our turmoil, nor do venting sessions
reminds you of meaningful moments. where both parties complain. Such
interactions can reactivate negative
MUSIC THAT REMINDS emotions, making us live through
YOU OF MEANINGFUL them again. What’s important is to
MOMENTS CAN BOOST get feedback that moves you beyond
YOUR SELF-ESTEEM. negative feelings, says Kross. “Talk
about what’s bothering you, but be
Believe that You Matter deliberate,” he says. “Go to someone
empathetic, someone who doesn’t
A 2020 study reveals that mattering— just listen but who gives you advice
the bedrock belief that you are impor- and helps you see the bigger picture.”
tant and worthy of consideration—is Storaasli puts it bluntly: “You need
linked to joy. Strong personal relation- people who lift you up. If you don’t
ships are the best aids to believing you have those people, find them.”
matter, says an article published last
year in the Journal of Mental Health Get Moving
and Addiction. Spend time with loved
ones, and remind them you offer a There’s no silver bullet for improving
shoulder to cry on. “It’s nice to know low morale, but exercise is the
that someone cares, and they in turn closest thing we have. Not only is
can count on me when they need it good for stress management and
help,” said one person who was inter- general mental health but it also
viewed. Maintaining a sense of control, provides a sense of competence and
especially over your health-care issues, accomplishment. Over the years,
also boosts that sense of importance. dozens of studies have indicated that
When you take the initiative to find exercise has a significant impact on
medical providers attentive to your physical self-worth and other self-
needs or ask family members not to perceptions. The activity you choose
bypass you when medical decisions matters less than enjoying it, sticking
are being made, you reinforce the feel- to it, and getting at least a moderate
ing that you are worthy of attention. challenge out of it. If going to the gym
is not an option or very enjoyable to
you, then head outdoors for a run or
a nice brisk walk.

readersdigest.in 31

HEALTH MORE THAN A year into the
pandemic, many people have
Fire in grown used to a new lockdown
the Belly lifestyle: staying home, exercising less
and eating more—all while
More stress brings more experiencing greater levels of stress
heartburn, but there are and anxiety.

easy ways to beat it “All of this contributes to worsening
gut function,” says Christopher
BY Viviane Fairbank Andrews, the lead physician at the
illustration by Jarett Sitter Calgary Gut Motility Centre, adding
that heartburn is on the rise. Some
32 july 2021 experts have even given the trend a
name—‘pandemic stomach’.

Heartburn, a fiery sensation in the
chest or upper belly, is the painful
effect of the stomach’s acid and
digestive enzymes creeping into the
oesophagus. When you swallow food
or liquid, your oesophageal sphincter,
the muscle around the bottom of your
oesophagus, relaxes to allow the
contents to move down, then closes to
prevent backup. But if that muscle
weakens or is unable to close
completely, stomach acid might rise,
causing irritation.

Diet is the most common culprit:
acidic foods such as grapefruits, hot
sauce or coffee increase the amount of
acid in your stomach, while chocolate,
alcohol and high-fat foods, such as
cheese or avocados, stimulate the
release of hormones that loosen the
sphincter. Spicy food can also increase
uncomfortable sensations in the gut.

Heartburn occurs in bodies of all
sizes, ages, ethnicities and genders, but
researchers have found that overweight

Reader’s Digest

people are more at risk. According to a lem, but experiences of frequent indi-
major 2006 study, overweight and gestion should push you to prioritize a
obese participants were two to three healthier lifestyle. According to a
times more likely to experience recent study of 9,000 heartburn
frequent heartburn than those with a patients, following a five-step health
healthy weight. plan—maintaining a sensible body
weight, eating well, exercising, not
This may be because of the increased smoking and limiting coffee, tea and
pressure on the gut, Andrews says, carbonated beverages—can decrease
which can push stomach acid up. symptoms by 40  per cent. Andrews
Changes in diet, such as the recent also tells his patients to avoid eating
tendency of people to lean on carbs close to bedtime: “If you lie down
and comfort food in lockdown, can when your stomach is full, it’s much
also lead to more bloating and gas in easier for things to come up.”
the digestive tract—again putting a
squeeze on the gut. Over-the-counter antihistamines
can help by blocking the release of
LIFESTYLE CHANGES stomach acid, while antacid
CAN REDUCE medications can temporarily relieve
HEARTBURN pain in the oesophagus. But if you
SYMPTOMS BY experience heartburn more than three
times a week over a long period
40% of time, you should visit a doctor.
Frequent acid contact might scar
Stress and anxiety are factors your oesophagus—and, if left
because the sympathetic nervous untreated, increases your risk of
system—which triggers the body’s oesophageal cancer.
‘fight or flight’ response—also interacts
with the enteric nervous system, which You should also consult a doctor if,
regulates digestion. In fact, during life- in combination with heartburn, you
threatening situations, a person’s experience difficulty swallowing,
digestion might slow down or even vomiting, weight loss or anaemia. A
completely stop. At the same time, physician can prescribe stronger
stress can leave the nerves in the gut medication or may recommend
overly sensitive. oesophageal surgery to repair or
replace your damaged sphincter.
Occasional heartburn isn’t a prob-
Though heartburn is currently on
the rise, Andrews believes the uptick
is short-term. “Once life comes back
to normal, I’m optimistic about things
getting better,” he says.

readersdigest.in 33

News From the The Best Shoes for shutterstock
Knee Osteoarthritis
WORLD OF
MEDICINE If you suffer from
osteoarthritis in one
WHY WOMEN SHOULD or both of your knees,
PUMP IRON TOO you’ve probably heard
conflicting advice
On average, people lose three to eight about what kind of
percent of muscle mass over the course footwear will help you
of each decade after their 30s. Strength feel and function as
training can slow this decline. In fact, well as possible. Some
according to a Sports Medicine review, experts recommend
all seniors—men and women—have a lot stable, supportive
to gain from resistance exercises, whether shoes with cushioning,
they’re pumping iron or simply doing while others believe
squats, push-ups, and sit-ups. While that flat, flexible,
men add more muscle overall from barefoot-style shoes
those activities, the benefits in women are better at decrea-
are proportional to their (usually smaller) sing symptoms. When
sizes. Fighting off age-related muscle loss Australian scientists
isn’t the only perk: Resistance training recently put both op-
can improve stamina, balance, flexibility tions to the test, users
and bone density, which can translate reported more pain
into a lower risk of falls. reduction and fewer
adverse events such as
34 july 2021 knee swelling and sore
ankles when they wore
shoes that were more
stiff and supportive.
Although the right
shoes won’t prevent
those issues on their
own, together with
exercise, weight man-
agement and medica-
tion, they can help
make it easier to live
with osteoarthritis.

Reader’s Digest

nattawut lakjit/getty images SENIORS ARE A New Plant-Based
MORE VULNERABLE Insect Repellent
TO SUMMER HEAT
Keeping mosquitoes
Seniors are at higher risk for heat-related illnesses and ticks at bay is
than younger folks, and a new Canadian study has about more than
highlighted a fascinating reason why: They sweat avoiding itchy bites.
more when they’re running low on body fluids. These bugs sometimes
transmit serious infec-
When it’s hot out and you’re being active, you tions such as West Nile
start perspiring, which helps your body regulate virus and Lyme disease
its temperature downwards. It also makes you lose as well as dengue, Zika,
fluid, which in turn increases the concentration of malaria, and other dis-
sodium in your blood. When this concentration gets eases. If you’re hesitant
high (the body gets dehydrated, in other words), a about using synthetic
younger adult will stop sweating as much, begin insect repellents such
to feel overheated and thirsty and likely reach for as DEET, you could in-
a glass of water. But older adults’ bodies tend to be stead try nootkatone,
less responsive to dehydration. A lot of sweating— a compound found in
and fluid loss—may continue without the warning grapefruit skin and
of feeling uncomfortably thirsty. This ability to keep Alaskan yellow cedar
pushing may sound like a superpower, but it’s actu- trees. Nootkatone is
ally a reason to be extra careful: It brings a higher already used around
risk of heat exhaustion, heat stroke and heat stress- the world as a food
related cardiovascular problems. flavouring and a fra-
grance. The Environ-
As a result, older people may mental Protection
need reminders to drink water Agency registered it
while being active during a heat last summer as an in-
wave. It could be a good idea, sect repellent, paving
for example, to set a recurring the way for new prod-
alarm on your watch or smart- ucts to hit shelves as
phone before heading out. early as next year. Un-
like other plant-based
Also, since you can’t neces- repellents such as citro-
sarily rely on your thirst, watch nella, which wear off
for other signs of dehydration, quickly, nootkatone’s
including infrequent urination, effects can last for
dark-coloured urine, fatigue, several hours.
confusion and dizziness.

readersdigest.in 35

Reader’s Digest

LAUGH LINES

I only use shampoo that Basically impossible to
smells like raspberries so carry a watermelon
people don’t think it’s weird
when I have jam in my hair. around without seeming
proud or ashamed of it.
— @Dawn_M_
— @SamuelSaulsbury

Grapefruit juice I buy seedless
tastes like orange grapes because
juice that just found let’s leave the
out it has to work grape-growing
to the vineyards.
on its day off.
— @Darlainky
— @JermHimselfish

real444/getty images Do you think the A cantaloupe
guy who designed is an antelope
hand grenades really that doesn’t.
hated pineapples or
really loved them? — @LeonEarlgrey
— @rachelle_mandik

Fruit
Punch Lines

36 july 2021

EVENT

COPING WITH COVID-19:
HOW TO SURVIVE THE
GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS

INSURANCE
PARTNER

India saw 1,30,000 active COVID-19 cases in February this year—our
lowest in eight months. Just as we began to sense a possible return
to our pre-pandemic routine, the disease returned in full force. The
second wave showed us clearly that COVID-19 is here to stay and will
continue to take lives unless we protect ourselves. As scientists discover
more about this virus and new variants emerge, we are all filled with
questions on how to stay safe in the long term. At the Reader’s Digest
Health Summit 2021, we spoke to some of India’s leading healthcare
experts for answers. Here are edited excerpts of what they had to say.

Dr Randeep misinformation. Ultimately, living with
Guleria, COVID in the long term means staying
ahead of the virus by developing vac-
Director, AIIMS cines, drugs and treatment strategies
It has become ap- before it can evolve and cause new out-
parent that we will breaks and adjusting to the dramatic
all have to learn to shifts in the business of everyday life.
live with COVID-19.
In many ways it Dr Sandeep
will change our policies, public behav- Budhiraja,
iour and healthcare systems. While our
focus was once on non-communicable Head of Internal
diseases—diabetes, hypertension, can- Medicine, Max Super
cer—the pandemic taught us that con- Specialty Hospitals
tagious infections have not gone away. One and a half
The idea of ‘one health’—considering years into this
not only human health, but also animal pandemic, we are
and plant health in an integrated man- seeing a huge burden of post-COVID
ner—is vital because viruses are jump- syndromes—fatigue, brain fog, depres-
ing species as was the case with SARS, sion, anxiety and long-term effects on
H1N1, Ebola, Zika and MERS. the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys. We
Behavioural changes—wearing have not yet found a specific solution
masks and other infection control in terms of an anti-viral for COVID
measures—will become the norm as and so all sorts of therapies are being
will more health-conscious lifestyles. considered, even repurposing of drugs.
Teleconsultation and tele-medicine Ivermectin, for example, is a drug con-
is on the rise. COVID also exposed ventionally used for worms and para-
the pros and cons of social media, sites, but at high doses it also inhibited
including the so-called infodemic of the growth of the COVID virus in culture

38 july 2021

Reader’s Digest

mediums. However its efficacy on hu- customer–agent virtual meets and OTP
mans remains doubtful. With COVID, systems. These have simplified cus-
our best bet is to educate people and tomer journeys so we can sell to,and
encourage self-isolation, self-quar- serve customers in their time of need.
antine, staying hydrated, monitoring
vitals, temperature and oxygen levels Dr Prof K.
and staying alert to warning signs. Srinath Reddy,
Constant interaction between patients
at home and medical professionals is President, Public
important, as is detecting deterioration Health Foundation
signs early for timely treatment. The vaccines we
currently have are
Ashish all mostly effective
Shrivastava, against COVID.
While there may be a slight reduction
MD and CEO, PNB Metlife in efficacy against some of the variant
Greater awareness strains, this doesn’t make them use-
about financial plan- less—they’re still very protective. The
ning and safety is one idea is to get as much protection as
of the most notable possible, as soon as possible. But yes,
outcomes of the pan- we need to keep studying the new var-
demic. As an insurance company, iants and adjust vaccines so they can
our focus is always on physical as well overcome some of these mutations, or
fiscal wellness and there is definitely offer more broadband immunity.
increased customer awareness about Given that the virus is still around
this, especially among young adults. and some variants show higher trans-
Website visits by those in their 20s missibility, we can anticipate that the
have gone up from nine to 20 per cent, virus will attack susceptible people, if
and queries about protection products they leave themselves exposed. The
are also higher. We’ve looked into the more we expose ourselves to risk—by
best ways to serve our customers dur- not wearing masks, entering crowds,
ing high-stress health crises, through ill-ventilated places or super-spreader
maturity payments, claim settlements events—the more opportunities we
or even loans against policies. With 93 give to the virus to invade our body.
per cent of our customers reaching us Even as we step up the pace of our
digitally, we have continued to offer vaccination, a third wave may come
support even during the pandemic to be. But whether we can confine it
via online provisions—our AI-based to just a ripple, or let it grow into a
app, ‘Khushi’ that processes claims tidal wave is up to us.
and service requests 24x7, contactless
watch the full programme on READERSDIGEST.IN

readersdigest.in 39

COVER STORY

40 july 2021 AT HOME IN
A SHRINKING
WILDERNESS

By Stephen Alter
illustration by Nilanjan Das

Reader’s Digest

Aflock of white-throated to walk less than 20 years ago have
laughing thrushes arrive at been widened into motor roads. Al-
the birdbath in our garden most every level patch of ground along
for their morning ablu- these routes is now the site of a make-
tions, splashing about with shift settlement or Maggi Point, often
a flutter of wings. On a bush nearby, illegally constructed, with no consider-
a pair of rufous sibias await their turn ation for the natural environment. Of
while a hunting party of tits, warblers course, people in remote areas of the
and nuthatches search for insects in mountains need access to markets,
the branches, leaves and bark of ma- medical care and education, which
ples, rhododendrons and oaks. Langur roads provide. Yet, the jeeps carrying
monkeys lurk in the trees above wait- passengers and produce from villages
ing for me to step back indoors so that to towns also bring with them a num-
they can raid the beds of nasturtiums ber of unwelcome consequences from
and other edible flowers. Overhead, erosion and deforestation to exploi-
griffon vultures and crested serpent ea- tative property agents, who speculate
gles wheel about in the sky as a pair of on the value of agricultural land, buy-
yellow-throated martens slip through ing up fields from subsistence farmers
the underbrush at the edge of the yard, and selling them to wealthy clients
searching for eggs, fledglings and mice. from the plains who want to build holi-
day homes in the hills. Though I can-
I am fortunate to have a home in not begrudge villagers an opportunity
the hill station of Mussoorie, where I to break out of the poverty and isola-
can experience and enjoy the natural tion of rural life, the incursion of poorly
world, even if it is increasingly threat- planned construction adds scars to the
ened by environmental degradation, mountains and puts pressure on lim-
climate change and pollution. The ited resources, especially water.
dense forests, steep grasslands and
free-flowing rivers that I remember as The loss of natural habitat for wild
a boy, growing up in these Himalayan mammals, birds, reptiles and insects,
foothills, seem to be shrinking every reduces the diversity of species and
day. Conservationists use the term cuts off migration routes, as well as ac-
‘habitat compression’ to describe the cess to food and water. This pressure
increasing pressure of human activ- is not just from human beings but also
ity and pollution that endangers wild invasive or exotic plants that crowd
places. For me it is a very personal real- out less resilient indigenous species.
ity, as I find myself retreating into our Even when I was growing up in these
garden and the few remaining acres of mountains, 50 years ago, no true wil-
forest surrounding our house. derness areas existed near Mussoorie,
unaffected by our human presence.
Many of the mountain paths I used

readersdigest.in 41

Reader’s Digest

But now, even the most denuded and The author, Stephen Alter photos: stephen alter
fragmented forests are threatened.
AS A SPECIES WE
Being a longtime resident, I am NEED TO BE DEEPLY
often asked if I have observed any CONCERNED ABOUT
evidence of climate change during my
lifetime. It’s a difficult question to an- SOMETHING AS
swer because there are so many factors APOCALYPTIC AS
at play, and environmental changes are CLIMATE CHANGE.
never isolated events. The one example
I often give is that certain species seem pine forests on the surrounding slopes
to have moved up to higher altitudes in are usually the first to catch because
recent years. The black kite is a com- of dry needles and pinecones that act
mon bird of prey on the plains, scav- as kindling. These trees, planted by
enging near rubbish heaps in cities like the forest department during the last
Delhi or Dehradun. Until two decades century as a source of revenue, have
ago, I don’t recall seeing the distinctive flourished, taking over large areas of
notched tail and dark brown silhou- the mountains that were once covered
ette of this graceful raptor circling over with grass. The wildfires add to a feel-
Mussoorie, but it has now become a fa- ing of being besieged with a suffocating
miliar sight. Perhaps a rise in average haze of smoke.
temperatures may be responsible or,
simply, a greater availability of garbage It is important to remember that al-
strewn about the town. Whatever the most every fire is lit by human beings.
reasons, human beings have caused Often, villagers burn off old grass, hop-
shifts in behaviour and distribution of ing for an abundant supply of fresh
birds and animals.

Another apparent symptom of cli-
mate change is an increase in forest
fires throughout the lower Himalayas.
This is probably connected to de-
creasing levels of humidity, reduced
rainfall and warmer temperatures.
Whenever the forests ignite, during the
dry months of spring and summer, the
first hint of danger we get is the scent
of charred leaves in the air. From the
edge of our yard, I can see dark skeins
of smoke unraveling into the sky and
advancing ribbons of fire at night. Chir

42 july 2021

Cover Story

fodder during the monsoon, and the months after these strikes, the trees
fire spreads out of control. Sometimes, struggled to survive but eventually their
a carelessly discarded cigarette or bidi green needles turned brown and they
is responsible. I have even seen tour- became skeletons of their former selves.
ists starting fires intentionally for their
own amusement. On rare occasions, As a writer and naturalist, I’ve often
lightning strikes can set a forest ablaze puzzled over our impulse and motives
though I’m not aware of this happening for conservation, which is, at heart,
in the Himalaya where thunderstorms a struggle against change, or at least
are accompanied by rain or hail, which those changes in the natural world
would douse the flames. that human beings have set in motion.
It also comes from a desire and long-
During the past three years, several ing to restore denuded landscapes to
ancient deodar and cypress trees near their original state. As a species we
our home have been struck by light- may have dominated the earth but we
ning. More than a century old, they are still subject to the laws of phys-
stood taller than any of the other trees ics and the evolutionary imperatives
nearby, but in a brief flash, lasting no of biology. That’s why we need to be
more than a second or two, their mas- deeply concerned about something as
sive trunks were splintered, as if by apocalyptic as climate change as well
a giant axe. Dismembered branches as habitat compression. These days, as
were tossed aside, while long strips of wild spaces shrink and disappear, I feel
bark peeled off as a powerful current as if the man-made world is closing in
of electrostatic energy surged through around me.
each tree. The blinding, white bursts of
light were accompanied by explosions Increasingly, it is obvious that our
so loud they made the thick masonry future as a species depends less upon
walls of our house tremble. For several human enterprise or industry and
more upon accepting our responsibility
for the pace and scope of environmen-
tal change—both global and local. We
are an integral part of the earth’s com-
plex diversity and the urge to conserve
nature is not just an altruistic ideal but
also a practical and instinctual strategy
for our own survival.

White-throated laughing thrushes dip Stephen Alter is the author of more
into a birdbath at Alter’s Mussoorie home. than twenty books, including Wild
Himalaya: A Natural History of the
Greatest Mountain Range on Earth.

readersdigest.in 43

Reader’s Digest

WHAT OUR PLANET

NEEDS NOW

India’s leading eco-experts explain our biggest environmental
challenges and what we can do to make a difference

compiled By Team Reader’s Digest

BUILDING in terms of reducing emissions and
A CLIMATE- addressing impact.
READY INDIA
The electricity sector is key to In-
Dr Navroz Dubash, dia’s low-carbon future—our journey
Professor at the to zero net-carbon is paved by greater
Centre for Policy shares of renewable energy and shift-
Research ing uses such as transport (especially
public transport), cooking and, even-
India’s climate tually, industries, to non-oil, non-coal
ambitions are and non-gas energy sources. However,
couched in ‘co-benefits’—actions that 20th century problems of black-outs
bring development and reduce carbon (despite a surplus), low bill collection
emissions at the same time. This is a and poor quality supply must first be
productive approach, but our current fixed. One way is to improve peoples’
governance fails to encourage officials, capacity to pay for power, especially
businesses and communities to ac- in rural areas, by subsidizing not con-
tively seek such opportunities. Nor do sumption but productive equipment,
we think about development through creating a consumer base willing to pay
the lens of what allows for a low-car- for the transition to renewable energy.
bon future, which is essential for a rap- People will pay because their income
idly developing country. How can we and productivity goes up.
grow in carbon-friendly ways? How do
we build livable yet carbon-efficient Individual contribution is important.
cities? We need to empower states to As consumers, changing demand pat-
experiment with low-carbon solutions, terns, investing in energy-efficient ap-
by supporting them with knowledge, pliances (which have higher up-front
capacity and finance. India must be cost but pay for themselves quickly),
re-tooled to more aggressively address choosing public transport, changing
the challenges of climate change, both diets are important, but we must also

44 july 2021

Cover Story

photo: ( jaya dhindaw) www.wricitiesindia.org. all others: source act as citizens, by demanding govern- that we can do as a people. We have to
ments pay more attention to climate first bridge the gap between us as citi-
change. Most importantly, we must zens and as economic agents. When we
educate ourselves to understand that are citizens, we want clean air. When
while transition is hard, living with the we are economic agents, we want to
existential challenge of climate change drive a diesel car. You can, of course,
will be much harder. drive your diesel car, but you have to
recognize that air pollution impacts the
THE FUTURE IS mental development of your child. The
SUSTAINABLE second step is to pay that extra pre-
mium for the slightly more expensive
Dr Arunabha Ghosh, product that is sustainable. Someone
Founder-CEO, earning `50 lakhs a year should cer-
Council on Energy, tainly not be looking at a diesel car as
Environment their next vehicle purchase, and some-
and Water one earning `5 lakhs a year should now
be buying a bamboo toothbrush, not
You don’t have to a plastic one. The point is that prices
be a tree-hugger to believe in sustain- come down when scale economies are
able development. Today, there are at play. We each need to make a start.
more jobs created from renewables
than from coal power. So, if you are an GREENER,
automobile engineer, you better be de- SMARTER CITIES
signing electric vehicles. No major au-
tomobile company in the world plans Jaya Dhindaw,
to have internal combustion engines Director, Integrated
after 2035. Yet, I think the most over- Urban Planning at
arching roadblock is that we still treat the World Resources
sustainability as something on the mar- Institute, India
gins of our overall economic develop-
ment discourse. We have not realized With urban growth
that the only economic development showing no signs of slowing down,
pathway for us now is a sustainable cities have grown both in size and
one. Till we internalize that, we will not energy appetite, making them major
be able build industries of the future. contributors to climate change. Three
things that need systemic change are
India is leapfrogging to a cleaner urban planning, governance and
energy future. We are the only G20 capacity and finance.
economy whose climate promises and
climate actions are in line with keeping Unchecked urbanization has pushed
global average temperature rise under people to the peripheries of cities, and
two degrees celsius. But there is more given rise to greater urban heat islands

readersdigest.in 45

Reader’s Digest

(due to loss of vegetation), conges- NO TIME TO WASTE
tion and rising personal vehicle usage.
This has led not only to inefficiency in Wilma Rodrigues,
resource use and allocation but also Founder-CEO,
greater environmental impact by way of Saahas Zero Waste
ecological degradation, human stress,
ill-health from pollutants and lost hours We have seen the
of productivity. We need to plan better oceans bring back
to ensure compact, connected, clean, plastic. People
equitable and resilient cities. More- living in cities
over, institutional fragmentation, over- are all familiar with waste burning.
lapping mandates and lack of a unified We read about landfill fires in the
vision cause inefficiencies in plans and papers. I don’t think it’s a question
projects across sectors. India has one of us not being able to see the prob-
of the world’s least per capita munici- lem of waste, it’s a question of us ig-
pal budgets, presenting deep concerns noring it. Every day, India generates
about infrastructure and utility provi- 1,47,613 tonnes of daily municipal
sioning to meet the water, housing, en- solid waste—waste generated in our
ergy and transport needs for its people. households—and only 25 to 30 per
cent of it gets processed. The rest all
Innovative mechanisms for chan- goes into our dump sites and landfills.
nelling finance from both private and Our consumption habits and the
public sector must be explored. Green tendency to moving towards conve-
finance for next-generation infrastruc- nience and low cost have resulted in
ture, value capture for public goods huge quantities of packaging waste.
and private investments directed at The first thing to do is reduce—
innovative, cost-effective and scalable whether it is paper-based packaging,
solutions should be leveraged. As in- or single-use plastic. Carrying your
dividuals, we can take steps towards own shopping bag is absolutely ba-
building more environmentally ef- sic. We should be carrying our own
ficient cities by opting for sustainable containers to grocery shops, refusing
consumer choices and changing con- packaging for even things like rice. We
sumption patterns. We must demand should carry our own water bottles,
accountability and transparency from instead of buying plastic bottles. In-
the authorities. Remember that to build stead of relying on food aggregators,
climate-compatible cities, every small go to a restaurant with your own con-
effort counts—tree planting, cycling or tainers and get your own food. This all
taking public transport to work. Build- needs a behavioural change, but given
ing community resilience and raising the health and environment issues at
awareness can really make a difference. stake, this is required.
We must also start segregating

46 july 2021

Cover Story

waste at source. You need to have an raises issues of competitiveness, and
understanding of wet and dry waste. places unfair imposition of costs on
You need to know how to keep the two other players.
separate. You then need to find a good
waste management company who will In India, the top 1,000 corporate en-
take your segregated waste and make tities listed on the stock exchange are
sure that it is properly recycled. mandated by the SEBI to file Business
Responsibility Reports (BRR) under
There are municipal rules for waste the National Voluntary Guidelines on
segregation that first came out in 2001. Social, Environmental and Economic
Today, as citizens, as consumers, we Responsibilities of Business. Recently,
need to take responsibility for the a group of about 38 major business
rules not being implemented. This is and corporate leaders have come to-
our waste, our collective problem. gether to form a voluntary group with
the objective of pursuing low-carbon
CORPORATE goals. Eco-labelling of products is a
RESPONSIBILITY good way of introducing responsibil-
FOR CLIMATE ity norms in production patterns but
ACTION there is increased cost in the process
which affects poor consumers in the
R. R. Rashmi, developing world. Changing lifestyles
Distinguished Fellow and reducing emissions through sus-
at The Energy and tainable consumption and production
Resources Institute in the developed world—where per
capita use of natural resources and
For a develop- wastage is the highest in the world—is
ing country like India whose contri- the biggest challenge. Citizen share-
bution to global climate change is holders should insist that board de-
almost negligible, the real challenge cisions should comply with business
lies in preparing various sectors of sustainability norms.
the economy for low-carbon devel-
opment without compromising on We cannot solve global environ-
developmental goals. Emissions at mental problems without interna-
the producer and consumer level tional cooperation. This involves a
cannot be held accountable with- cooperative framework for develop-
out a national legal framework and ment and deployment of climate-
regulations. Corporations must act friendly technologies in which
as responsible economic entities and corporations play a useful, promi-
discipline themselves voluntarily nent role. Industrial transition to a
in the interest of a global goal. low-carbon or zero-carbon future will
Implementing this forcibly and trans- need such technologies at scale.
ferring it into the international arena

readersdigest.in 47

Reader’s Digest

IN HARMONY our wildlife faces and how to mitigate
WITH THE WILD them. There is plenty of misinforma-
tion floating around out there. Some
Romulus Whitaker, ‘experts’ expound the dubious wis-
Herpetologist, wildlife dom that wildlife can only survive in
conservationist and Protected Areas, which is rubbish. Take
founder of the Madras just one high-profile species—the leop-
Snake Park ard— alone: half of their population in
the country live in human-dominated
Our biggest stride over the past decade landscapes. The tolerance of wildlife by
is expounding the message of the im- rural Indians is one of the best reasons
portance of wildlife and wildlands and why we have so much biodiversity left
getting people excited enough to sup- here. Let’s all work together to make a
port it. We now have top scientists and real difference.
activists working on all aspects of wild-
life biology and conservation to coun- FORESTS OF
ter the threats that government and THE PEOPLE
corporate machineries impose on our
remaining creatures and wild places. Dr Amrita Sen,
However, while we have plenty of environmental
good, meaningful wildlife protection sociologist,
laws, their implementation leaves a IIT Kharagpur
lot to be desired. With the official em-
phasis on development, without the Let’s start with the
required care to safeguard our natural Sundarbans. I have always been very
resources, now, especially, is the time interested to know what kinds of a re-
for conservationists to take a much lationship people here share with the
stronger stand to make sure develop- forest. During my research, I learnt that
ment doesn’t destroy the very biodiver- for many communities, the forest was
sity we depend on. The pandemic itself not a piece of nature. Rather, the forest
is indicative of this interdependency. was their habitation. It was sacred for
It showed us how vulnerable humans them. It was cultural and social.
are and how foolish we have been to
continue being so blasé and selfish. Similarly, in many parts of India,
We must consider the COVID-19 expe- community-driven knowledge systems
rience as a chance to drastically change or natural resource management has
our lifestyles in favour of the planet’s been very deeply embedded. Over the
welfare and our wildlife’s survival. years, however, legislations have led
to abrupt eviction and dispossession.
To this end, probably the most im- Communities have completely lost
portant thing people can do is become their existing rights to the forest—not
better informed about what problems only the right to livelihood, but also

48 july 2021