Man always, and unwisely, thinks that he can get away with all the meddling that he does with nature (“Development must be climate-smart”, September 8). Even the most advanced nations which think that they have tamed and mastered nature wilt when her fury is unleashed. There are no quick-fixes to confront and challenge nature and claim that our civilisation is insulated. Even today one can find the distinct markings of flood water level that breached the so-called thought-to-be-safe elevated structures in 1976, at the Ganga ghats in Varanasi. Nature is erratic, far beyond human intellect and has played truant for thousands of years. Let us learn to respect nature and live in tune with her dictates. Expecting nature to obey us is suicidal.
Sivamani Vasudevan,
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Chennai