Mankind is to blame for nature’s fury (Editorial – “High noon”, March 6). Large-scale deforestation for the setting up of industrial units, use of fertile land meant for cultivation to construct mammoth dwellings and mindless extraction of ground water for commercial purposes have only added to the untold misery. In my childhood in Kerala, one hardly came across instances of water bodies drying up so soon after the monsoon, as is the case now. Now, most river beds look parched, made worse by large-scale mining of sand. When nature loses its balance, disaster is not far behind.
Murli Nair,
Thrissur, Kerala