Politicians, Take Note of Climate Change Now: Comic Barath Balaji

Video Editor: Varun Sharma
Cameraperson & Producer: Smitha TK

Chennai is reeling under a severe water crisis as all four reservoirs around the city have dried up and left people at the mercy of water tankers. The state government plans to bring 10 million litres of water from Jolarpettai in the Vellore district via rail wagons every day. But many residents are disappointed in how the government is tackling the crisis.

Likewise, stand-up comedian Barath Balaji feels that it is time politicians raise an alarm for climate change and take effective measures to ensure the water crisis doesn’t exacerbate into a worse drought in 2020.

Here’s what Barath had to say:

“Chennai’s water crisis is just so confusing. How did we go from a city that was completely inundated for a month in 2015 to having no water? If you really think about it, the answer is quite obvious – due to the lack of rains. And that is obviously because of climate change and global warming. But it seems like we are doing nothing about it,” he said, adding that the situation “almost feels like we are living in Game of Thrones”, because we have “big parties so busy fighting each other that we are forgetting the real threat coming towards us.”

“How is it that we study about global warming and climate change all throughout school but forget it the second we become lawmakers? Because there is not a single party that has mentioned it in their manifesto the words ‘climate change’. Not even ‘Mr I-know-it all-I-am-super-smart-my-movies-predict-the-future-I-am-too-busy-because-of-Bigg-Boss’ Kamal Haasan. Cities all over the world are declaring climate emergencies and we are still stuck in denial,” Barath pointed.

“Yes, I get it. Our politicians sit in AC cars, sit in AC rooms... I’m pretty certain their bathrooms also have AC. But I can’t believe I am the only one who is feeling the entire city is becoming an oven,” he said.

“We lose it when Leonardo Dicaprio posts about the Chennai water crisis, and you go ‘Hey guys ! We need to take things seriously.’ If we are taking things he said seriously, then did you know Leonardo Dicaprio happened to make an entire documentary on climate change and global warming? If that doesn't push you to make changes, I don't know what will,” he said.

“Scientists have given us 130 months before the effects of climate change becomes irreversible. We actually have an expiration date on the planet right now. We have our politicians doing nothing about it, or far worse we have people covering lakes with thermocol. I’m a commerce student and I know that’s not how science works,” he added.

“Last week. the Kerala government offered us 180 million litres of water. We were grateful for that but our response to that was we need this on a daily basis. That is how big the crisis is. We need every bit of help that we can get at this point of time. This crisis has gone beyond our hands,” he said.

“It is a necessity for each and every one of us. We aren’t anything without water. We aren’t anything without this planet. We need to save it.”

Barath Balaji, Stand-up Comic