Punish plagiarism

The views expressed by Professor K L Chopra ("Top scientists misuse power, funds", March 16-31, 2015) are of immense importance in the context of Indian Science and the country's scientific community. His views are true in the sense that if we have to survive as a prestigious nation and knowledge power, we need to introduce "laws of punishment for Plagiarism" and transform our system slowly. The time is ripe as technology too is developed to check such plagiarism (softwares developed and used by international journals). A national effort is needed in this direction.

Beware of the dragon

This refers to "Tibetan landscape may soon disappear" (March 1-15, 2015). China has a severe water problem like many countries in this part of the world. Its resources of freshwater are one-third of the global average. To augment them, China plans to build around 100 dams to generate power from major rivers rising in Tibet and divert their flows to its north. Currently, many of the Himalayan rivers that arise in Tibet and flow into South Asia (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) have been relatively untouched by dams near their sources. If this frenetic dam-building goes on over the next few years, "the Himalayas may become the most dammed region in the world", according to Ed Grumbine, visiting international scientist with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Kunming. China will then emerge as the ultimate controller of water. In the absence of a water treaty between India and China, one has to depend on Beijing's assurances which have not always been explicit and transparent. The fact that China's government is made up of engineers and that China has a penchant for massive engineering projects like the Three Gorges dam should not be overlooked. These are issues that India should seriously discuss with China to ensure that rivers flowing towards India are not jeopardised as millions depend on these waters.