90% of the 17 million homes in Bihar have no electricity. In Orissa, 26 per cent homes live below the power level.

THE PROBLEM
When the sun goes down, more than 84 million homes begin their long day's journey into night. India produces only 1,20,000 MW of power which is 1,00,000 MW short of demand. What is more, by 2010 the demand for power will more than treble.

THE WAY OUT
It is time to switch. About 70 per cent of all electricity produced is coal-based and less than 5 per cent comes from renewable sources. With India's abundant sunlight and wind power, new private sector projects in these areas should be given incentives. Villagers should be given grants to set up solar pumps and windmill farms to cut down the load on the conventional power grid and step out of the Edison era. State electricity boards will also have to reduce pilferage and transmission losses that stand at a staggering 45 per cent.

"If we use water like the poor use ghee, then nobody will face scarcity of water in India.".

THE PROBLEM
It is called blue gold and in the very near future, wars will be fought over it. By 2020 the world is expected to fall 17 per cent short of water. In India, as of now, only one in three households has piped water. The future looks drier.

THE WAY OUT
There is enough for everyone's need, but not greed. In Karnataka, for instance, most towns get 67 litres of water per head, though citizens in Bangalore use an average of 135 litres a day. If water is priced higher it will be used sparingly. Encourage cities to invest in water recycling plants. At the micro level, promote innovative solutions like that of Ban galore-based architect couple Chitra and Viswanath who incorporated rooftop rainwater harvesting in their home in 1995. The process now yields 80,000 litres of water every year.

25 million children are born in India every year, which means one child is born every 1.26 seconds, the highest in the world.

THE PROBLEM
Even if every couple decided to stop at two children, our population would overtake China's in 10 years. It has 7 per cent of the world's land, India has 2.4 per cent.

THE WAY OUT
Enforce family planning. Give incentives in government and the corporate sector to those with small families. Fine those with more than two children. Promote contraceptive use. Discourage early marriage.

"Who says only the elite care for their past?"

THE PROBLEM
India has 45,000 historically significant buildings and sites that do not figure on any list. Only 5,000 are protected by the ASI, another 3,000 by state governments. In England, 5,00,000 such buildings are listed.

THE WAY OUT
The National Culture Fund which encourages corporates to adopt monuments should be popularised. The price of entry tickets should be raised to pay for maintenance. Citizens should be made aware of their heritage.