Monday 18 April 2016

17 - H2O

Just a simple compound, but so indispensable.  The animals need it, the trees need it, the humans need it, the birds need it, the insects need it.  Intake can be in any form........ice, tea, coffee, a drink etc.   Except for humans, all the other living things can drink water in an impure form.  But the weak human is not immune to the impurities and bacteria that can be ingested through it.

Every year, at this time of the year, during the months of April and May, belated rains, soaring mercury,  and the minimilistic levels in the dams and lakes,  prompts the politicians to resort to the water donation theory of winning brownie points.

And then the same story is repeated each year.    Why should that be allowed to happen?  Let us learn techniques of water conservation from other nations that have honed their skills at conservation. 

Indians go abroad for a foreign degree, but what is the use of that education if it is not what  India needs to survive respectably.  I know that I am very fortunate to be a citizen of a flourishing metro city.    But it is not a very peaceful existence if I can watch the suffering of my fellow Indians in the villages and other drought hit towns.

As a teacher,  I endeavour to imbibe into young minds, the tenets of using this resource carefully.
But everyday the TV news shows how desperate drought hit communities resort to prayer, sacrifice, havans etc.,  to invoke the Gods to bestow rain and solve all their water problems.

If only all this energy and money would be invested into more productive forms of water conservation.  But it seems that the water conservation minister for Maharashtra has other things on her mind,  like posting selfies on twitter.  Please Ms Pankaja Munde, do not let women become a laughing stock.   If you have been bestowed the honour of holding a high post,  do good and let everyone benefit.  Almost three years now that Latur is suffering with farmer suicides and drought.

My open suggestion to all Indians is that the very rich temples and mosques, should adopt a few educated, committed youngsters, and sponsor their foreign education, specifically in the field of water conservation.  Yesterday's news highlighted the largresse bestowed upon Shirdi's temple.
And then there was a boastful comparison between the richest donations collected by the various prayer centres.  What happens to all this wealth?  Let it be put to good use for India's future.  Let it be used to prepare and maintain water holes etc.

Let us aspire for better means to solve problems.

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