Just read this TOI article on the water challenge we are likely to have in the future (By 2050, you may have to live on imported water
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/By-2050-you-may-have-to-live-on-imported-water/articleshow/51935321.cms via @timesofindia)
Going by my favourite childhood marathi rhyme, every rainy season i still hum “Yere Yere Pausa, Tula Deto Paisa, Paus Ala Motha, Paisa Zhala Khota”. Translate this to English for my non-maharashtrian buddies, it says “Rain Rain pls come down, I will give you money, it Rains Cats and Dogs and Lord Indra gets fake money. Now pulling pranks on Rain God should not be anyone’s dream as he is certainly the “Numero Uno” deity prayed during Water crisis. However, in recent years Lord Indra seems to sing back to us it this way: Yere Yere Pausa – Tula Deto Paisa – Paus Ala Chota ani Tras Zhala Motha (meaning: Rain Rain pls come down, i will give you money, rains come in ultra small quota and this creates a big trouble life for us all).
Coming to the reality, given all the advances in this world, neighboring nations who can teach us, do we really need to repeat the age old jingle year after year and upon failing blame Indra and El Nino for the rain shortage? What future planning have we done when it rains every year after year in good to full strength? Almost Nothing is the stark reality. We do all possible things to ensure that the annual rainfall (sweet drinking water) is aptly splurged and wasted. Considering India, one of the very blessed nation in terms of rainfall and soil quality, we, our society, our politicians are 100% to blame ourselves for the scarcity in water and the turmoil that our farmers face year after year.
The whole fundamental of existing systems need to be reviewed to see how and where are the pitfalls and what is drastically lacking in the entire framework of things. Just patch work year after year is what is happening and we are always Digging the well at the last hour… certainly there is no water in this well this time.
The entire system needs a drawing board revisit and a RE-STUDY – PLAN – CORRECT – EXECUTE and have a STRONG FINES (punishment) system to ensure that in 50 years, we can have 100 years of water storage. Make this age old jingle be proven right for the century to come.
We as a country really need to learn and learn it really well from countries like Singapore n Israel who are deprived of natural resources which we are abundant with. These countries never look up in the sky every year and cry foul over no rains. So why a nation like ours with abundant rainfall, rivers cannot do what they can do? Singapore, a country post split from malaysia, a size 3/4th of mumbai, got into long agreements with Malaysia and Indonesia to ensure that they get water (and even electricity) as it has no natural source of drinking water. However, they very well knowing that a day will come when neighbours may pull out support, they planned (foresight) well in advance to become self reliant on water via reverse osmosis (hyflux) and are well planned to live on ocean water via conversion into potable water (by 2020).
On the contrary, India, our beloved nation has so much of natural resources that 100 generations won’t suffer if proper planning, advanced well-studied & non-corrupt implementation is done in correct futuristic direction. Just pockets of rain water harvesting (without much influencing ground water table) at every suburb, villages can be done to drive away all t scarcity concerns. How can we avoid potentially 50% of rain water joining the ocean water? Can we hoard the river water just at the end of its journey meeting ocean? Or can we even build inexpensive collapsible “air borne” rain water catchment pockets over the vast shorelines available with our country? Or can we not replicate foreign nations ability to convert salt water to potable water? We are certainly having lots of choices compared with many desert countries. Israel is another marvelous example to learn how to grow crops on desert / arid land.
Having shared above, there for sure is wind of positive change around us and i am sure that if not in next 5-10 years but certainly in next 50 years we will be a far better nation, less corrupt, more agile nation. A nation of citizens more respect for nature and natural resources, good conservation capabilities, well geared in preserving natural resources for decades to come. Already so much awareness is seen that the mass is awakened towards this crisis and our youth is set to take this challenge head-on. Our next Generation will ensure that they participate and ensure that the power resides in the hand who participate and work towards RE-STUDY – PLAN – CORRECT & EXECUTE in driving away all types of shortages: Water, Electricity, Clean air, Noise pollution, Corruption and more. Kudos to you and all driving this Awareness and Executing the positive changes.
Let’s Stay Positive, Toast and sing back to Indra “Yere Yere Pausa, Tula Deto Paisa, Paus Ala Motha, Paisa Zhala Khota”. Jai Hind.
Comment Blog in response to TOI article by Parag Pathare