Rhinos, and Water Scarcity!

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No, the Poor Rhinos are not drinking up Our Water to Scarcity levels. This is about Our Apathy to Our Own conditions, and that of Our Future Generations.

If We Fail to Pay attention to the Growing WATER SCARCITY today, Let us be Prepared to Stare at our Grandchild Staring at Parched Earth.

Image from Internet; from Google search for Maharashtra Drought 2016.

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Meanwhile, on Planet Earth, to start with:

[ Contrary to my practice, am giving this first picture in greater pixels, so that We can notice the Scum on the surface of the Water, etc. All images, unless specified, from the Internet. ]

As Devinder Sharma, an award-winning journalist, writer, thinker and researcher respected for his views on food and trade policy has written in Facebook:

“The appalling drought in 10 States has not hit the sensibilities of people living in urban areas. People in cities somehow believe that the drought they hear about is happening in Africa. (From his post in Facebook; emphasis mine).

What he says is Well corroborated by one of the pictures he has uploaded:

That is Devinder Sharma on the left. Graphic from his post.

For his full post: https://www.facebook.com/devindersharma.official/

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The Water Scarcity has Affected Too many walks of life, not just Water for us to Drink and that for Farming.

One Minakshi Malhotra, (B.Sc.MICROBIOLOGY, and B.Ed.and Post-Graduatn.in Dietetics & Applied Nutrition), responding to Devinder, has written some shocking things, (formatting mine):

“Some harsh realities ===>> Marathawada”s crisis is a ”Harvest of misery ” ! In Nalgonda, schoolkids miss classes to fetch water ! The acute water shortage in THANE ( in Mumbai) has hit hospitals & even life-saving surgeries.

( No water , means no surgeries! )

Receiving water just 4 days /week, hospitals here are the worst hit. “Treatments like dialysis, bypass & deliveries need water, we need to plan surgeries in advance so that it doesn’t collide with the days when there is no water,” said a Doctor there.

When Water tankers meant for thirsty beings are sold to rich businessmen in parched , Drought-hit Marathwada , it’s clear that humanity there has dried up too !!”

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Below are some more images from a Google search for: ‘Maharashtra Drought 2016.’ Maharashtra is a state in India, famed for Mumbai, and also Notorious for having the greatest number of Farmers committing Suicide.

He is not an actor. Just an ordinary farmer. The Plight on his face is Gut Wrenching.

Since these are not Rhinos, none of – The National Geographic, Animal Planet or Discovery will carry programmes on these Lowly Cattle. If You find me Over-sarcastic today, forgive me, my Heart is Burdened.

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About Rhinos? Oh, Yes, here it is:

It seems that at one time, Rhino population had gone down by an appalling 98%! But, due to the Ceaseless Interest of people in Animal Planet, etc, and the Tireless work of Wild life workers, – sponsored, no doubt, by Very Rich, Very concerned businessmen, universities, and what not, the Rhino population has reached ‘safe’ levels again (I presume).

Let us note that the wise businessmen do not ‘cast money onto waters’ out of sheer love for rhinos. They well know that Lots of People will watch these programmes, which enable Lots of Ads, by which these ‘Educational channels,’ and the businessmen in the end, profit, and make Lots of money.

After all, People are concerned about Rhinos, but I am not at all sure Rhinos are concerned about People. Not that We should eliminate them for that.

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Just What are We going to do with Rhinos, Tigers, Rare Snakes, and who knows what else, if there is No Water left to Till Our Fields? Water Scarcity is a Huge Ogre on the horizon.

My point: Priority for People, Please.

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Here are things We Could Do:

1. Contribute At Least One Sentence Every Day to Social Issues, Water Scarcity, Justice, etc. Don’t just Nag Your Family members. Talk to Your Friends, Acquaintances, Family, – too., and People You Absolutely do not Know.

Organizations like Climate Change Request one Tweet a Day. I Shall PESTER You for One Statement Every Day!

2. Oppose, in Facebook and Twitter, etc, ministers using Thousands of Litres of Water to make Helipads, to avoid travelling some 80 Kms by Car!

Example: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/maharashtra-in-drought-hit-latur-10000-litres-of-water-for-bjp-ministers-helipad-water-crisis-eknath-khadse-2755345/

3. Let’s Say NO to Rivers being given on Lease for the preparation of Soft Drinks. The River Tamirabarani in Tamil Nadu has been given on Lease to Pepsi for 99 years or so, on the ridiculously cheap rate of 3 litres per rupee, which is Affecting the Farming. Imagine 150,000 litres being drawn from the river everyday for soft drink manufacture!

Soft Drink lovers might hate this. But let these factories be set up where there is No water scarcity, like in Greenland and Iceland. I presume that it would be easy to convert the Ice into Water.

4. I know a family in Erode, Tamil Nadu, India, and there must be Thousands more like them, who Daily Empty the Overhead Water Tank of their house, to Wash the House! Daily. Then they fill it again. Let US not do things like these.

5. Let us write to The National Geographic, Animal Planet or Discovery, asking them carry Repeated programmes on the Water Crisis.

6. Let us make Smaller Swimming Pools, please.

7. Add to this List, at the Comments section.

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PS: India is a country used to Floods. But these last few days We have had Forest Fires, covering almost 7,000 sq. kilometres. Devinder Sharma connects Water Scarcity and these forest fires. Please peruse:

http://www.abplive.in/blog/drought-forest-fires-heat-wave-need-to-integrate-economic-growth-with-environment

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