These are some excerpts from past I compiled together to convey nothing more than some anonymous feelings which I have every morning (pardon me, it’s mostly after-noon).
I woke up in morning with a huge yawn in my bed. My mom is making me paranthas for lunch box.
“Quickly brush your teeth and don't use tap...no water supply for upcoming three days...Use a mug to take water from the bath tub!”
“Ohkkay!!!”...Is this what you expect to hear when you wake up?
---
“Shut the valve quickly dear! Use flush judiciously!!”
“Oh come on! Do I have to learn this job as well?” I said annoyingly.
---
“Hey Ma, why aren't you coming with us to Naina di's wedding ceremony?”
“Oh dear! Nobody will be here to collect water tomorrow when it’s going to be water supply day.”
“But why can't we leave it for just one day.”
“Because now water supply will be once in four days... and... that too for just a couple of hours.”
I was already regretting why we live in this city.
---
“Mom! Can I play HOLI too?”
“Would you like to see a child die due to thirst?”
“But I thought they are sending water via rail these days.”
“It’s far too less than what is required, you know it very well.”
---
“Have you seen this headline? : RIOTS DUE TO LINE BREAK AT WATER TANK 1 killed and 20 injured!!”
“No mom! What exactly happened?”
“In downtown, yesterday was water supply day for Shanti colony. Some of nearby colony members went there with cans to fetch water and stood in line for it. But, this was unacceptable as Shanti colony residents still had to get water. This initiated the feud and ended in a riot.”
---
“You don’t worry Rajni! I will get some water tanker from nearby village. You take complete rest.”
“Yes Mom! I will also take a leave from school for today.”
“But the tanker will cost a complete two hundred rupees! And further, where will you store water? We don’t even have a storage tank built in our house.”
“I will ask our neighbors, now you take a nap. Do you wish to remain sick until the next turn?” I had to prompt her to take rest.
---
“Why don’t we keep servants even when we can, Ma?”
“Because, they would waste water abruptly. Further, our electricity-bill will get raised a lot in order to fill the overhead tanks repetitively.”
---
“Oh shit! I forgot to turn-off the tap for water cooler!!”
“WHAT!! I always told you to fill it with buckets, not pipe, but would you ever listen to me?”
“Ma! Why do you scold me like that whenever it’s regarding water?”
---
And so went my childhood. Water crisis had cost not only price hike in crops, but it took taste from my lunch, colours from my holi, money from my dad’s textile industries, and relief from my Mom's entire life, literally.
When I was in Kota, I watched flood scenes due to heavy rainfall in nearby areas to Kota Barrage dam.
And what next, right after two weeks another flood, this time due to a crack in another Dam. Surprised already? Just two days later, my landlord told me to save water!! Why? Because there was a crack in some pipeline and there will be no water supply for a whole week.
After coming to Roorkee, I wondered what else “water-crisis” has in it’s pocket to show me in life?
And here comes the answer as I lazily look at Rohan in the common bathroom.
“Why don’t you use your other hand to quickly close the tap when it’s not in use while brushing?”
“Oh yaar! Why do you worry, we have got Ganga-canal flowing right by our side.”
---
“What has happened to this tap? Why isn’t it getting closed?”
“Ohho! I've been watching it this way for a week, why do you care?”
Then, why the hell did he not report this to office anytime last week, I thought.
---
“What are these two buckets for, Naveen? Are you washing clothes?”
“You know how cold it is yaar, I don't feel warm until I use two buckets full of hot water for bath.”
“.........”
“.........”
Later conversations are left for you to fill.
What is the need to water lawns in winter daily? Why not report broken taps immediately? Where is our sense to save water? Are we prepared to face any water scarcity? Most of us rarely possess any saving habits. I am sure most of us would break down, may God forbid, if a drought befalls us.
