In Washington, DC, at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. About 3 minutes: The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk. At 6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. At 45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32. After 1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He...
The next world war will be fought over water --- was said by ex World Bank President, perhaps in 2005. I cannot recollect the year and the name of the thoughtful person. We are yet to comprehend that, especially those of us who live in cities or metro or mega polis. Thank god! We never know what a draught is or famine that follows! Sometime while sitting in our drawing rooms in cozy comforts, surfing television, suddenly some news channel ushers the news of draught or famine, starvation in Africa or elsewhere on the screen. Cold feelings may crawl down for seconds through our spinal cords or may not, because we quickly switch over the channel. After all such horrendous scene cools down our spirits which prefer to take off every evening for pleasure flights, we think it is not and never with us, but with them! Who are they? Are we not part or likely to be part of them, if not near but in far future? Let us see what is all about the water.
Since, our childhood we all know that our planet holds three part of water and one part of land. This very statement, offers us satisfaction that we have more water, even far more than land. But how about the drinking water! If we put the entire water of our planet in a 1ltr bottle, then only five tea-spoons full of water is sweet water or drinkable water, rest all are saline water. Can you imagine? Out of those five tea-spoons full, 70% is in glacier form; only 30% is available to us, for all our uses, like drinking, washing, irrigating or anything you think of doing with water. Surprisingly that 30% is sufficient for the entire mankind, if distributed evenly. Unfortunately that is not the case, the affluent demand the more, leaving nothing for those who are less fortunate. You know, air and water; these two are prime necessities for human or any organic beings survival. One who is submerging, catch anything to keep afloat. This many a time cause both get submerged, never to rise again or survive again.
Now you find Ethiopia is fighting for its right over Nile water with Kenya. The problem is old enough, when Egypt and Sudan were pressed hard to increase their cotton production in first quarter of last century, since cotton was becoming short of supply worldwide. To increase the supply of cotton, these countries, for irrigation tapped the water of river Nile, causing the problems now being surfaced elsewhere, geographically beyond their territorial limits. So, the fight is on others land. How funny it is? Isn’t it?
Imagine your 9 years old daughter, is travelling 10-15 kilometers every day, spending 3-4 hours, for just fetching a bucketful of brownish water! Just this is what happening in those countries. The World Bank Aid for drilling deep tube well is falling short and to meager for ever rising demands, with the population growth rate. So, the war is inevitable in near or far future. The present world community is not liberal enough to share even the water or air equally for subsistence. Are you ready to face, any shortage of air or water, what you get now, lesser than that?
Since, our childhood we all know that our planet holds three part of water and one part of land. This very statement, offers us satisfaction that we have more water, even far more than land. But how about the drinking water! If we put the entire water of our planet in a 1ltr bottle, then only five tea-spoons full of water is sweet water or drinkable water, rest all are saline water. Can you imagine? Out of those five tea-spoons full, 70% is in glacier form; only 30% is available to us, for all our uses, like drinking, washing, irrigating or anything you think of doing with water. Surprisingly that 30% is sufficient for the entire mankind, if distributed evenly. Unfortunately that is not the case, the affluent demand the more, leaving nothing for those who are less fortunate. You know, air and water; these two are prime necessities for human or any organic beings survival. One who is submerging, catch anything to keep afloat. This many a time cause both get submerged, never to rise again or survive again.
Now you find Ethiopia is fighting for its right over Nile water with Kenya. The problem is old enough, when Egypt and Sudan were pressed hard to increase their cotton production in first quarter of last century, since cotton was becoming short of supply worldwide. To increase the supply of cotton, these countries, for irrigation tapped the water of river Nile, causing the problems now being surfaced elsewhere, geographically beyond their territorial limits. So, the fight is on others land. How funny it is? Isn’t it?
Imagine your 9 years old daughter, is travelling 10-15 kilometers every day, spending 3-4 hours, for just fetching a bucketful of brownish water! Just this is what happening in those countries. The World Bank Aid for drilling deep tube well is falling short and to meager for ever rising demands, with the population growth rate. So, the war is inevitable in near or far future. The present world community is not liberal enough to share even the water or air equally for subsistence. Are you ready to face, any shortage of air or water, what you get now, lesser than that?
Comments