C.B. YASHWANTI writes: First, there were pictures of a National award-winning actress carrying an empty pot on the streets. Next, there were pictures of a State shut down to “make a point”. The headlines cried in unison: “Bandh total”.
It was comforting to read that the State had come together for something, peacefully.
Last week, in the run-up to the bandh, I had overheard a conversation between two women—one a bus conductor and the other a government official—“Nanu raja hakbittidini. Namagu neer bekalla. Naav madadiddre inyaru madthare?”
The proprietor of a provisions store in my neighbourhood revealed similar sentiments. “Namgagi madthairodalva bandhu? Gothiddu gotthiddu naav yaak angdi thegibeku,” he said supportively despite having to suffer losses the next day.
So post-bandh, as I walked up to pick up my morning packet of milk, my satisfied smile was flushed away by the annoying noise of water splashing on the street. Women of all ages, shapes and sizes were out there in their nighties indulging in an activity that I thought was appallingly insensitive, especially after the day of abstinence, er, silence.
It seems that no self-respecting kannadathi can begin her day without performing the daily abhisheka of sorts—throwing away a few buckets of water on the road in front of her house.
It is a ritual (a disdainful habit?) that we seemed to have carried from centuries past, when water was plentiful and front yards made of sand to the present days of scarcity, conflict, tarred roads and apartment living.
Don’t even mention overflowing overhead tanks, leaking pipes (there was one on Mysore road that had created a rivulet prompting a motorist to comment, “Cauvery, Cauvery antha badkothare. Lekka illade neer chellodu mathra nilsolla.”)
It is all too well to roll on the roads and hoist pots for a photo-op. But is that all we need to do to save water?
If yes, then we might succeed in saving it from flowing into our neighbour States only to flush it down our dirty sewers. Whether the water situation is really alarming, as the Chief Minister cautions, we will know only when the taps go dry soon.
Will empty sloganeering quench our thirst then?
Think about it the next time you bathe your island of tar or cement.
This post is on water conservation!
This can NOT be confused with the irrational award of the cauvery tribunal.
Yes dear even brushing teeth is wastefull consumption of water if you ask japanese were they are using air waves of high frequency to clean teeth,your cloths. So why dont we jump the gun and have a legislation for this?
Dont you think the big cars getting washed multi times and thats wastefull water too. There is no end to it untill we stop using water for other than drinking the same.
somehow the first thing that has come to the OP’s mind is a activity that consumes a pot of water. It seems to be a fashion to bash everything that a Hindu does. Guess next thing that he would want to be stopped would be the water consumed while doing morning prayers..look I have no issues if you suggest techniques like water audit ( this has already been done btw), but if one suggests to change just bcoz there seems to be some issue is a really short sighted view.
And even if u analyse more deeply, the water which is used to clean the porch usually gets absorbed by the ground…
@ mohan and vinay:
it is about judicious usage of water sirs. nothing more. nothing less.
no one can claim ownership over water. neither can karnataka nor can tamil nadu.
we should try and be judicious in our approach. maybe using compressed air would be a good solution to cleaning cars.
and i do not see any “hindu bashing” hapenning here. using that as a defence is absolutely untenable and petty.
true that water gets absorbed by the ground. the problem, however with your theory, is with the ready availablity of such water absorbed into the ground. further considering the well known depletion of ground water resources.
the article does not say “dont flush the loo because that requires water”, all that is being said “is flush, flush judiciously”. Fact is that karnataka gets 219 tmc. that is less. therefore, do not use water where unnecessary. period.
It was never meant to be petty …but singling out the one use mentioned is what made me see red.
Sooner or later we will all be judicious with utilising water. Many people in Bangalore have a dirty habit of cleaning their cars everyday. Kaveri water is let to flow continuously for more than half an hour. As for the water seeping into the ground – there is no ground but only concrete in Bangalore. Also the BBMP has concretised most of the pavements thus closing all the paths for the water to seep in. All the apartments have no open space, but only concrete. Today, when it rains in Bangalore, we could see more water flowing on the roads and thus hampering the natural process of ground water recharge.
Half of Mysore city has no proper Kaveri water, but Bangaloreans have the luxury of letting too many tmcs flow down Vrishabhavathi.
Well, where was the need to call ‘disdainful’?
@ Learning to Fly
If you read the first sentence of my comment – thats the same.
The second point is just because there is less water as a side effect use less is understandable BUT the question is why the injustice in the first place?
@ mohan
like i said. water knows no ownership. you make do with what you have. conserve water, utilize judiciously and implement rainwater harvesting. I am positive that we can live well within the water available to us as of now subject to us adopting a few water conservation methods.
If it is injustice, it will be dealt with legally. An appeal I heard is on its way.
There is no point screaming injustice and continue to wash our cars the way we do. no point hollering injustice and continue to allow our overhead tanks overflow. Would that correct the injustice. hell no. it aint sir. it aint. Will just worsen the situation, to our own detriment.
I vehemently second Arun’s views about the tmc’s being let down vrishabavathi. Further, one cannot increase the amount of water available on earth, or decrease it. It is just how we use it. We can use it to drink when thirsty, or pour it down the streets.
@learning to fly
Point taken.
I again want to retaliate that this is a post on water conservation FULLSTOP
If you dont have a stand other than water is whose ownership later on to disown the issue saying its being appealed – then why do you name the post as something different? Its misleading thats all.
Agreed for the LAST time water wasting has to stop.
@ Mohan
I reiterate that the cauvery issue is intrinsically connected with water conservation. :)
@Mohan
Nobody said this post was about the verdict. It is about conservation and our attitude towards precious resources. Wonder where you got the idea that it was about the verdict… the post merely says that if we don’t save water it will flow down the sewers putting it in the context of the verdict
and… @ Mohan
1. I am not disowing the issue that it is being appealed. Karnataka will get the share it is due. When i said that the matter is appealed, the matter is sub-judice. i.e. to say, a “final” verdict is not out, after all the several appeals available under the due process of law. That injustice is done is probably true. What would you propose to do sir, till this injustice is righted.
2. considering that the cauvery issue is intrinsically related to water conservation, i would further request you to look at the context in respect of the timing of the article. water conservation vis a vis cauvery issue.
A loud cry of “NO WATER” for us, the tribunal is unjust, and there we go wasting the resources we have.
Further, I think that the article achieves the purpose it has been written for. Grab attention and highlight water conservation.
again, please note, both are intrinsically related
L2F
Karnataka bekadhastu water conservation madirodhindhale eega nammali Kabini Haringi matthu berey water storage tanks and dams ivey. Yeno fashionable aagi bharitha yiddhira bariri santhosha. Conservationnu spreadsheet adhu idhu antha onthara IT stylenalli buddhijeevigala thara nimma pandithya pradarshana madhthidira. Maadi santhosha!
Adhey TN kadey bari Kaveri hidkondu bittu barey yella yakkuttu hogidhey. Mundhe Karnataka strictly by law water bittrey, TN labo labo antha bayi badkobekagutthey.
Vishwasa Irali
@ Doddi Buddi:
Dam, tank kattadhre water conservation agodhilla. katti, ee rajyada prajegalu careful aagi upayogisibeku.
The construction of a dam or a reservoir does not indicate any water conservation. The article questions Your role in water conservation. Whether you are doing enough to conserve the water you use, the water you waste on your car.
Yes. my style of writing is mine, “IT style” or not, and your style is yours. I need not seek your approval, nor do i require it, to write the way I do.
Dayavittu, refrain from making personal remarks. Aadhre, feel free critisize the logic, not make rethorical statements that does not really make any point.
and, kindly read carefully my “IT styleinalli madira pandithya”, before jumping to conclusions.
Warm Regards
L2F
Adhey shiva nanu heliddhu. Neevu swalpa IP framework indha aache bandhu nodi: Yaaru jasthi conservation madiddthu antha swalpa.
Nimma sadhaney yenu water conservation baggey? swalpa nammantha doddi janakkey viwaristheera?
@ Doddi Buddhi
article vodhi swamy. adaralle idhe. thumba clear age idhe.
Warm regards
L2F
Vodhey shiva! Adhakke hecchu neeru karchu agolla.
Neeru hecchu karchu aagtha irodhu battha belitharalla aa timealli. Papa namma hengusru yenu ondhu ardha koda haki, gomaya madidrey yenu neeru karchagalla!
CBY gey halini packet beku; adhralli awaru coffee madkondu kudibeku; next neevu helthira ‘bareA awara tharaha’ hallu ujjikollde vondhey thatelli maneyavarella ottigey oota madi neeru ulisbahaudu antha’ haage varushkey ondsala chandra kanisdhaga snana madikondu irona bidi:)
Namma Dasaru helidhaggey “Nara Janma bandaga, Naligey Iddhaga, “Allah Yenna baradehey” antha naavu Saudi Arabia gey hogona.
I have no intention to cross swords with L2F or DB, but please read:
The imperial Gazetteer of India referring to irrigation in Native States says – “Among individual states, the first place may be given to Mysore.” “Almost every valley contains a chain of Tanks, the first overflowing into the second and so on until the terminal Tank is filled.”
Major Sankey, one of the first Engineers of the Erstwhile Mysore Kingdom, who devoted his attention to the systematic repairs of tanks, has stated that “to such an extent has the principle of storage been followed that it would now require some ingenuity to discover a site within this great area suitable for a new tank. While restoration are of course feasible, any absolutely new work of this description would , within this area , be almost certainly found to cut off the supply of another, lower down the same basis, and to interfere in fact with vested interest.”
Well, it is either vested interest or bankruptcy of ideas that has destroyed this great heritage after the Responsible Govt took over the reign of govt. nearly 60 years ago is something we all have to ponder.
But KP, please tell Mr. Girish Nikham to read this History before he writes his next mambo jumbo in VT !!
Here is another historical note:
Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar who ruled Mysore Kingdom from Sriranagapatna 1673-1704 was the first to start to construct a Dam across River Kavery and thus start a dispute. Alas! Unfortunately he did not succeed totally, pther wise the Today we need not have been this soup!
Damming the Kavery to the west of Sriranagapatna , we are told he had canals excavated from both sides of the River, the northern canal being led on to a considerable distance by way of Karigatta hill and named after himself as Chikka devaraja Sagara (an extant canal now known as CDS canal), and the southern canal to the south of sriranagapatna , being designated as Deva Nala( again an extant canal, now the life line of Mysore – providing drinking water to the city).(reference= History of Mysore by Hayavadana Rao)
In a Jesuit letter dated in 1701, we have an interesting contemporary account of this project. (see Nayaks of Madura & Lockman’s Travels- Father Martin to Father De Villette)
During 1700-01 according to this source, the river Kavery continued to be so dry that inhabitants of Madura and Tanjore dreaded a general famine. Nevertheless continues letter the rains had fallen in the usual season, and the waters which rush from the mountains would have entered the Kavery (coleroon)sooner than ordinary had not the King of Mysore( Maissor) stopped the course by a prodigious mole he raised and which extended the whole breadth of the canal. His design was to turn off the waters by the bank in order that these flowing in to the canals dug by him might refresh his dominions. But while he thus resolved to make his own lands fruitful and thereby increase his revenues, he was going to ruin the two neighboring Kingdoms, those of Madura and Tanjore. The waters would not have begun to rise there before the end of July, and the canal would have been dry by the middle of September. The two princes zealous for the welfare of their respective kingdoms were exasperated at this attempt; upon which they united against the common enemy in order to oblige him, by force of arms, to destroy a mole which did them such vast prejudice. They were making great preparations for this purpose when the river Kaveri revenged the affront which had been put upon its waters, by captivating them in the manner the prince in question had done. During the time the rains descended but moderately on the mountains , the mole stood and the water flowed gently in to the canals dug for that purpose ; but the instant they fell abundantly , the river swelled to such a degree that it broke the mole and dragged it impetuously along. In this manner the prince of Mysore after putting himself to a great expense was frustrated in an instant, of the immense riches which he had hoped to gain.
But the canals have stood these Vicissitudes the passage of time has wrought and continue to serve the the farmers and citizens of the erstwhile kingdom. But the the dispute continues unabated.History’s course wasn’t so blessed after all.
Thumba oLleya lekhana JR .
aadhare yeegina paristhithi bagge nimma vimarshe yenu?
Mumbaruva varshagaLalli yaava anaanukoola vaguthadhe?
what a shamelful piece under the circumstances. beLagge eddu neer haaki rangoli haakOdU neerina durupayOga aMte. uLitaayakkoo cauvery tribunal teeripigU sambandha idyante.. adEnO heLtaralla “___ mele hoDedare, davaDe hallu udurittante”.. hange..
beLagge eddu neer haakOdu oMdu kaDe irali, neevu yaake dayavittu inmele, toilet paper use maaDakke shuru maaDbaardu… maybe toilet paper use maaDidare aaga, paper daMDa, kaaDugaLa dhwamsa aMta shuru maaDtirEnO nimmanthavaru. vaadakgOskara vaada maaDi buddhijeevigaLu anta mereyOdralli adEn kaMDideerO nimmanthavaru. thoo.
@ learning to fly
Actually you have ignored the root cause again. The issue is not with water conservation as it looks on the face. Tell me has kaveri reduced giving water to all of us – the answer is a big NO.
Then where did we find this problem suddenly. POPULATION EXPLOSION.
Ignoring that root cause, even if we do all the conservations you have mentioned we will still hit the panic button.
Today you have disdained the kannadthis unpopular move of misusing water, to what extent can we go on shadow boxing like this?
Better change the caption from “Cauvery antha…” to “Water conservation”
Cliché mel Clichéu!
mane munde neeru haakadre manege jaasti dhooLu baralla, so nella sarasakke neeru kammi upayogisabahudu!
adarinda neeru save agatte!
nimge biTre bahirdeshakku neeranna upayogisa bEDi anteera!