Cauvery - "UniteForHumanity"!

The Cauvery dispute began in the year 1892, between the Madras Presidency (under the British Raj) and the Princely state of Mysore (as Karnataka was known then) when they had to come to terms with dividing the river water between the two states. Since then, Cauvery river water has been a bone of contention between the two states with Tamil Nadu asking for it's fair share (or so it may seem from the initial agreement) and Karnataka claiming what's rightly theirs. 

There has been intervention from both the governments in what's likely to favor each of their respective states. Yet, there has been contempt of Supreme Court order in the part of Karnataka government most times. But not to judge who is right or wrong just yet. Perhaps, it's the people's welfare that these governments hold priority for (or at least we believe so). 

Karnataka does not seem to be happy with setting up Cauvery Management Board for monitoring water availability and it's use as part of the SC verdict. Also, the Union government is not comfortable with the SC verdict to form the Cauvery management board within the stipulated period. We may start to believe that the upcoming elections has its say in this but we do not know it for certain just yet. Only time will tell.

After all this protest from Tami Nadu (most of which where staged by Politicians to up their political mileage), things do not look good. But of course, with the amazing response and the support shown from Karnataka people over STR's noble idea "UniteForHumanity", we may well hope for a better resolution. Indeed, it's love and humanity that helps us all survive. Let's just hope! :)

Let's hope for more rain. Let's hope for farmers' lives to get better. For if that happens, ours will be better too!

- DC

P.S. Time we started looking at options to save water. Be it at home or elsewhere Let's not waste water. Let's try rain water harvesting. Let's plant more tress. Let's plea to state government and concerned authorities to streamline drain passage and come up with a fool proof way of saving and sustaining water levels.

Set Priorities Right!

Bullet Train at a cost of Rs. 80,000 crore

Shivaji statue at Rs. 3600 crore

Vallabhai Patel statue at Rs.2989 crores 

... and many other projected spending that doesn’t seem the need of the hour!

What we don’t want is Criminal negligence;

…like the Elphinstone Bridge Stampede incident which took the lives of 23 and injured many

…like the Gorakhpur & Farrukhabad tragedy where over 100 kids died due to lack of oxygen

… like the recent Train derailments in UP or the ever increasing farmers death and lack of attention to it!

What we do need is

… The best education

-      need to improve education standards for coming generations 

-      India ranks 92 in education among 145 countries

… The best Healthcare

-      need to have increase access to quality healthcare for everyone

-      India ranks 154 in global healthcare  

… The best Safety

-      need to make the country safer for women and the likes of everyone

-      India ranked 101 & 141 on Safety Index & Global Peace Index respectively among 163 countries  

The whole point is not to go against bullet trains or statues or whatever, rather about setting priorities right. Isn’t Education, Healthcare, Safety and likes make the basic need for people.

Shouldn’t a people’s government be willing to spend and act on satisfying this before spending lavishly elsewhere???!

Hope it does for the betterment of people and the country.

Jai Hind!!!

- DC