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Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read
#26
part 4 of the series.....

Praise, praise all our countrymen and women

True, wherever we look, we can spot a problem. But it is just as true — wherever we look, we will find a solution. And not just a solution in the abstract. We will find someone who has put that solution into effect. Ever so often the solution is lying in front of our eyes — unused, neglected.

Kochi receives a lot of rain. Yet there is acute water shortage in the city. Indeed, readers will be astonished to learn, as I was when I was in the area, that even Cherrapunji — the place that, we used to be taught in our school-days, receives the maximum rainfall in the world — is short of water for eight months in the year!

But there is the simplest solution, it is right in front of our eyes. The largest water-harvesting project in Kochi, Down to Earth reports, has been undertaken at the Maharaja’s College — it will harvest over 3 lakh litres. The project uses two tanks that were once upon a time used for a gas plant by the college’s Chemistry Department but had for long been lying abandoned. As part of the National Service Scheme, students cleaned the tanks, they strengthened the floor. In Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, water is being harvested by rehabilitating the traditional hand-hewn caves, the khatris. In Jharbeda, a tribal village in Sundergarh, Orissa, water has been harvested by rehabilitating the local ghagra, a pond-like structure lying at the base of the slope of a hill — the pond has been revived, and a wide drain dug from the top of the hill to carry rain water to this structure. In Chennai, a commendable programme has been initiated to revive temple tanks. In another excellent initiative, water which used to flow out to the sea via storm-water drains is being channelled into the aquifer — the drains have been repaired, muck and leaves etc. have been cleared out, the bottoms of the drains have been left unpaved, shallow trenches and percolation pits have been dug along the way. The simplest steps, nothing that requires space-science, using areas, structures that were lying abandoned, broken down in front of everyone’s eyes. And yet steps that spell the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity.

For such steps to become a habit with us, we need to internalise three Gandhian lessons:

• Just as development is not just outlays, it certainly isn’t just Government outlays, a revolution is not one person doing one incredible thing but a million persons doing a million things differently.

• Each one of us can be a part of that sort of revolution. I am reminded of this every day as I see my father, now 91, labouring away with just a ballpoint and paper; as I travel and persons come up and direct me to convey their gratitude to him, I realise how, with just that ballpoint and blank paper he has made a difference, and each of us can make a difference to the lives of thousands in the farthest corners of the country.

• Every little thing we do can be part of that revolution. I was staying at a Zen temple once in Kyoto. The lady of the house was quietly at work after dinner. She was cutting the edges of wrapping paper in which gifts had been brought to the temple so that the paper could be gifted for use again. She told me that used stamps are systematically collected and sent abroad — to be sold to stamp collectors, the proceeds in turn being given to charity organisations.

One of the most conscientious of officers I have ever come across, Narottam Tripathi retired as UP’s Secretary, Forests. Since then — he is now past 80 — he has devoted himself to helping retired government servants, who are too old or otherwise unable, and their families to collect their pension benefits, to access medical facilities.

Remember Gandhiji — he had a programme for everyone. If someone could face death, he had a programme for her. If one could not face death but could devote her life to constructive work, he had a programme. If one could give up his career and go to jail, he had a programme. If one could not do that but spin in the privacy of one’s home, Gandhiji had a programme. If one could not do even that much but could merely sing, Gandhiji had the Ramdhun, the evening prayer through which one could attune to the national struggle for freedom. Nor was all this just formal association. Everything was linked to the great purpose as every little rivulet contributes to the mighty Brahmaputra.

Development is no different. There is a related fact. In sphere after sphere, in every part of the country individuals and groups are doing work that is both creative as well as service. If only one-tenth of the effort that is spent to knit together ‘‘activists’’ who are shouting against something were spent on knitting those who are doing good work, would that not work a revolution? An even simpler effort would help immensely. All too often we do not even notice the good work that is being done right next to us, nor the person doing it. When we do notice her or him, all too often we just watch. Often we watch with a sort of ‘‘malign neglect’’. We almost wait for him to fail — ‘‘Bahut samajhtaa thaa apne aap ko...’’ Often we paste a motive on him, ‘‘Failed in his job... A publicity hound...’’ Having pasted a motive, we exempt ourselves from doing anything like him. After all, we have not failed at our jobs, after all we are not desperate for publicity... We must reverse these attitudes:

• Look out for such work;

• Let persons doing such work know that you treasure what they are doing and are grateful to them.

.............................
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Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 08-24-2003, 10:02 PM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 08-24-2003, 10:03 PM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 08-24-2003, 10:05 PM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 01-04-2004, 12:24 PM
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Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 01-05-2004, 01:42 AM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 01-05-2004, 04:31 AM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 01-05-2004, 05:24 AM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 01-08-2004, 03:34 AM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 01-08-2004, 03:43 AM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 01-10-2004, 01:22 AM
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Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 01-11-2004, 12:06 AM
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Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 01-19-2004, 12:44 AM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 02-04-2004, 08:32 AM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 02-10-2004, 12:24 PM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 02-10-2004, 12:26 PM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 02-10-2004, 12:28 PM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 03-04-2004, 10:52 PM
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Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 04-28-2004, 10:49 PM
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Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 02-15-2005, 03:22 AM
Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 05-14-2005, 12:30 AM
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Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 06-01-2005, 10:52 PM
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Arun Shouries article on IE. Must Read - by Guest - 06-28-2005, 08:48 PM
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