It is the end of May, and the City is an oven. Hot winds blow from Rajasthan, bringing with them gallons of dust. We cannot blame the desert; the hills which used to shield us have been eroded by greed. Temperatures are steadily rising.
The price of petrol has shot through the roof; diesel and LPG will follow. The prices of fruits and vegetables, already high, have been conveniently increased. A thousand rupee note vanishes in minutes. The only ones smiling seem to be the vendors.
There are some things that are coming down – flowing downwards. There is an acute shortage of water. Anger is being fuelled not only by the petrol hike, but by this lack of water. Villagers, and even the urban population, are out on the streets.
Our Rupee is on a tumble, and it is doubted whether all the queens’ men can save it. The vacation cost (to the West) just went up; the imports – even coffee, cheese, pasta (from the self-same folk) have got dearer. Talk of a double whammy! And we thought we were better off...
The City will soon be arid land. The water table has plunged. The water in our taps is dribbling. Swimming pools will soon be a luxury. The electricity in the residential areas is playing truant. When it does appear, the voltage is so low that the A/C and even the fans groan in protest. The powers to be claim helplessness.
The quality of governance in the country, not to point only to our City, has declined rapidly. The country is in a free fall, as the government waits for a 2014 deliverance.
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