Hardly a day passes without the newspapers reporting acute water shortage in this ‘Millenium’ city. Scary stories about the sharp drop in groundwater levels and the City going dry in a few years haunt most of us. Many have indeed been chastened, and have even become water crusaders - telling all to save this natural resource that no longer seems eternal. I have this nasty habit of checking anyyone that I see wasting water - be it at the dining table or a conference or a wedding reception. I constantly sermonise about the virtues of conserving this great gift of God and the consequences of not doing so. I can be rude on this. Seeing someone leave half a glass of water on the table is enough to get me started; I ask the culprit why he didn’t pour half a glass to begin with. I even check my old parents at meal times, despite knowing that this annoys them. However, there is a lighter side to it too. This happened many years ago. A friend’s uncle used to stay with them. This chap had the nasty habit of drinking only half the cup of tea served to him. Once my friend’s mother checked him and suggested that he should ask for only half a cup if that’s all he needed. “If I start with only half a cup”, the guy replied incredulously, “then what will I drink!”
At ‘events’ I keep telling waiters not to pour water in the glasses till someone asks for it. I often pick up a ‘neighbour’s’ open bottle at seminars, so that another bottle doesn’t need to be opened unnecessarily. I also get very worked up seeing some drivers in the neighbourhood hosing down ‘their’ cars and driveways...and even the road in front. I angrily tell them that half a bucket of water is all they need to clean the car, and a similar quantity for ‘wet mopping’ the driveway. The responses are interesting. Some of them are civil enough to say, “Sorry uncle ji, we won’t use the hose again. Thank you for checking us.” Others are nasty, and reply on my face, “It is our saheb’s borewell and his electricity; what is your problem?” And probably the ‘worst’ are those who keep quiet and, the moment I turn away, say – loud enough for me to hear – “Budhha pagal ho gaya hai.” For me ‘water conservation’ is a mission. I do not let up. I keep going back to athe ‘errant’ ones, hoping to make them feel ashamed one day. I really don’t care what they thnik of me or call me. In fact I can one day see myself going to the roof tops and shouting, “Car washers of the world unite! Drop the hose and pick up a bucket. And you car owners. Why are you allowing such wastage of water? Be forewarned…there will be none left for your children and grandchildren!”
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