This cartoon that appeared in the Gujarati vernacular daily on 18 April, 2006 is a reminder of the emotions that an average Gujarati associates himself with Narmada.
As I was walking out of an assignment with a high profile businessman, he stopped me to ask what my opinion on the anti-Narmada protests were. He later told me that the question was primarily because the English media has generally acted against interests of Gujarat and was keen to know what I felt. In Gujarat it is normal to face such barrages of questions and so I was not surprised. But what surprised him was a condition that I posed to him before responding to his query. He agreed and I sent him a volley of uncomfortable questions.Have you ever been to Narmada valley? Have you ever seen the Narmada water reaching the destination it was intended to? Have you ever seen a tribal? Do you know what displacement is? Do you know that the water that is transported after displacing millions of people are used in Sabarmati river and lakes- both part of beautification projects of Ahmedabad? Do you know that there are hundreds of dams on Narmada and its tributaries? Do you really think the water will ever reach the water-starved areas of Kutchch?
I paused for a while for another set of questions. But the gentleman, originally from Surendranagar, one of the most drought stricken areas of Gujarat, admitted that he knows nothing about Narmada. His middle name is Radheshyam and if I mention the first or second name, it will be easier for anyone to make out. Let him remain our silent source.But like him, none of those who are protesting for Narmada have no idea for what they are doing that. Very few of these protestors at least know that they are fighting to bring Narmada water to Gujarat, which according to Jaynarayan Vyas, former Narmada minister, gets wasted in the sea.The cartoon here says "let them leave those displaced and start thinking of those who are starved for water"Yes, the state is emotionally attached to Narmada for reasons best known to those who made it a political issue. According to Vyas, the Narmada water gets wasted in sea. But right under his nose, in the city of Ahmedabad millions of gallons of water goes nowhere during the monsoons. Because the city has no underground water recharging facilities nor any proper drainage system, the water is flooded into homes making it a nightmare during monsoons. Now leaving this water which could be used for more than half of the year if it gets recharged, state has spent millions on bringing Narmada water. The lady whom I see every morning I wake up wastes a whole lot of water every day. There is no shortage of women in my apartment whose only job is to see that the water in the overhead tank is used to maximum. Because there is no control of usage of water, it is considered as a free supply under the impression that it can be used in any quantity.
(Rough note) to continue
I paused for a while for another set of questions. But the gentleman, originally from Surendranagar, one of the most drought stricken areas of Gujarat, admitted that he knows nothing about Narmada. His middle name is Radheshyam and if I mention the first or second name, it will be easier for anyone to make out. Let him remain our silent source.But like him, none of those who are protesting for Narmada have no idea for what they are doing that. Very few of these protestors at least know that they are fighting to bring Narmada water to Gujarat, which according to Jaynarayan Vyas, former Narmada minister, gets wasted in the sea.The cartoon here says "let them leave those displaced and start thinking of those who are starved for water"Yes, the state is emotionally attached to Narmada for reasons best known to those who made it a political issue. According to Vyas, the Narmada water gets wasted in sea. But right under his nose, in the city of Ahmedabad millions of gallons of water goes nowhere during the monsoons. Because the city has no underground water recharging facilities nor any proper drainage system, the water is flooded into homes making it a nightmare during monsoons. Now leaving this water which could be used for more than half of the year if it gets recharged, state has spent millions on bringing Narmada water. The lady whom I see every morning I wake up wastes a whole lot of water every day. There is no shortage of women in my apartment whose only job is to see that the water in the overhead tank is used to maximum. Because there is no control of usage of water, it is considered as a free supply under the impression that it can be used in any quantity.
(Rough note) to continue
