WATER

Summers are here and the cities in India are already complaining about water shortage not to mention many villages which lack safe drinking water. In the list of 122 countries rated on quality of portable water, India ranks a lowly 120.Although India has 4% of the world’s water, studies show average availability is shrinking steadily. It is estimated that by 2020, India will become a water-stressed nation. Nearly 50% of villages still don’t have any source of protected drinking water.

According to 2001 census 68.2% households have access to safe drinking water. The department of drinking water supply estimates that 94% of rural habitations and 91% urban households have access to drinking water. But according to experts these figures are misleading simply because coverage refers to installed capacity and not actual supply.

The ground reality is that of the 1.42 million villages in India, 1,95,813 are affected by chemical contamination of water. The quality of ground water which accounts of more than 85% of domestic supply is a major problem in many areas as none of the rivers have water fit to drink.

37.7 million People –over 75% of who are children are afflicted by waterborne diseases every year. Overdependence on groundwater has brought in contaminants, fluoride being one of them. Nearly 66 million people in 20 states are at risk because of the excessive fluoride in water. While the permissible limit of fluoride in water is 1 mg per liter in states like Haryana it is as high as 48 mg in some places. Delhi water too has 32 mg. But the worst hits are Rajasthan, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Nearly 6 million children below 14 suffer from dental, skeletal and non-skeletal fluorosis.

Arsenic is the other big killer lurking in ground water putting at risk nearly 10 million people. The problem is acute in Murshidabad, Nadia, North and South 24 Paraganas, Malda and Vardhaman districts of West Bengal. The deeper aquifers in the entire Gangetic plains contain arsenic.

High nitrate content in water is another serious concern. Fertilizers, septic tanks, sewage tanks etc are the main sources of nitrate contamination. The groundwater in MP, UP, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu has shown traces of nitrates.

However it is bacteriological contamination which leads to diarrhea, cholera and hepatitis which is widespread in India. A bacteriological analysis of the water in Bangalore revealed 75% bore wells were contaminated. Iron; hardness and salinity are also a concern. Nearly 12,500 habitats have been affected by salinity. In Gujarat it is a major problem in coastal districts. Often babies die of dehydration and there are major fights in villages for fresh water. Some villages have seen 80% migration due to high salinity.

There is an urgent need to look for alternative sources of portable water in places where water quality has deteriorated sharply. Community based water quality monitoring guidelines should be encouraged. People should be encouraged to look at traditional methods of protecting water sources. Also in places where groundwater has arsenic or fluoride, surface water should be considered as an alternative.

Friends forever - A small introduction of our complex gang (in alphabetical order)....

BHARATHA:

He is a sheer masterpiece…Look at him; His Smartness would compel Mr. cupid to go for a facial in a parlor…and if I talk about his dressing sense, He simply dresses to kill...His passion for sports & his performance in them is just awesome (He is good in all sports particularly in world’s most favorite ones)…He is a wonderful friend, a proud possession for many. And He is a true Angry Young Man..(Forget Big B, Even Nana Patekar would go ashes...).He is the finest BLEND of many beautiful talents..(Hey Cuties!! taste him once and the hangover will last life long.)

LIKES: Games and Girls…!!!

MAHESHA:

Pinto, as we always called him; he is super amazing friend who'll always be there for you. Someone who standby when u needs him, whom u can rely upon, most altruistic person I ever came across with such a flamboyant style.... known 4 his modesty n humbleness. He’s extremely sensitive and funny too.. there’re a million ppl who "love" u the way u r... You are a mentor for me....every time I ask anything u very patiently listen and has the solution of my all problems...thank for being so lovely to me..

LIKES: Bikes

PRABHU:

Finally I am writing it after a long delay to say something about him, I had to scratch my head a lot. A very nice human who nurtures relations, they mean a lot to him and he is very loyal to them. Be it any, as far as I have analyzed. Lots of GF’s. He is a person you can rely anytime. Dedicated to his work. Now I move to other side of Prabhu, in spite of all the toughness he wears and speaks, he hides a very sentimental and “Bhavuk” human in him somewhere deep inside. He bluffs this to many but I guess all his near and dear ones realize it.

LIKES: Long drive and CD’s

PRADEEP:

PDP, a poet, Though I had not enough time to spend with him but a lot of things to share about him he is true example of patience and hardworking...one who never was demotivated or discouraged...always keep his door to provide help and understand true meaning of life....wishes him a very wonderful, super, duper, zabardast n ekdum mast n dhinchak life bole to ekdum jhakkas and cool life...take special care..

LKES: Studies

PREM:

I know him for 8 years.. Tab se lekar aaj tak we are best friend and share every thing n thoughts with each other. During this whole period I have found that this person is very cool & helping in nature for everyone by heart. Hardworking, never give up attitude. I never forget those days of job hunting which thought lots of lesson for that age..!! He is always eager to learn new things. So whenever I m in any type of problem I call him first. These qualities make him different from others.

LIKES: Kannada movies

RAGHAVENDRA. DN:

A very good friend of mine

He will help u out at the time of quandary (show the right path)

He marks his presence where ever he goes

he is dynamic and full of life, he will never give up

He is as thin as a bamboo stick. Well he is seriously a great friend to be treasured and am glad that we r friends

LIKES: Hard work and bisi bele bath

RAGHU (JIMMY):

I’m really loving to write a testimonial for a dude person with whom I have spent the most special years of my college life.. Oh I really miss those days.. I appreciate you’re your simplicity, Loving and caring nature and your patience. Meri dua hai ki tu life main bahut aage jaaye dost. Will miss u always as my sweet heart (don’t take it otherwise). I know I tease u much every time. But then also whenever I got into trouble u helped me.... The sad part of him nowadays is, he stopped telling “nonsense” , which was his lexis in college..!!

LIKES: Movies and Gobi chilli..!!

RATAN;

Be cautious, his enthusiasm is contagious... I adore his zeal to venture into something unknown...a pleasure to discuss on any topic in the world. I feel he really practices involvement with ease, as he know to remain both passionate and dispassionate.. He has everything in him to be the FUNDOO... In-depth desire to do welfare to complex gang. . I have seen immense changes in him and thus we became what they call ‘friends’.

LIKES: Travelling.

SHABBI:

He is always hyperactive...like to do mischief’s... But this is not the true part of his personality... he is very very honest, soft hearted, he is very intelligent guy, don't lose tempered easily..He keeps u smiling with his mischief...u will always find him lots of vigor....and above all he is very honest towards his well wishers..

LIKES: Body building.

SUSHMA:

Theirs loads.. if I start to tell about this girl..

let me tell u...... she is really cool....

she is someone whom u would love to hangout with all day..

Very lively and one of the most friendly girls around....

her attitude, her sense of humor is soooo catching.. That you will never find her moving alone, anywhere any time..

The one more striking quality in her is how she handles things.. She is ever cool.. Very helping and a real good friend.

LIKES: Cooking (Burnt cakes)

VIDYA:

A born actress in our group, some of my friends used to tease her as “Chindodi leela”. Jokes apart, she is very cool, never tempered, social, enthusiastic and buoyant. Like to face challenges, always wanted to be rooted in life. Fantastic work life balance. Good luck for all the future endeavors.

LIKES: Acting

kodachadri trekking

DAY 1

Almost the day was getting ended; we started our voyage into the place where even sun rays refuses to fall most of the time. Total members were 15, total obstacles were 303 (in the same ratio of kauravas and pandavas) and the total confidence level was infinity.

It was almost 4 in the evening; the contract jeep dropped us in the middle of the jungle leaving us to carry on our journey. The hindrance started hiding behind each other after seeing our poise and enthusiasm.

We continued our expedition step by step, hitting all the stones which came across. The moment we finished our half way mark, Surya deva started showing his value by finishing his duty. But the lights which were stored in our eyes from past few days helped in moving forward, these were equally supported by the torches which we decided to carry in the last minute. Slipped, slide, glide, fall, skid, slewed, swerved but we never stopped.

Finally we reached top with the same zeal we had when we started, in fact bit more. We congratulated each other on our success without knowing the fact that real mission is waiting for us on the next day…

DAY 2

Part 1

It was 6 in the morning; most of us were in the hunger of exploring more places. On the same rhythm, we started our journey for another 2 kms. For all the eyes which were biased to green color, it was a surprise out there since the whole area was covered with the fog. Since nothing was visible other than dew, we started surrendering ourselves to 10 and 12 megapixel cameras. But the best part with the dew was it didn’t make us to wait for long time, got cleared leaving behind the eye-catching sight beneath. Every inch of that vista was captured both in our eyes and cameras.

Part 2

After photo session and breakfast, we started with the most adventurous trekking of our life. 5 kms underneath was a waterfall which was our target, the journey was 10 times tougher than what we had thought, still nobody stopped, nobody hindered, nobody thwart. The kind of an adventure we made to reach the cascade would easily dwarf any other achievements. The waterfalls which was not that great though, gave a new experience to all of us who were comfortable with easy going Bangalore life, gave a much needed break to most of us.

One person who I will like to thank is a guide, Nagbhushan. A boy who knew our potential and incessantly supported in each step of ours.

"There is nothing like walking to get the feel of a place. A fine landscape is like a piece of music; it must be taken at the right tempo. Even a bicycle goes too fast."