S c a t t e r e d ?

That -- the title of this blog post seems to sum up the status and character of the Monsoons this year (and the related fate of India's prosperity at large). To elaborate, the forecast is that the monsoon will be mostly scattered this year. Which means, it may rain cats and dogs (and cloudbursts) over your house while it barely drizzles over mine -- immaterial of our respective houses being located in two different states, cities, colonies or even being cheek by jowl in terms of proximity.

As I write this, there already seem to be "water wars" happening here in AP with the meagre water in Nagarjuna Sagar / Srisailam the proverbial bone of contention. And though AP has received some rains (which here in Hyderabad have as usual revealed the abject state of city's urban planning as if it were covered by a thoroughly wet tee shirt), the situation is really grim and almost drought-like across a large swathe of the country -- the floods in Assam notwithstanding.

The "entire" country is a different kettle of fish and the monsoon is not something that can ever be properly predicted but still why is it so that we -- most of India's metros and towns don't do much about conserving water? That we don't do much about letting it all go and flow -- by and by of course, through one big dam and another -- out into the sea?

Why, oh why, cannot we take a leaf out of the planning and foresight of kings and kingdoms of yore, who -- in days far less scientifically advanced than these had the common sense to get tanks and man-made lakes constructed in an intricate arrangement that ensured that more or less all the bounties of the heavens could be collected?

Why oh why, don't we give our lakes -- at least here in Hyderabad -- a bit more of respect, treat them with the care they deserve as our only reservoir of fresh water?

Is it that we all think, with typical urban consumerist disdain, that we can buy as much of water as we want?

Beggars me, the very idea...what will one buy when there is nothing to buy? 

Liquid food for thought, is it not?