The Mission and the Mangoes is a work of fiction that sets its premise around a dystopic, water-starved Earth where unrestrained mining, drilling and the exhaustion of earth’s resources is rendering the planet unlivable. The young author of the book, 12-year-old Hena Parveen, tries to marry a futuristic setting where technological advancements such as humanoid robots and regular space exploration are a reality, with the Earth’s ecosystem that is hurtling towards an inevitable collapse. Interestingly, all this does not take place in a far-fetched future...
In summers this year, some European rivers had dried substantially, causing drought in many parts of the region. It revealed to their surface, some ancient stones with intricate engravings on them. Their markings used to indicate the water-level of these rivers, which served as a common forecasting tool for famines. Such stones were called hunger stones. One such is disclosed at the banks of the Elbe River. Dated to 1616 AD, its rock is etched with a warning in German...
A Freedom Pledge on water—a promise to conserve every drop for our present, before we even reach the future.
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My friends call me ‘Water Maniac’. They say I suffer from a ‘reverse’ hydrophobia— perennially worried about water. Basically, dreading the prospect when we won’t have any of it…
Chintu and Chinki were excited to go out for their summer vacations. They were bored of staying at home all through the lockdown. Since their grandparents lived nearby, they had planned to visit their village Tikli. Chintu and Chinki had done all their packing and rode off with their Mom and Dad to the village. As they came close to Tikli, they saw some women carrying pots of water on their heads, walking on the roadside...
While there is no escape from washing hands regularly, we can definitely be more mindful of the way we use water and avoid its wastage.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on hygiene practices, the simple act of hand washing using a soap and water, is one of the most effective tools to protect us from getting infected by the coronavirus. Practices such as washing hands before and after eating or using the toilet, maintaining one-arm distance when around others and...
Carrying water by trains could be an emergency measure. Chennai has a strong tradition of water harvesting. But the problem is that most of these structures are either defunct or poorly maintained. Chennai which had 19 major lakes covering an area of 1130 hectares. But these waterbodies have been heavily encroached upon reducing their spread to just about 645 hectares. Its time that we understand the importance of water harvesting.
The coastal state of Maharashtra has three major rivers and several lakes, making it one of the few states in India having a vast water bank. However, most of its water bodies, including the Godavari, Krishna and Tapti rivers, are so polluted that they look like nullahs or drains. Heard about the Jayanthi and Gomati nullahs of Kolhapur? Well, according to water conservationist Rajendra Singh, they were once a water source but today we call them nullahs.
