Monday, August 31, 2009

Growing water Problem in India

Depleting Water Resources and Need for New Water Policy in India

Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh in his address to the nation on the eve of 62nd Independence Day stressed on the need of having a comprehensive national policy on conservation of water. The ground water resources are being replenished at a drastic rate, which in future will leave the nation on the mercy of monsoon and in a dry year like the current one water scarcity is bound to happen. In months of May and June, Indore faced huge scarcity of water. Municipal corporation employees were beaten up after which the police had to escort water tankers. These incidents will become more common in the coming years in absence of a national policy.

The policy formulation should address following issues

• Depleting underground water resources
• Changes in rainfall pattern
• Global warming
• Interstate water disputes


Depleting underground water reserves is most severe in Punjab & Haryana, largely because of the multi paddy crops sowed over the years. Multi paddy crops means more than one paddy crop in the same year in the same field. This was ultimately banned after a lot of hue and cry. Water level has fallen below 200 feet and farmers have resorted to submersible water pumps. The government should encourage alternate kharif crops and ensure adequate MSP and procurement. Agriculture has largely been limited to wheat and rice. Punjab over the years has witnessed GDP growth which was lower than the national average and in such a situation other crops may well be a blessing in disguise. The same practice of multi paddy crop has been started in Tarai region i.e. Udham Singh Nagar District in Uttarakhand and parts of bordering districts of Pilibhit, Barielly and Rampur in U.P. We Indians have developed a habit of waking up only in crisis, the authorities in these districts have turned a blind eye towards this development and it is only when water level will fall drastically that they will come into action.

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Role of Teachers in Nation Building

The teacher is one of the pillars of the society and the country. Without good teachers, no country can progress. The importance of teachers in the life of a nation cannot be overlooked. The teacher influences the immature minds of-the youth. He treats and moulds the young mind into various forms. The future of the nation is built him through the process of education. As nation which tries to march ahead on the road to progress must do so with the help of able teachers. A nation cannot afford to leave its future in the hands of incompetent teachers. According to a philosopher, "The world of tomorrow will be born from the schools of today." Thus the teacher is very significant as the builder of the nation.

India is known for its great teachers. In the past, there were highly competent teachers. They were held in high esteem by all sections of the society. Even the kings and rulers paid great respect to them. They used to look up to their teachers for guidance and advice in the hour of crisis. In those days, teachers were the true benefactors of society. They were the trustees of common welfare. History is full of examples that great decisions of vital importance were taken by kings on the advice of their teachers or gurus. Alexander, the Great was indebted to his teacher, Aristotle for the knowledge and advice given to him from time to time. Thus teachers in the past enjoyed a place of esteem and reverence.


However, those times have passed. Now the teacher does not hold as much esteem as he did in the past. Teachers have lost their old glory. Now they are looked down upon in society. Their economic condition is also miserable. We know that our country is economically backward and the standard of the masses is very low. Burin this system, the teacher stands on the lowest rung of the ladder and plays a pivotal role in building of a nation or a country.

Moreover, the nature of society has changed. We have become materialistic. In this society, only those people command respects that have power and money. Thus an illiterate minister gets more respect than a highly qualified and scholarly teacher. The society of the past which respected teachers has vanished. The poor teacher does not enjoy much prestige in the society of today. The proliferation of private schools, which are merely teaching shops, is another reason of the decline of a teacher's prestige. These schools employ teachers at very low salaries and the teachers cannot give his best to the students. The teacher suffers in many other ways also. A person who fails in getting a job and is rejected by his employers, blames his teachers for his own failures. In this way also, the teaching profession has been disgraced. As less attention is paid to education these days, the teacher has also lost prestige.


There is a great dissatisfaction and frustration among teachers. Working conditions in schools and colleges are appalling. It is very sad that the persons in charge of education are themselves quite ignorant. They look down upon teachers as mere employees and nothing else. In such conditions, the teacher feels helpless and frustrated. 
 
To some extent, teachers are also to be blamed for this state of affairs. Many teachers also look upon their duty as a service only. In the present time many incompetent teachers get jobs through bribery or approach. Such teachers do not build the society; they destroy it. They mar the future of their students. Such teachers indulge in mal practices. They form unions and ignore the teaching work. They do not have any rapport with students. They exploit students for their own selfish purposes. Such teachers are responsible for spoiling the image of the whole teaching community. 
 
However, the fact remains the teacher is the builder of society. Teacher has a very important roll in nation building. If a nation ignores its teachers it soon finds itself on the path of decline.