TOO MUCH WATER TOO LITTLE WATER-(TEXT)

TOO MUCH WATER TOO LITTLE WATER

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

CBSE-IV

Nallamada, Andhra Pradesh Suguna was reading her book, when she heard someone at the door. 

She saw that there was a visitor from the city.Appa welcomed the guest.

He told Selva to bring a cold drink for him. The guest said, “I do not take cold drinks. I will just have a glass of water.”

Appa said, “ These days we are not getting water that is fit for drinking. It does not even look clean. It would be better if you do not drink this water. We do not have a choice, so we drink it.”

Water Games

Bazaar Gaon, Maharashtra There was a big water park near Bazaar Gaon. One day Rohan and Reena went with their parents to the water park. There were many water fountains.

Reena said, “Look Rohan, there are so many rides in the water.” “And look at all these big ponds,” Rohan said. Splash! Splash! Splash! Both turned around. They saw a long thick water hose going zoom, zoom, zoom.

Children were sliding down a big tall slide and landing in water with a loud splash. Rohan got into a swing high above – whoosh!, Within a second, he had landed in the water. Reena gave a shriek of surprise!

Just then they heard a lot of noise and loud voices from outside the park. Everyone ran towards the main gate. There was a crowd of people, carrying empty buckets and pots. A small child carrying an empty bottle was clinging to his mother. Rohan’s mother went to one of the women in the crowd.

“What is the matter?” She asked. The woman replied angrily, “You ask what is the matter? Our wells have no water. We get our water only when the tanker comes once a week. Today, even that has not come. And here, there is so much water everywhere – just for you all to play and enjoy. Tell me, what should we do?”

Can We Drink This?

Cuffe Parade, Mumbai The lift stopped at the 26th floor. Deepak loves going in the lift. Today was a holiday in school.

Deepak had gone with his mother to Raziya Madam’s house. His mother worked there. The house was quiet and cool, and shining clean.

Raziya was reading a newspaper. She smiled when she saw Deepak. “Is it a holiday today?” she asked. She switched on the TV and Deepak was soon lost in the world of cartoons.

Raziya called out, “Pushpa, it says in the newspaper that the gutter water has got mixed with the water in the drinking water pipes, in this area. It says that many people are sick with diarrhoea and vomiting because of this.

Why don’t you throw away the water that was filled yesterday? Put some fresh water to boil, for drinking. Also take home some boiled water for your family.”

Deepak was happy to hear this. He thought, “At least today I will not have to stand in a queue for hours to get water for our house. It is a real holiday for me!”

Children show the Way:

Too little water, or no water… this was nothing new for the people in the Holgundi area of Karnataka. The wells would have some water only in rainy days.

In the past three years, there was not even enough rain. Everything had dried up there. There was no water for drinking, for growing crops, or for animals. People had to leave their village and go to nearby towns for some work.

Children had to leave school to go with the elders. The village panchayat was worried. All the members discussed what could be done. This panchayat had some special members – children.

The children’s panchayat was called Bhima Sangh. “Has our village always had water shortage?” the children asked the elders. “No, it was not so before,” replied village people.

Some of the elders recalled that up on the hill, there used to be a water tank. The tank would fill with water when it rained. There used to be fish in the tank, and greenery around it.

Those days, even the village wells and the pond used to have enough water. On hearing this, the Bhima Sangh decided that they would first look for that tank. The tank was on the hill. They found that the tank was full of mud and stones now.

How could water fill? The tank had many cracks. How could the water remain in the tank? There were no trees and grass – how could there be greenery?

The children said, “We must clean the tank and make the area green again.” For this, it was important to first understand how things had been before and why they had changed now. This would help them to plan for solving the water problem. And, that too, not only for one year, but for the years ahead.

The panchayat took help from some experts. Together, they made a plan and together they worked for it. The tank was first properly cleaned. The cracks were repaired.

Grass and trees were planted all around the tank. As the tank was on a hill, a lot of rain water used to flow down the slopes. With this water, soil also would flow away. So the children made a small dam on the slope, to stop the water and soil.

Then everybody waited for the rains to come. When it rained, the tank filled up with the water. The children put some fish in the tank.

They kept guard to make sure that nobody stole the fish or harmed the plants. One monsoon went by, then another. Things got better every year. The tank filled a little more, the plants grew, the fish multiplied.

After two or three years, the tank remained full of water even after the rains had stopped. The wells and ponds in the village had water again. There was greenery once again. The people did not have to leave their village for work.

The hard work of Bhima Sangh had shown results. The children had shown the way! Those children are now grown up. But the Bhima Sangh continues, and every year more children are proud to become its members and work together; to always lead the way.

THANKYOU,

NANDITHA

NANDITHA IN MUMBAI-(TEXT)

NANDITHA IN MUMBAI

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

CBSE-IV

I came to Mumbai a month ago. Since we came, mother has been admitted in the hospital. We had to come to Mumbai for her treatment.

The Big City – Mumbai!

I have slowly got used to the city. I still remember the day when mother and I got off the train at the Mumbai station. It was so crowded! I quickly caught hold of mother’s hand. I was thinking about how Mama would find us in the crowd.

Just then, I heard someone calling loudly from behind, “Nandita, Nandita.” I turned back, and there was Mama. We left the station and were soon on our way to Mama’s house. But, again, it was so crowded everywhere.

There were many huts lined all along the narrow street. We went through the street to reach Mama’s house. Mama, Mami, their two daughters and a son – all live in one room. Now, I too live here with them.

It is here that we sit, sleep, cook and wash – all in one room. My house in the village also has only one room, but we have separate places for cooking and for bathing. We also have a courtyard outside.

Water- Water

Mami, Seema and I get up at 4 o’clock every morning and go to the public-tap to fill water. Oh no! You won’t believe how many fights there are for water. If we are just a little late, then we are not able to fill water for the day.

There is no tap in our house in the village too. The pond in the village has water. It takes twenty minutes to walk to it. In summer, sometimes, the water in the pond dries up. Then we have to walk for almost one hour to the river to get water. But in the village, there were no fights for water.

In the street where Mama lives, there is a toilet at one end. Everyone in the street uses that toilet. It is always very dirty and smells so bad. At first, it used to make me want to vomit.

At times, there is no water. We have to take water with us. Now I am getting used to all this. In the village, people go to the open places or fields for toilet. The men and women go to different places.

Learning New Things

Everyday I go to the hospital by bus to see my mother. At first, I was too scared to get into such crowded buses. I was not at all used to it. I was afraid.

But now, it is not like that. I know how to stand in line, how much to pay for the ticket, where to get down. Where we stay, there is a tall building nearby.

My Mami works in seven houses there. She washes utensils and cleans the houses. One day I went there with her. When I first saw the building, I thought that it was one big house. But I found that there were many houses, one on top of another. I was wondering how I would climb so many stairs, but there was a lift to take people up and down.

It was like a big iron cage with fan and light and even a bell. So many of us got into the lift. Somebody pressed the button and lift went up quickly. To tell you the truth, I was very scared in the beginning.

Another House

Mami took me first to Babloo’s house. His house was on the twelfth floor. What a big house! So many rooms – one to sit in, one to eat in, one to sleep in, and one to cook in.

Their toilet was also in the house! It took Mami a lot of time to clean Babloo’s house, but she could work easily. There was a tap in the kitchen and water flowed from it.

Babloo put a bucket under the tap to fill water for his bath. Then he sat down to watch TV. So much water was wasted – I did not like it. I went

and closed the tap.

Babloo’s house had big glass windows. Mami told me to look down from the window. I could see Mama’s street and the houses, but I could not make out which was his house. From up there, everything below looked like small toys. I was quite afraid to look down from such a height.

A New Worry

Mama had said that he would take me around to see Mumbai . The children around here talk a lot about Chowpatti.

They say that big film stars also live there. May be when I go there, I might see a film star! These days, Mama is so worried – I cannot ask him to take me to Chowpatti.

Last week some people had come with a notice that everyone should move out of this place. They say a big hotel will be built there.

Mama was saying that this is the third time in the last ten years that he got such notices. People who live here have been given another place to make their houses.  But it is very far away another corner of the city.

There is no drinking water, no electricity. I don’t even know if any bus goes there. How will Mama reach his work place from so far? How much money will he have to spend, and how much time also.

And Mami, will she get some other work there! If Mama moves to a new place, how will I be able to visit my mother? Mother is not even completely well as yet!

THANK YOU,

NANDITHA