Post-monsoon blues Mt.Abu

Post-monsoon blues Mt.Abu

Another bad year would have been impossible to manage. Thankfully the rain gods have been kind to this oasis in the Rajasthan desert. Abuites have heaved a huge sigh of relief and are now back to their wanton way of life. One would have thought the hardships endured by the drought-like condition would have conditioned the people at large to take the uttermost precaution of conserving the precious water and utilizing it to their maximum benefit, but that’s not the case, everywhere I look I see tanks overflowing, taps open with not a care in the world to see that it should be shut to preserve the liquid gold that is being wasted to the streets and gutters.

The monsoons this year have opened up a multitude of potholes that were previously patched up. Since the Municipality has not done much about the situation, local Abuites should put up some temporary placard, so that people should just be aware of them. I have seen young tourists on hired bikes hitting some of these life-threatening potholes and ending up pretty badly injured.  The local Abuites and I included have to drive through this obstacle course of potholes many times a day, and all the while bitching and cursing like the Greeks. Now pray tell me how do the Greeks curse- well imagine yourself a Greek and a small mishap befalls you, what do you do, you raise your hands to the heavens, and curse the gods in the filthiest language or languages you know that have caused the mishap, and in this case the bloody potholes.

Tourists visiting India at this time of the year and especially this part of the country do be sure to take precautions against Dengue fever and malaria. Another nasty post-monsoon illness is viral fever and the painful eye flue. Another precaution for those suffering from asthma is to avoid the Congress grass that has sprung up all over this Abode.

Gosh enough of lamenting on post-monsoon blues, have a look at beautiful green Abu.

It's Abu All Dressed in Hues of green

The final Kiss 

The St.Mary's School Campus

Mother Nature at it's Best.

Extreme Measures & Extreme Arrangements- Mt.Abu

Extreme Measures , Extreme Arrangements- Mt.Abu

The paradox of our situation here in Mount Abu is that we have the monsoons pouring rain and the decision of the Lions Club and the local authorities of feeding the lake with rainwater from streams with the aid of 25 odd water tractors and tankers, has been looked upon with utter scepticism and disbelief by the Abuites.

The local Newspapers are claiming that this is one of the largest water harvesting projects taken on in Rajasthan. Even though it seems like carrying coals to Newcastle as the monsoon is still underway here and by the law of averages the lake should overflow by the end of the monsoon period.

This action on the part of some of the residents to feed the lake with about 2 lakh litres of water daily over a period of days just goes to show the desperation and the shortfalls of the administration for this place. The upper Kodra dam that needs desperate repairs and plugging went untouched throughout this dry spell, at the moment this dam has about 7 feet of water, the lower Kodra dam a month ago had only 17 feet of water, today has 42 feet of water. If the monsoon continues to favour us like the past week we should see better days in the coming year.

We have learnt to survive electrical cuts, blackouts with heavy showers, and rationing of water in times of dire drought. In short, we are quite prepared for the
Third World War!

The Tractor tanker emptying its water on the lakes fringe

Tanker being filled from the stream flowing into Paddy’s bridge

Members of the Lion Club and others Overseeing the project.