Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005
Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005 |
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Thiruvananthapuram
WHEN POLITICIANS indulge in plainspeak, they are usually careful not to step on their own toes. But when the Minister for Water Resources, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, decided to speak out, he chose to turn the spotlight on the failures of his own department. Seeking to highlight the need for micro-level water harvesting projects while inaugurating a mass awareness campaign organised by the Central Groundwater Board, Mr. Radhakrishnan recalled how major water supply schemes taken up in the past had proved to be white elephants. "The construction of guest houses is invariably the priority for engineers involved in such grandiose schemes. But after spending crores and wasting years, the projects fail to achieve their objective," he said. Later in his speech, the Minister took the opportunity to draw attention to a joke doing the rounds. Stressing the need for recharging of groundwater resources, he said: "With a huge network of leaking underground water pipes, the Kerala Water Authority can probably do the job better than any other agency." The Minister's observation drew a bout of laughter from the audience.
WITH THE day temperatures rising appreciably, soft drink and fruit juice joints have started doing brisk business. The mercury hovers around 33 degrees during day though the nights are still cool. Fresh fruit juices and lime-with-soda called `bwanji' in these parts are the most in demand. Watermelons have started arriving in a big way. Huge green piles of the luscious fruit, a sight for sore eyes, can be seen on the roadside even in busy areas like East Fort and Palayalam. Oranges have just started making way for the king of fruits, the mango. It will not be long before the juice shops add mango to the regular fare of pineapple and grape.
By T. Nandakumar and M. Harish Govind
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