Instead of more water flowing in our water taps, the onset of summer brings in more water shortage. And this is our perennial problem for decades now. Perhaps, there is a very scarce water shortage in a water rich country. But with the election nearing, party campaigning on high and tight, the hopes in access to safe and sufficient drinking water supply for every household is becoming quite hopeful and impressive, whoever comes into power. Since, all the four political parties have their water agenda to deliver. However, I am a bit worried about this embellish pledge for how far it takes and works for the common need.
I am happy for the handsome and excited big party promises but worried equally for not being so genuine. I could see their pledges would cost more than a country's total revenue for five years. If this is the case, why our two governments have terribly failed to solve this water problem which they are promising now. They felt the urgency, but they have failed to deliver their services to people for the last 10 years are something very unexpected.
Now they claim that the main problem of insufficient water supply is all due to the poor water management system in place. Whom shall we blame for this? What have our two governments done for all these many years? We must understand the difference between –physical water scarcity and economic water scarcity. Ours is economic water scarcity, which means improper planning and distribution of infrastructures and insufficient human capacity to meet the demands. Current data states that around 80% of homes lack the access to clean drinking water supply which is something to worry for a small country like ours.
When our taps go dry for almost every day, should we feel proud of our mountains and valleys or should we feel proud of our governments for not doing enough.
Bhutan being in the greater Himalayas should out-stand with enough drinking water supply. Going objectively by the number of mountains, trees, glacial areas and the population we should easily achieve the goal of clean and sufficient drinking water by now. In fact, this problem should have invariably been solved and focused 10 years before and not now.
Although globally water is becoming scarce and an extremely rare element. But it shouldn't be an excuse for all of us and walk the talk for the future. It is extremely important that every effort must be made to restore this problem at the earliest not only as a party convention and candidate wooing for a vote in their constituency. Nonetheless, we can have rice shortage and salt issues. It is understandable for a mountainous country but not this water shortage at all.
Although, in our context one thing is obvious that human settlement and streams or rivers are perfectly mismatched. About 87% of human settlement is away from the periphery of streams/rivers but it should not be an excuse. Thus, I feel bogus party pledges should not stand for this.
Of late, the research based in London and USA made me think overly for which they have found out that, "levels of plastic fibers in popular bottled water brands could be twice as high as those found in tap water." Which means bottled water is no safer to drink. What are we supposed to drink, when our home taps go dry for almost 24 hours a day?
The more shameless is when you get your monthly water bills so high, when your taps still go dry for a month. Interestingly, water in Zhemgang has become more expensive than Lobster Frittata and forget about fueling your own body with clean water.
I am a bit worried about the very curious party febrile air forming now about all ambitious promises. However, I am ready to vote for the party whose primary agenda is in conserving environment and not for anyone else.
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