This is with reference to your recent report on the water crisis alert following a 40% drop in reservoir levels. I sincerely hope and pray we do not face a Bengaluru-like situation in the near future. This fear stems from how our government is handling the crisis. The ideal first step would be to study the state's resource capacity and halt all construction projects that strain available resources. Instead, the government continues to entertain real estate sharks. This is evident from gram sabha meetings, where villagers are frequently protesting against mega projects. Many such projects advertise villas and swimming pools at the cost of deforestation. And as if mega projects were not enough to cause destruction of water bodies and forests, the government has ventured into reviving the mining industry and multiple other projects, marketed as "development" - smart cities, long flyovers, eight-lane highways, etc. But what about basic development? Clean and adequate water, clean air, proper sewage systems that do not contaminate water bodies and fields, efficient administration, low crime rates, and fair, timely justice? Can we sustain this first stage of development before moving to the next?
