Vocabulary:
- undergo /uhn-der-GOH/
- unprecedented /uhn-PRES-i-den-tid/
- standstill /STAND-stil/
- influx /IN-fluhks/
- teetering on the edge /TEE-tering on thee ej/
[verb] to experience something
The new hires will undergo a two-month training.
[adjective] never happened before
An unprecedented number of students enrolled for this month’s English class.
[noun] a situation in which there is no activity at all
Business and government operations are at a standstill due to the citywide blackout.
[noun] the arrival of a lot of people or things at the same time
There’s an influx of tourists during the summer season.
[idiom] to be in a situation where something bad might happen soon
Due to the shortage of food, even small towns around the main city are teetering on the edge.
India is undergoing a water crisis. Shimla, the capital of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, was hit by an unprecedented water shortage during the hot season. This caused a standstill in the city’s activities which includes public toilets being padlocked and schools mostly shut. The government of Shimla has done little to control the influx of new residents and visitors in the city. An estimated 25,000 illegal hotels were built which resulted to the loss of almost 70% of Shimla’s water sources. It is predicted that major cities in India may exhaust water supplies in two years.
Officials in Shimla said that the crisis was exaggerated. According to Jai Ram Thakur, the Himachal Pradesh chief minister, the situation returned to normal within 4-5 days. However, the city residents disagree. Naresh Kumar, a citizen of Shimla, said “[w]ashing clothes, taking baths, they became privileges.” Many families and even smaller cities had to rely on water trucks and government supplies as they are also teetering on the edge.
Officials in Shimla said that the crisis was exaggerated. According to Jai Ram Thakur, the Himachal Pradesh chief minister, the situation returned to normal within 4-5 days. However, the city residents disagree. Naresh Kumar, a citizen of Shimla, said “[w]ashing clothes, taking baths, they became privileges.” Many families and even smaller cities had to rely on water trucks and government supplies as they are also teetering on the edge.
True or False:
- Water shortage is a normal occurrence in Shimla.
- Illegal hotels in Shimla is one of the major causes of water shortage in the area.
- Shimla is the only city suffering from water shortage.
- Water usage is considered a privilege in India.
- In two years, water resources in India will run out.
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think about the water crisis in India?
- Water is a basic human need. Do you think it is also a basic human right? Please explain your answer.
- If you were a government official in Shimla, what would you do to help better the water crisis situation in the city?
- Please list 3 ways on how to conserve water. Explain each.
- How do you think will population growth influence water consumption?
Express Your Opinion:
- “The problem is not the lack of water. It is a lack of vision and will from the government.” – Deven Khanna
- “Water is life, and clean water means health.” – Audrey Hepburn
- “Water is the driving force of all nature.” – Leonardo Da Vinci