Lighthouse

Author(s): Udayvallabhvijay
Publisher: Pragna Prabodh Parivar

Page 38

places in the 'tomatina' festivals, thousands of tons of tomatoes are wasted in throwing them at each other. In some festivals, tons of chocolates made from lakhs of tons of milk are wasted in rubbing the chocolates on each other's bodies. If one is aware of the hungry stomachs of lakhs of people, what inhumane mentality or a devilish urge of enjoyment would be behind such festivity? In the game of ice-buckets, people pour buckets of ice-cold water on each other. Can this be called anointing? Can this be called a bath or Can it be called pouring cold water on civilization ? If people who are out to club religious rituals or traditions with their so-called intellectualism, the true platform for flexing their muscle against wastage is such festivals and not religion. Let us leave the world alone! What happens to the food grains grown in this country for which crores of farmers have toiled hard throughout the year? Every year lakhs of tons of foodgrains get wasted for want of proper storage arrangements. And this has been happening for decades. What should be the topmost priority for the development programme of the country ? If the intellectuals apply their mind, that would be enough. When I am writing this, the prices of turdal in the country are flaring up like wild fire, hovering around Rs.225/- per kg. On the other hand there are news in newspapers that in raids on 2-3-4 places thousands of tons of turdal stocks valuing crores of rupees have been seized. On reading these news one exclaims, Oh My God !!
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