WATER, WATER ...

More than a century after it was outlined, the much-maligned Malthusian hypothesis of population outgrowing resources has finally caught up with India on the eve of the arrival of its billionth citizen. As it usually happens at such times all eyes are on the government, which is being blamed for not acting in time but is now expected to pull a rabbit out of its hat — supply water, fodder, grain and work to around a quarter of the country’s population over the next few months, comments Baljit Singh

• ...And not a drop to drink,
  For those vultures drifting over the horizon of Gujarat, Punjab might not be far from sight. Even if Mother Nature remains benevolent, it won’t be long before water famine strikes the region as, paradoxically, water is being blatantly plundered and abused in this “Land of five rivers”, says Peeyush Agnihotri

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• THIS ABOVE ALL: What Hinduism was years ago,
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• MAIL BOX: Showcasing three centuries of the Khalsa

• FACT FILE — by Illa Vij
  
  
• STAMP QUIZ — NW
  
  
• ROOTS — by Deepti
  
  
• CROSSWORD — by Karuna Goswamy