Corruption, that puts interests of the self (or the corrupt) before the larger interests of the nation, in myriad ways big or small, ends up breaking the fabric of the nation.

The information graphic above looks at a typical Indian city from the perspective of (rain) water availability and depicts four scenarios: 1. The current or past scenario wherein rainwater falling over a limited area collected in nearby lake/s is distributed to the city. Here, water for the entire city is essentially accumulated at one location. 2. An ideal scenario wherein rainwater collection is widespread and each property collects rainwater for domestic use and enough water is also collected in nearby lake/s. So rainwater falling over a much wider area is utilised. 3. This scenario depicts the foolish and alarming reality of today and tomorrow, wherein owing to erratic rainfall, increase in demand and destruction of catchment areas, enough water is not collected in lake/s that supply municipal water, city dwellers ignore precious rainwater and let it go waste, depending instead on sub-standard water pumped out of deep bore wells. Many are forced to buy expensive water the quality of which can be questionable. 4. This scenario depicts what city dwellers should be doing or what they will ultimately be forced to do, wherein almost all properties (spread over a much larger area) collect rainwater, use it for domestic purposes and ease off pressure on already stressed lakes and groundwater reserves, which could also be recharged by channeling excess rainwater back into the ground.

If you are one of those rare Indian city dwellers who collect rainwater in your property, then you will probably know just how much water a single rooftop can collect from just one day’s good rain, often it can be judiciously used for months! If you are not one of them, it’s time you at least started thinking about it! Usually, a rainwater collection system costs less than a deep bore well and in terms of water quality, there can be no comparison to rainwater!

This graphic attempts to illustrate the correlation between the urban development process in India and falling availability of water, groundwater in particular. Construction of buildings and infrastructure (which is currently happening at a fast rate in India) requires heavy use of water, most of which is pumped out of the ground. Water is then used intensively by people who reside / work in the buildings with little or no attempt to recharge the groundwater or to harvest or store rainwater. Moreover, nearby lakes or ponds that are some of the most efficient means of recharging groundwater, are filled up and the ‘new’ land used for more buildings. Once the groundwater depletes or becomes unfit for consumption, many residents are forced to leave and those who stay have to buy expensive commercial water and in many cases the value and usefulness of the ‘developed’ properties declines. If you look at the current urban development trend in India from the perspective of water (the liquid critical for sustenance of life), that it is about short-term gains and long-term loss is not difficult to see..

One significant difference between developed and developing countries lies in the importance they give to garbage (or municipal solid waste) management. Most developed countries have strict rules and procedures in place regarding garbage disposal and violators are fined heavily. Proper management of waste is a strong indicator of a responsible and developed society. To become a developed country in that sense, India has a long way to go! Today, in India, there is an urgent need of strict garbage disposal and waste management rules, procedures and related education. (Bottom right photograph: garbage collection in Sweden. Photographer: Niklas Johnsson, curtesy Stock Xchng. Top left photograph: a garbage collection bin outside a South Delhi neighbourhood.)

This graphic tries to portray the weight or pressure that India’s billion strong (and growing) population exerts on the development process of the country. To develop the country or to ‘uplift’ such a huge population, India’s development process will have to be that much stronger, weightier and tougher.

A perspective of looking at the concept of sustainable development: the process of development should give equal regard or consideration to nature and natural resources!

Is India’s population eating up the country is the question this graphic (based on the famous computer game Pac-Man) tries to ask. While many say India’s workforce will be younger than China’s in the next few decades (right now China is world’s fastest growing major economy) and give China a run for its money, a few relevant questions that nevertheless arise in ones mind are: Will India be able to provide food, healthcare, education and employment for such a huge population? Will the (already crumbling) infrastructure in Indian cities be able to cope up with the demands of a rising population and urbanisation? Will India’s already-under-pressure natural resources be able to sustain the requirements of a mega population? And most importantly, which socio-economic classes do most current newborns in India belong to, what kind of education and healthcare are they likely to receive and how likely are they to get a piece of the economic growth pie?

Religious clashes deface and destabilise the country is what this graphic (based on the Gujarat riots of 2002) tries to portray. No religion teaches hatred, senseless destruction or killing; riots are often fueled by sly political agendas and usually result in loss of life, peace and property among other things. Riots are almost always a setback to the development process.

Created for a group show of posters titled ‘Invasions’ (held at Palm Court, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, in May 2003), this illustration attempts to question modernisation and wonders if it is necessary to adopt western ways of living in order to develop.

This typographical graphic attempts to portray the negative impact corruption has on the growth of a country. Instances of rampant corruption hampering developmental projects / economic growth / progress / business plans / ambitions are far too many in India and even today, corruption here remains largely unchecked.