IIPM ARTICLE AND EDITORIAL: August 2010

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Organized Workshop - IIPM -Workshop on corporate power dressing - IIPM Lucknow

"We stand on the razor's edge of being remembered...or forgotten”! Impressions are critical in creating the right impact. They make the deciding difference between success and failure.

The impact of our appearance, postures, and manners is as strong if not more than that of our skills, expertise and competency. People inadvertently form their first impressions in less than five minutes of the meeting on the basis of general body language and our ability to project ourselves. In social as well as professional work situations, inevitably, packaging and etiquette is the only visible and available means of evaluating others.

With liberalization and globalization bringing in a train of new business opportunities involving overseas partnerships, joint ventures and tie-ups, there is an urgent need for Indian Managers to familiarize themselves with diverse cultures and their social decorum.

Bearing this need the Rhetorix Club at IIPM Lucknow organized a workshop on Corporate Power Dressing. The workshop was conducted by the known fashion designer Asma Hussain, who emphasized on the importance of dressing in the colorful corporate world to ensure casual and stylish flair. Asma Hussain also highlighted the key aspects of formal dressing by an elaborate presentation. It was a good educational experience for the students who were left clamoring and mesmerized

Friday, August 27, 2010

Breaking News - IIPM - BRAND WAR

Executive communication at IIPM is one of the most coveted and sought after subject. Through EXCOM students explore a new foray of communication. In the process the students are sprinted through a series of activities which test their body language, team building and leadership skills. These exercises spark up their interests and eventually enhance their overall persona.

On 3rd August 2010 , the IIPMites of Lucknow were exposed to an enthralling presentation on “ Brand War”- Pizza hut vs Dominos conducted by the students of UG/FW/09-11, under the guidance of their EXCOM faculty Mr. Ali Mustafa Rizvi . Preparation for this event had begun a week in advance and the campus was bustling with posters and other promotional campaigns of the respective brands.

An excellent promotional approach followed by a thorough professional yet entertaining presentation marked the end of this week long affair. The audience which included the students, faculties and employees from both the brands, gave an overwhelming response.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

IIPM 4Ps Business & Marketing - Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

Anil Dua

Senior VP – Marketing, Hero Honda Motors

In making Hero Honda the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer (by volume) for nine consecutive years, Anil Dua has played a key role. The ex-Gillette man plays a pivotal role in deciding the strategies when it comes to launch of new products in India. In fact, Dua was the one who gave the suggestion to focus on the top-line rather than the bottom-line in 2006, when Bajaj was just inches away from dethroning Hero Honda as the market leader. However, that didn’t happen and Bajaj is still second. Hero Honda’s deep penetration in the rural markets has made its entry-level segment the strongest pillar in the company.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
The Sunday Indian:-
B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

IIPM 4Ps Business & Marketing - Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

Puneet Datta

Assistant Director – Marketing, Canon BIS

One campaign that particularly comes to mind is the ‘Customer testimonial ATL campaign’. This was one of the few campaigns, which due to a composite marketing strategy, strategically helped in creating a pull and increased Canon’s brand awareness through spreading the message about Canon being the leading technology provider in the imaging industry. The campaign was specifically built around Canon’s existing strong customer base wherein, the select customers were projected as the brand ambassadors of the products. The customers spoke about how the product was beneficial to the organisation and how the product had provided them great RoI. Thus the campaign was successful in showcasing strong relationships with existing customers and in establishing Canon’s technology prowess.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

Anuj Singh

National Marketing Head & West Head, Red FM

It’s special when all doubts are put to rest with recognition from the highest order - your consumer! In our case, it was the moment when brand Red FM rose from being a contender to the leader within a span of just a few months. Of the things that contributed to this success, one thing which worked very well for us was the connect we could achieve with our brand attitude ‘Bajaate Raho!’ as well as the media strategy we adopted to communicate the same. We adopted the ‘touch point’ strategy of reaching out to people at various apertures in their daily lives, wherein they are most receptive and thus communicate the brand attitude through the use of socially relevant messages.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

Sameer Suneja

Country Head, Perfetti Van Melle India

Repositioning of Happydent has been a really special experience. The brand was possibly launched ahead of its time and was initially positioned almost as a cosmetic product performing a quasi-functional role. The consumer was not willing to accept that a chewing gum could play a role in teeth whitening, and the brand was rejected. The whole exercise of repositioning and relaunching the brand was extremely gratifying, and commercials such as the Photographer Flash film and subsequently the Palace film and associated initiatives did wonders. It is today one of India’s leading gum brands. It reinforces the belief that some really strong consumer insight work translated into a brand strategy when executed well, has a dramatic impact on consumer acceptance, irrespective of the brand’s PLC.

Friday, August 20, 2010

DON’T MISS THE ONLINE HOLIDAY SEEKERS...

Internet has already become a key game changer and the mobile is the next in line. It is important for the sector to understand the dynamics of these emerging mediums

The Indian travel and tourism market can achieve massive gains during 2010 if the industry takes advantage of the opportunities presented to it. There has been greater interest in India as a travel destination for global travellers due to the reduction in air fares, increasing availability of travel options online, increased spending into destination marketing and rapid adoption of consumer mobile technology. Combined, this offers a clear and visible revival for the economy; particularly for hoteliers who can maximise sales through internet travel portals. More hoteliers are now selling online, although recent figures still indicate that less than 10% of bookings are being processed through the Internet. Analysts predict that the $2 billion revenue generated online in 2009 could reach $6 billion by the end of this year. Compared to the European market, this is a faster and more productive growth of travel & tourism e-commerce, where, after 10 years, the participation of online is still below 50% of all travel bookings.

We already see that hoteliers in India are becoming more web-savvy by adopting channel management technologies to distribute inventory across multiple booking websites while also using these tools to benchmark their competitors rates. Online bookings have helped Indian hoteliers reach a wider global audience which helps hotels realise the impact of online sales for increasing occupancy and revenue opportunities.

The Indian travel market is amongst the first to show signs of recovery. It must be noted that the Indian hospitality segment was not as badly affected as its European or American counterparts. Until early last year, demand for rooms exceeded supply, leading hoteliers to increase rates. As demand fell, a sense of balance occurred; leading to adequate adjustment in selling rates, due to which occupancy levels in India didn’t drop as significantly as other markets. Also, India has done quite well in increasing international awareness as a leisure travel destination. Global marketing campaigns have drawn attention to a historically fascinating country.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

WHAT’S BUZZING THE BUZZ?!

Be it handycams, mobile phones, laptops or the latest hot wheels, all of them created enough waves in the Indian market in the last fortnight.

HP Mini 210:

Pretty & Powerful: Hewlett-Packard India has strengthened its notebooks range by launching its newly designed “Mini 210”. The product has been designed keeping in mind the needs of students and business travelers. The product boasts off its design aesthetics and swanky looks. Its has features like Chicklet keyboard, Chicklet Touchpad, WLAN, integrated webcam, Bluetooth, Microsoft Windows 7 OS and weighs around 1.22 kg (with HDD) and measuring less than 1-inch thin.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Chicklet keyboard
Windows 7 OS
Atom 450 Processor
Price: Rs. 16,000

Tribal Italia

FEELING THE TREBLE: Amara Raja Electronics Ltd. has unveiled its new product named Tribal Italia, which is a sine wave UPS. A pure mix of style and performance, the product has been designed keeping in mind the indian user. It has the unique i-DSP technology, delivering pure sine wave output, which protects electronic items at home.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

i-DSP Technology
Cradle Rocker System
Price: Rs.7,000-8,000

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

CAN YOU HEAR ME?

As many as 16 players vying for the attention of consumers in a market, how can anyone get noticed? Ask Indian telecom service providers and they will tell you how…

Experts suggest that marketers can avoid the clutter trap either by selling a product for what it is, or by bringing a differentiated product to market. And that’s what exactly every single player in the telecom arena is trying to do at present. “The DNA of Airtel stands for relationships that are personal & touch your heart and at the same time connotes nationality,” says Sagar Mahableshwarkar, CCO of Rediffusion DY&R.

While Airtel is trying to make emotional bonding with its customers through its ads, Aditya Birla owned Idea Cellular is talking about socially relevant issues like illiteracy, racism, deforestation, et al. According to Sanjeev Aga, Managing Director, Idea Cellular, “Our endeavour as a brand is to come out with ideas that touch the lives of the people. It’s a different thing that in that process we end up with campaigns that have a social message attached!” Even state-owned BSNL has joined the bandwagon by launching some innovative services. “Besides 3G and Wi-Max we have also ventured into enterprise solutions that not only let us expand our horizon, but eventually gears up our revenue from an added resource,” H. C. Ahluwalia, GM, BSNL tells 4Ps B&M. Then on the extreme end there is Richard Branson’s prodigy – Virgin mobile – that is for the suave youth of the country and is trying to catch their attention through its cheekiness. Certainly, everyone seems to be doing its bit to stand unique among the crowd, but the question still remains: What is that distinct brand personality that these players have actually made for themselves over the years and more so how have they saved themselves from encroaching into each other’s brand territory till now?

On a macro level the only difference that a telecom service operator can really talk about in a large country like India is the network. Though service providers have tried to communicate this in the past (which includes Airtel with India ka atoot network campaign and RCOM with its total network campaign), there is not a big differentiation that they can really offer with regards to the network as each one of them is striving hard to make the most of the limited spectrum available to it. Another important factor in Indian context is the reach, but that aspect also seems to have been already take care of by these players.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

WHAT’S BUZZING THE BUZZ?!

Be it handycams, mobile phones, laptops or the latest hot wheels, all of them created enough waves in the Indian market in the last fortnight.

Pioneer DEX-P99RS

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
• 32-Bit Binary Floating Point DSP
• 31-Band L/R Independent EQ
• L/R Independent 4-Way Crossover
• Advanced Sound Retriever Technology
• Price: Rs.84,990

MUSIC ON THE MOVE!: Pioneer has launched one of the most high-end car entertainment system for audio enthusiasts featuring DSP and Gold plated 4 RCA pre-outs. This latest product is equipped with the capability to enhance the sound quality of the compressed files.

NISSAN 370Z

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
• 3696 CC Displacement
• 6 Speed Manual / 7 Speed Automatic Transmission
• 333 PS and 363 Nm Torque
•5.2 Meters min. Turning Radius

DRIVING ME CRAZY: Japanese car maker Nissan has launched its 370Z sports car in India for the auto enthusiasts. This luxurious sports beauty gives 333ps and 363nm of Torque, giving the user a impeccable driving experience. With a 2-seat design, the rear is kept as an open cargo area.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Can Shera add shine to Brand India?

Harish Arora,
Executive Creative Director, Citizen Dentsu

WILL THE 9 MONTH-LONG CAMPAIGN, DIVIDED INTO 3 PHASES WORK?

What was the thought process behind the ‘Delhi ke beti’ advertising campaign?
It was about 8-9 months back that a brief came from the Delhi Government. They wanted to do a civility campaign. We had so many filters, and so many levels of presentations happened. So there arose a question as to who should, how should and to whom should we send our message. There were a lot of options as we thought about filmstars (endorsees) conveying the message, probably Delhi stars like Sushmita Sen or Sehwag or Sheila Dixit. But eventually, this idea also didn’t convince us much. Then we thought about creating a mascot for Delhi. Frankly, initially we had created a boy called ‘Ladoo Dilli Wala’ as the mascot. The character was actually very cute and we decided to let the mascot tell the entire state the civility message. But when we presented this idea to the concerned authorities they requested a female ad-character.

What all media channels are you using as of now?
We have already got the green signal to take this campaign forward from outdoor to TV and Radio. As a medium, multiplexes are definitely on our minds, along with tie-ups with local channels. We even want to market it the ZooZoos way, with the mascot prints on T-shirts, cups et al.

So how are you planning to take this campaign forward?
It’s a nine month-long campaign divided in three phases. The first phase is the one with the “Delhi ko jaano khud ko pehachano” message, which is going on at the moment. The second phase will bring forward the efforts of the government, and lastly, the campaign will talk about welcoming the guests into India.

How has been the response to the campaign so far? And what about sponsorships?
The response has been very good. I can’t take names of the corporate houses right away, but yes, there are some big corporate names that we are in touch with and they want to support and take this ‘Dilli ki Beti’ campaign forward. They want to offer help in terms of sponsorships. Everything will be done according to the DKB campaign, and to acknowledge the sponsors, a line mentioning their respective names will also go.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

“The equivalent of two Valdez spills is gushing into the Gulf, per week!”

John Hocevar, Oceans Campaign Director, Greenpeace USA, talks to B&E’s steven philip warner about the damage done and the consequences thereof of the most recent BP Oil spill holocaust

B&E: The most recent BP oil leak disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is estimated to lead to great ecological disbalances. What are you estimates of the damage?
John Hocevar (JH): The impacts of the BP Horizon disaster on the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem and coastal communities are going to be felt for decades. It was terrible seeing oiled birds, dolphins swimming through oily water, and tens of thousands of dead hermit crabs. Of perhaps even greater concern is the impact on habitat, which will have long-lasting effects. Mangroves and grasses that have been covered in oil will die, and many low lying islands will wash away completely once the vegetation that holds them together disappears. Some of the islands which will be lost include some of the most important bird rookeries in the Gulf. Unfortunately, this is just the beginning. No one seems to know for sure how much oil has been spilled, but the estimates keep increasing. Some scientists are now saying that the equivalent of two Valdez spills is gushing into the Gulf right now, per week. So far, most of the oil has remained below the surface, offshore, and out of sight – and so have the impacts to marine life.

B&E: The Obama administration is acting first hand to take charge of this situation that already looks beyond control. It has been estimated by Credit Suisse that the cost of the clean up act can touch upto $49 billion in the four years to follow. Even BP is taking huge steps to accelerate its clean up acts. How far do you think will the mission be successful?
JH: The effort to clean up or mitigate the impacts of this disaster is considerable, but has already proven insufficient to protect sensitive areas. The oil has entered the wetlands, where it will be impossible to clean. Even under the best of circumstances, at most 15-20% of the oil can be recovered. In this case, I would be surprised if they could recover more than 5%. The harsh truth is that the only way to avoid disasters like this is to prevent offshore drilling from happening in the first place.

B&E: So you think BP is the culprit in the spotlight or is it Tony Hayward who is the criminal in the crowd? Or are we to condemn the whole concept of deepwater drilling?
JH: It is not a question of BP or Tony Hayward being a particularly bad apple, or even of deepwater drilling being much more dangerous than shallow drilling. Many big oil companies have had major accidents in the past under various circumstances, and more recent blowouts have occurred in shallow water than deep. Part of the problem with assessing what the spill is doing to Gulf species has been a lack of transparency by those doing the assessing. BP has hired contractors to test dead animals, but what we’ve seen from them so far has been a bit dubious. When contractors tell the media that the number of dead dolphins is no cause for alarm, or that there is no link to the spill, it doesn’t exactly instill confidence.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Tom’s secret of success

Tom Cruise’s new flick Knight and Day is gaining great reviews and guess whom he credits his success to? His four-year-old daughter – Suri Cruise! He reportedly told a magazine about how she hears out the scripts of his films. He simplifies the plot for her understanding and answers all the (mostly relevant) questions this little woman asks. And in trying to interest her and make her laugh, he gets better and better!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Time to stop the rabble rousing Mr. Cameron!

Why the deficit control measures given by UK Prime Minister David Cameron suspiciously point to his lack of understanding of economics

Most amusingly, the current budget released by his government shows an expected total interest outflow of £250 billion by 2015, which is much higher than even the worst estimates before budget. Is Cameron even reading what Osborne is preparing? It doesn’t stop here. UK’s public debt today stands at £903 billion – equivalent to 68.5% of GDP – and the net debt stands at 62.2% of GDP. Guess what Cameron accepts that he is going to achieve through his budget – the net debt will actually grow to 70% of GDP in 2014. Are we imagining it or has the Osborne-Cameron combine not remembered to stand up to their words of a week before? Even if we consider UK’s current national debt, which stands at 51% of GDP, it’s quite alright by international standards. Many other countries have higher national debt to GDP ratios than UK’s. For example, Japan’s national debt is close to 194% of the GDP, Italy’s is over 100%, even the US is close to 71%. The fact is that by not cutting net debt, the duo is actually doing good for UK.

Let’s jump to Cameron’s understanding of the deficit. Britain’s deficit last year was actually considerably lower than previously calculated. Deficit has actually come down from £178 billion in 2007 (5.5% of GDP), to £163 billion in 2008, and finally to £156 billion in 2009 (11.5% of GDP). What worries Cameron is the figure of 11.5%. Although this is the third largest percentage amongst EU nations, there’s less cause for concern as the deficit was mainly due to two reasons – one, the recession, and two, the bailout of UK banks, both of which are not expected to continue in the future.

But Cameron’s biggest and perhaps gravest mistake for the UK economy is his decision to curtail government spending. While in 2008 and 2009, government spending was £582.1 billion and £638 billion, Cameron has promised to cap it at £637 billion for 2010/11, conservatively increasing it to reach £711 billion in 2015/16. The problem is that the moment the rate of growth of government spending falls, it’s the biggest discouragement for GDP growth. Add to this the timing – which is right after the slowdown, when the nation requires increased spending – and we have the makings of a most dangerous GDP stagnation era.

Deficit, debt and government spending were the three things Cameron shouldn’t have worried about – especially after having done the great work on taxes. Sadly, he did just that. The rabble rousing worked – people love him.

Akram Hoque

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Mood of the Nation

An exclusive TSI-CVoter Opinion Poll on politics and governance

Methodology

The Mood of the Nation opinion poll has been carried out with a national representative sample of 8,721 randomly selected respondents. The survey was done with CVoter's specially designed Computer Assisted Telephonic Interviews (CATI) process across 180 Lok Sabha seats. The survey was conducted in April-May 2010. The data received has been weighted to India's Census profile. Margin of error is plus or minus 3%. As part of our Mood of the Nation initiative, CVoter is now keeping weekly track of the pulse of the people and what India’s rural and urban masses are thinking and feeling about local and national governance. This is being facilitated by CVoter's Weekly Omnibus wherein our researchers quiz voters for their perception about the performance of the country’s political leaders. They also keep a tab on the contemporary issues that matter to the masses. We hope that the initiative will not just help voters make their voices heard but will also hopefully serve as a weekly reminder to the nation’s political bosses about the immediate and long-term needs and ambitions of the voters who brought them to power in the first place.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Fatwa’ed!

The times they are a-changin’ and established norms and beliefs are now being challenged...

When people strongly believe in something, then sometimes, their minds become less receptive to factors that threaten to alter what they hold close to their hearts. This subconscious mind-play subjects people, and religious heads especially, to contend with the difficult tight-rope walk between religious diktats and changing mind-sets. Battling a similar situation, the Darululoom Deoband group, was recently in the news, allegedly for issuing a fatwa against women working alongside men without veiling themselves. The Darululoom Deoband is an Islamic school located in a town called Deoband in Uttar Pradesh. Founded in 1886 by renowned Muslim scholars, this school propagates Sunni Islam in the Indian sub-continent.

This injunction was vehemently condemned by liberal Muslim women around the country. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Darululoom Deoband, Maulana Abdul Khaliq Madrasi, however clarified, “We did issue a fatwa, which was based on the religious ruling, but it was an opinion meant to be personal and not to be issued for public interest. This fatwa was not for all women. It was for one person only.” The meaning of fatwa is also misunderstood by many. It’s said to be a legal pronouncement in Islam issued by religious specialists, but it is to be noted that the opinion of the religious specialist may or may not be followed by the advice seeker. Talking about the fatwa, Maulana Abdul further elaborated, “We keep getting a lot of letters where several problems of people have to be addressed. The fatwa department sends back the instruction issued by the clerics in a sealed envelope. Similarly, we had received a letter where a woman needed advice on what she should do to support her family. So, we issued a fatwa to her advising her to work in a place where there are women only and if not, then definitely do purdah (wear a burka).” On questioning him about a different statement issued in the media, Maulana Abdul shot back saying, “I don’t understand how this fatwa was leaked to the media. We have explained our stand that according to Islam, Muslim women cannot be together with men without purdah. Those who do not follow this are not true Muslims. But this is just a religious order. We can definitely not punish anyone who chooses not to follow the religious rules. We have issued several fatwas in the past. Our job is to give advice based on what Islam says. To follow it or not is up to the individual.”

Centuries-old rules pitted against evolving times are probably at the heart of this imbroglio. The Belgium government’s ban on the burka had created an uproar among Islamic groups. Says Maulana Abdul, “People should be allowed to do what they wish to, if it’s not causing any harm. How can you impose a ban on anything? This rule might be unacceptable to many Muslim women. This is also injustice. It’s unfair.” Well, true. But why should there always be resentment with acts of liberation? For instance, the controversies created around Sania Mirza’s skirt, Salman Khan attending Ganesh Puja, MF Hussain’s paintings, Shiv Sena bashing youngsters who celebrated Valentine’s Day. Then again when a lot of support came streaming in for the Muslim, Lebanese-born Miss USA, Rima Fakih, who paraded in a bikini on the ramp, there’s hope enough to believe all is not lost yet!

Every religion believes in peace and harmony and eventually it’s up to both, us and the custodians of every religion to let it not be misjudged and misunderstood.

Spriha Srivasatava

Monday, August 09, 2010

Water Woes Intensify

When it was predicted about a decade back that the next World War would be fought for control of water, sceptics dismissed it as a mere hyperbole. Now, with killings over water being reported from across the country, the spectre of the past is becoming a scary reality. The team of anil sharma, raju kumar and nishant bhadreshwar take stock of the situation

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in want of a wife must be a good provider. However, what the word ‘provider’ encompasses has acquired a new meaning in Rajasthan. Here, a man must be able to provide water to the family apart from other things. Sounds like a leaf out of Ripley’s ‘Believe It or Not’, but the acute water scarcity in the state has made a lot of people wary of marrying off their daughters in villages where women would inevitably have to trudge for miles everyday to fetch some water. “Often, women have to walk for miles to collect water. Many people are reluctant to marry off their daughters into such communities,” says Rameshwar Chaudhari, a resident of village Chopra Dhotra in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. His village is facing severe water crisis.

Rajasthan, spread over 10.4% of the country’s geographical area and sustaining more than 5.5% of the human population and 18.70% of the livestock, has only 1.16% of the total surface water available in the country. This year, the ground water situation has turned alarming in the state with only 30 water blocks out of the total 237 left in the safe zone. With increase in the population and subsequently the demand for water for various purposes, the state is already in the middle of a terrible water crisis. The per capita annual water availability in the state is about 650 cubic meters against the minimum requirement of 1,000 cubic meters. “I am 60 years old and have never seen a situation like this. We get water only once or twice a month and even that comes with low pressure. It takes over half an hour to fill a bucket,” says Kamla, a resident of Naulakhi in Sri Ganganagar district. The crisis has also become so acute in Atru in Baran district that the water department—in spite of spending Rs.20,000 daily on the supply of water—is finding it difficult to meet the local demand through tankers.

The local administration in Akhlera in Jhalawar district, having a population of over 12,000, is now planning to engage 150 plus tankers to supply water. The only source of water in the town, Amalvada Deh dam, is drying up fast. Similar situation has emerged in Sojat Road in Pali district where the administration has demanded a special 65 wagon water train to overcome the crisis. Women in Bhilwara town of Rajasthan recently blocked the road in front of the municipality, demanding increased water supply. “We want more tube wells to be dug up so that we can get water,” says Kamla, a housewife. Water is being supplied once in every five days in the town famous for its textile industry.