In the early sixties,a major Hydro-electric project was set up known as Bhakra Nangal Project.The concept of generating electricity from river was rather a novelty to the local community.The farmers in the surrounding regions were dependent upon water from the downstream of the project.
A group of farmers felt that there was a fall in the yield of the crop in their fields in the year immediately following the year of the commissioning of the project.They came up with an idea that the fields are being supplied with "sapreta"( a local term usually used for milk from which fat has been removed i.e. toned milk) water. The feeling was that "current"or "essence" has been extracted from the water rendering it "ineffective and incapable" of nurturing the crop leading to a drop in the yield.As bad news travels faster, a panic like situation was created amongst the local community which could have culminated into a major agitation.
Fortunately local leaders intervened and explained the matter to the agitated farmers and thus a major crisis could be averted.
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A humorous incident which happened a few years back at Miraj, where I had gone for Griha Pravasha of my cousin who was an Assnt Engineer at MSEB.Function was next day early early morning and the Purohit was the first to get up at 4 AM for morning ablutions. He went to cold water tap and he opened the tap and Lo he got water along with current. Naturally he got a shock. He woke up my cousin and said that as an MSEB Engineer you not only get water through the tap but also facilitate current flow!We all had a hearty laugh at 4.15AM.
I can confirm reading about this incident around 25 years ago or so. The indian version of the MAD magazine(called 'Deewana') had printed a joke around it. The party responsible for this nonsense was Janta Party wasn't it? Not sure. All I recall is that one of the prominent leaders was the enlightened being that came up with this theory. :)
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