The article discusses the importance of monsoon rains in India and the historical respect and management of water resources through village ponds, which have now been neglected. The author criticizes the government and administrators for allowing the disappearance of these ponds and the lack of proper drainage systems, leading to weakened building foundations and increased risk of landslides and floods, as seen in Kedarnath and Shimla. The article suggests solutions such as creating drainage channels, regulating construction on flood plains, using slope maps for planning, protecting forests, building small dams, and considering the linking of rivers, as once suggested by former Minister Dr KL Rao.

In India, tens of thousands of village councils, which represent the lowest rung of governance, are led by women due to a law requiring a minimum of one third of these positions to be filled by women, with some states increasing this quota to 50%. Despite this, in many conservative areas, men related to these women often exercise the actual authority. A university in northern India is addressing this issue by educating female village council leaders on how to assert their leadership roles.

A campaign in North India's Haryana state is addressing patriarchal attitudes by encouraging people to stop using sexist swear words that target women. The initiative highlights the significance of language as a reflection of societal attitudes.