Vigyani-Part 7

Episode 7:

Getting down from the jeep, the police inspector enters the house in which Mr. Raman is staying. Finding the village chief inside the house, the inspector salutes him and tells him politely, ' Sir, I have come to arrest Mr. Raman based on a complaint given by one of your village person. He has charged Mr. Raman for deceiving the village people and he has quoted the newspaper ad. saying Mr. Raman is a lunatic escaped from a mental hospital in Mumbai'.

Even as he is speaking a large crowd gathers out side the house and the villagers start shouting ' Don't arrest Mr. Raman. If you do so you have to take him over our corpses'. The police inspector is put in a dilemma and he offers to the chief that if he gives a statement that Mr. Raman is harmless and if Mr. Raman does any harm he on behalf of the village will take full responsibility and will hand over Mr. Raman to the police. The chief agrees readily and he writes a statement accordingly and the police inspector leaves. The crowd becomes happy as Mr. Raman is not arrested and they disperse.

After the village chief excuses himself from Mr. Raman and leaves, Mr. Raman's memories bring back the drama that unfolded in his Mumbai laboratory the day he was successful with the air to water machine.

Mr. Raman was so excited when the first trickle of water appeared in his experimental machine, he ran to the chief's room and said, 'Sir, I have produced water from air. Our cauvery river water problem will be solved'. The chief said,' cool down, Mr. Raman. Have you tested the machine thouroughly? is the water getting collected coming from air only?. What you do is to test it thouroughly first, prepare a report and present it to us. We will decide what next to do'. Mr.Raman's enthusiasm got deflated and he returned to the lab. despirited.

He tested the machine thouroughly and was fully convinced and recorded all the results, prepared a detailed report. A meeting of top bosses of the lab. was convened where Mr. Raman presented his discovery. Even as he was presenting excitedly, he was shocked to see some members dozing and some talking among themselves. In the end, one of the member who had woken up by then asked Mr. Raman, 'What is the earthly use of your discovery?'. Mr. Raman explained patiently the water problem in the Cauvery delta due to the inter-state river water dispute and the installation of these machines along the river side can solve the problem. One member said,' If we do that Karnataka people will oppose and will demand machines for them also'. Another member from Gujarat said, 'there is an acute drinking water shortage in the Kutch region. Why not install the machines there first?'. The chief of the lab. raised his hands and said,' Ours is a national lab. and what we discover we have to report to Central Govt. they will form several committees and the committees will ask lot of questions. Even the existing funds will be cut if they find that we have wasted our resources in this air to water schemes. Also, if it is proved that it cannot work on large scale we will become a laughing stock. So, Mr. Raman you write a paper and publish it in some journals. I may recommend you for promotion and we will stop at that'. Mr. Raman who became heart-broken at these happenings was shocked further when his friend who entered the meeting meekly, took permission from the chief and siad, 'Sir, it is actually my project and my work which Mr. Raman has stolen and presented here'.


To be continued....