Egypt is building the “Green River” - a giant belt of lakes and parks deep in the desert

The “Green River” will come up on the easternmost outskirts of Cairo. The government of Egypt plans to build a giant belt of lakes and parks deep in the desert. Once completed, it will cut through Egypt’s brand new, ultra-modern metropolis: the New Administrative Capital. A digital simulation shows the “river” extending throughout the length of the New Capital branching out into smaller lakes and pools. This video five years ago by Egypt’s prime minister depicted lush riverbanks dotted with trees and occupying vast landscapes of greenery. This was in spite of the fact that the site is in the middle of a desert and there is no natural sources of water nearby. Incidentally, this oasis will come up in the midst of a worsening climate crisis. The problems magnify with increase in temperature, population, and water scarcity. This is a critical concern for Egypt, host of this year’s COP27 climate summit. Under the circumstances, universal access to clean water is the country’s top priority. The authorities have repeatedly sounded alarms over the country’s water problems. Egypt faces an acute water crisis, but it’s building a ‘Green River’ in the desert. Egypt’s population now stands at 104 million and most of it is crowded along the narrow Nile River. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi recently said the country’s water resources could no longer meet the needs of the rapidly growing population. He noted that his government was taking strategic steps to conserve the water supply. He also mentioned about launching a new initiative called “Water Adaptation and Resilience” in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) at COP27.

Egypt needs an estimated 114 billion cubic meters of water per year. It means the country has to evolve methods to bridge the gap with groundwater, rainfall and treated wastewater. Saker El Nour is an Egyptian sociologist who researches agrarian issues, rural poverty and the environment in Arab countries. He admitted to a section of the media - “We are in a dry area, and so we don’t have enough rain and our main source of water is the Nile. This will get worse with climate change.” Obviously, Egypt has to think out of the box. Experts put the blame on the government’s own water management strategies. These are contributing to its pressing water crisis. On top of that, the Green River project is a luxurious project that envisages an artificial body of water that will mimic the Nile and become a key centerpiece of the New Capital project. It certainly has its plus points but the average farmer is still struggling to find enough water to sustain small plots of land, which for many represent their main source of income.

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Lord Shiva and the auto hub that did not happen (satire)

Durga was happy that there was hardly one month left to go before she would make the annual journey to her mother’s place. But, she was worried about Lord Shiva. He seemed to be having a lot of worries.
‘What is preying on your mind?’ she asked him.
He gave a dry smile.
‘No, it is not what you think,’ he assured her. ‘I know that you are excited about your trip. I have got used to it. My disciples Nandi and Bhringi will keep me company as always.’
‘And – you will go high on the weeds,’ Durga said.
‘That is my way to maintain my balance,’ Shiva grinned.
‘Then what is biting you?’
‘It is that auto hub that finally did not happen,’ Shiva sighed. ‘The court has given its decision and the farmers will get back their land.’

‘They are happy,’ Durga said. ‘They are farmers and love the soil. They want to grow their crops and are not interested in making automobiles.’
‘Actually, they are a divided lot,’ Shiva murmured. ‘One group wants it. Another group does not want it. And, the leaders are laying a dangerous game.’
‘I saw in the TV news just now - a group of people have gone to Germany. They want to bring home German automobiles. But – where will they give them land?’
‘German cars are really small,’ Durga explained. ‘They do not need too much land. Moreover, they can go in for three or four tier manufacture. That way, the need for land will reduce. And, I believe, one section of farmers actually want an auto hub in the same plot of land.’
‘But – I saw bulldozers tearing up the roads and mowing down the grass.’
‘That is how change takes place. Keep the main idea intact and add frills so that there is happiness all around.’ ‘You mean it’s a game?’
‘Yes. They will rebuild them,’ Durga said. ‘I know. The syndicate is ready to take over when the bulldozers call it a day. The leaders play to the gallery. They repackage old wine in a new bottle. Everyone does it.’ (to be continued …)


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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