disasters 

Then they got all the experts together at Calcutta, to discuss disaster management. My paper had also been selected for presentation and was placed as the last one in the forenoon session. The function itself started late, as the Chairman had forgotten of the appointment and did not remember until reminded by one of the office-bearers. An opportunity to get acquainted, in advance, with us -- the speakers, had evaporated. So he asked the experts to introduce themselves before starting the deliveries.

The first lecture was about the cyclones in Andhra. The next one was on the earthquake at Latur. Somebody spoke about the communication needs at the times of distress. Another spoke of the relief measures. It went on in this vein for a while.

When my turn came, "Participants," I commenced, "The subject for my presentation is Disaster Management. I am going to tell you how do I manage to get into disasters, one after another, systematically."

"So you now know who am I. I am a Manager of Disasters. For example, I am the disaster between you and the lunch. How am I going to manage this ? Simple. Very simple," I continued, "Mine is the only paper received in time and therefore distributed as a seminar document. Please take that as read. And now rush to your lunch before the Hotel declares the buffet as closed."

So I finished. Everybody was happy. A disaster had indeed been averted -- tactfully!

After the lunch, Basak was invited to explain how he was managing the disasters. He said his disasters were restricted to money matters. Whenever he ran short of cash, he blamed his wife. She was to manage the situation -- somehow!

Long long ago, so long ago, that nobody knows how long ago, there was a king in a distant land. It has to be a distant land, because strange things were happening. Huan Sang visited the country as an Ambassador. A man came to the court that day, with a complaint. He had purchased a piece of land from his neighbor. Later, while tilling, he discovered a treasure. Since he had purchased only the land, the fortune did not belong to him -- so he thought. He had come to request the king to persuade his reluctant neighbor to accepting the trove.

The story of the neighbor was somewhat different. He said, when he sold the land he had divested of everything -- including whatever contained underneath. Therefore he had no role to play in whatever his friend had unearthed.

The two parties had been ably supported by their counsels -- it was difficult to decide the case, as a matter of course. After a considerable deliberation, the king gave his verdict. He proposed the hand of the daughter of the plaintiff to the son of the defendant and the treasure to be made over to the couple. The parties were pleased with the sentence and left the court more happily than before.

The king then asked the visiting dignitary if such cases are heard in his country and if so how would his king decide the same. Huan Sang answered -- yes, if such a case ever came up for hearing, his Emperor confiscated the booty and threw the dissenting parties to hungry lions.

The king, thereupon, observed -- look, the sun shines, the river flows. The plants bequeath, the rains bestow prosperity -- all for the people. Not for the king. The king is only a representative -- of his subjects. That is why he needs to be generous.

Basak will one day learn that disaster management refers to the disasters of the common folks and not restricted to his own. A hot cup of coffee, does not intend to say that the cup is hot but the coffee, sure is. That day I will also understand how to manage the disasters.

Provided.