Page 31 - Litterateur March 2021

I’m a Particle of Dust Speaking

pests: mosquitoes responsible for malaria, rodents that

spread plague, the pervasive airborne flies and

sparrows that ate the hard-won fruits from fields of

grain and rice. These pests were charged with public

health treason and widespread irritation. Therefore,

patriotic health campaigns targeted the vermin and

carte blanche was issued to the people to fight enemies.

Beautifully illustrated posters encouraging the wielding

of fly swatters, guns and gongs were released to the

masses. In consequence, 1 billion sparrows, 1.5 billion

rats, 100 million kilograms of flies and 11 million

kilograms of mosquitoes were outright decimated.

However, the sparrow’s intrinsic role in retaining the

ecological balance was unrealized and resulted in well-

orchestrated, unmitigated environmental disaster.

Locusts, left unencumbered from the watchful hungry

sparrows, came in droves and devoured fields of grain.

The loss of crops resulted in untold millions starving

and 20 to 30 million died between the years 1958 and

1962. Someone also revealed the terrible news of

parents eating kids and vice versa. At last, the eminent

scholars admired the book ‘Tombstone’ and dubbed it

as a daunting endeavor in unravelling the truth.