Sunday, October 05, 2014

Ebola has moved from an epidemic to a humanitarian catastrophe




The worst is panning out. What is shocking is that they found a man with Ebola in US, the people whom he came in contact have been isolated. It was later found that the doctors have erred in sending him back in the first place. Now if this could happen in US just imagine what it would be like in poorer societies, and there is a very likelihood that people with Ebola could be moving in other parts of the world too. I am quite worried; it need be pointed out that there are many Indians working in West Africa, add to it the congested, unhygienic condition of public hospitals where even the health workers don’t take sufficient protection. Ebola threat needs to be taken very seriously. I am sure authorities do understand the seriousness of the situation. 


I was reading that the country of Liberia has less than 50 doctors! Then there is positive story of nurse saving her relatives with rudimentary equipments. Nevertheless the virus is spreading at an amazing rate, propping up at unlikely places. What is worse the virus is mutating and changing its genetic makeup. This vicious virus has many tricks up its sleeves and could easily open up apocalyptic scenes. I was also reading somewhere that the possibilities of it being used by terrorist organization (though it was a fringe comment by some loony but the threat is real, indeed in last few years things are moving towards not-so-nice scenarios. Arab spring has soured so badly because of primitive expression of religion, people’s hopes have been quashed). This became a real possibility when the hospitals were raided by goons and they ‘freed’ the Ebola patients. The societies where Ebola epidemic is spreading don’t have strictest of laws and are quite impoverished, deadliest of combination if there is. This has the potential to destabilize societies, countries and even regions. We are facing a humanitarian catastrophe. This is not scare mongering (I have better things not to do!!). Wake up people. Don’t forget what Louis Pasteur said "It is the microbes who will have the last word".
      

Friday, October 03, 2014

A laudable effort…



Putting the market media in its right place 

This blogger expresses gladness that the Government has put in place system to access directly to the common people. Social media is the future of information dispersion, indeed its significance has start to define the fourth estate. This is important since the traditional form of media has been reduced to be a market device and prone to manipulations. They bargain for favoritism and have become an agency of crony capitalism, these embedded degradation cross across generations. Therefore it will be an arduous task to dismantle these entrenched biases and manipulations. Editors Guild is nothing but bunch of market controlled buffoons, who apart from other inanities also get their paycheck from deviant ads and matrimonial arrangements. They are just a joke and shouldn’t be given the kind of importance that is given to matured progressive media. They are mostly a disgrace.

There are some Union Ministers who generally don’t have mass base tend to cultivate select media, and thus exaggerate these and very easily slips into nepotism. The ministers have no business to be in the media, they are trivializing their position and is indeed corruption.  Media should be handled by spokesperson. Some lawyer turned motor mouth politicians may have problems in controlling but they need to understand that they represent the people of the country and not Delhi based coterie. 
I have already expressed my concern about pretentious media marauding the sites of natural disaster. They are seen riding the helicopters and other services that are meant for urgent disaster management. They shouldn’t be allowed to cause hindrance to rescue operation. These are petty people who are concerned about their brand and should be handled accordingly.

Wednesday, October 01, 2014

Retired Cabinet Secretary as a property developer


As mentioned earlier, Indian bureaucrats are the most insensitive sort of people (we don’t really blame them they have been trained in the colonial outfit, squatters are known to excel in these nuances). This fellow, TSR Subramanian, was a cabinet secretary, which ofcourse goes on to say what kind people end up at the top position. Since then he has been active in the TV studios (another of crude occupation, which again, some do quite well, even if we cringe) and so our man has finally got something to lick on, so is back from oblivion of retirement to serve the nation, ofcourse! He has taken up where Kasturirangan left, the henchmen are back as stooges of exploitative corporate.  Indian corporates (with some very rare exceptions) are suckers to government doles and expertise in ransacking natural resources. Read this mail I got the other day, and you will see the joke that bureaucrats play in the name of people. The fact that likes of TSR Subramanian are retired senior most bureaucrats makes these devious acts compelling as also template of exploitation that ‘follows all procedures’. Read the way they use the 'procedures' to circumvent the issue, you will know how pliable bureaucrat (most likely reason he ended up as Cabinet Secretary) with devious politicians and exploitative corporates work out development agenda...     

High Level Committee of Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change walks out of Public Consultation in Bangalore

The High Level Committee headed by Mr. T. S. R. Subramanian, former Union Cabinet Secretary, constituted by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change to review environment, pollution control and forest conservation laws, invited the public at large for a consultation between 12 and 1.30 pm today (27th September) at Vikas Soudha, the high security office complex of the Government of Karnataka. Advertisements to this effect had been issued by the Karnataka Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment in various newspapers on 21st September 2014, followed up by various press releases inviting the public to interact with the Committee. 

When various individuals and representatives of public interest environmental and social action groups turned up for the meeting, the police prevented their entry at the gates. It was only following a spot protest that the police consented to allow them to participate in the consultation. Despite this indignifying experience, all who gathered proceeded to the meeting hall with the intent of engaging with the High Level Committee.

The meeting commenced with introductory remarks by the Chairperson Mr. Subramanian. Broadly, he shared that the intent of the Committee was to hear views from across India on the type and nature of changes that were required in the environmental and forest protection laws. He stated that the Committee had the mandate of the Government to propose necessary changes that would help improve the quality of life and environment. But he said the need to ensure develop was primary, as the country was very poor (over 80% were poor he claimed) and thereby it is found essential to streamline environmental clearance processes that thwarted growth. Mr. Subramanian also shared that it was a matter of concern to the Government that several development projects were getting mired in litigation on environmental grounds, leading to needless delays. Concluding his introductory remarks he shared that the Committee is not in any manner guided by the Ministry and their recommendatory report would be submitted to the Union Government. The Committee's proceeding, he clarified, were not open to the public, unless the committee decided to engage with the public. Responding to a question, Mr. Subramanian said that nothing that was submitted to the Committee would be shared with anybody, and that only the report would be submitted to the Government. Mr. Subramanian also said that the Ministry never proposed a public consultation exercise, but he had suggested this should take place.

Mr. K. N. Bhat, Senior Advocate and a member of the Committee, shared that there were a variety of submissions the Committee had received and each of this would be considered. He aired that environment and development should go side by side and the objectives of the laws if not found sufficient to address current needs, need for their review exists. The industry in particular, he said, had raised concerns over delays in environmental and forest clearances when the Committee met with them.
On these introductory notes Mr. Subramanian asked the members of the public to suggest changes to the existing environmental law framework. Officials assisting the Committee did not provide any rationale for the Ministry proposing changes to existing laws. The Committee also did not have any procedure, excepting online submissions of opinions on the Ministry's website (limited to 1000 words).

When the turn of the public came, a submission was made by the Karnataka Planters Association about procedural difficulties in securing forest clearance and conforming with pollution control norms, and sought amendments for the benefit of plantations. Thereafter, Mr. A. C. F. Anand, an RTI Activist, suggested that all environmental laws must be translated so that it would be understood by all and thus the compliance rates improved.
Speaking next, Mr. Leo F. Saldanha of Environment Support Group requested the Committee to address the basis for its functioning, and whether the TOR constituting the Committee was sufficient for such a massive and onerous task that involved fundamentally reviewing all environmental laws that were intricately linked to Right to Life, Clean Environment and Livelihoods. He sought to know what it meant, as is main TOR, “"(t)o recommend specific amendments needed in each of these Acts so as to bring them in line with current requirements to meet objectives". 
Mr. Subramanian responded that neither he nor any other members of the Committee were influenced by the TOR in any manner and that they worked per their own understanding of the mandate given to them by the Government. But when Saldanha pressed to know how a Committee consisting of high ranking former civil servants, a former Judge and a Senior Advocate could at all have agreed to such vague terms, Mr. Subramanian reacted dismissively. He claimed that this was a non-substantive issue and sought to move on to hear others. Saldanha argued that it is disturbing that Mr. Subramanian unilaterally rules a legitimate concern over vague and weak TORs as being of trivial concern, when, in fact, it would have been fit and proper for the Committee to have first explained in the interest of public accountability and transparency how they found the terms rationale and acceptable to them. And in case the terms were acceptable, then the High Level Committee, unshackled as it were by the bureaucratic norms of the Ministry, could have provided a clear note on the nature of the reforms being considered and also explicated on the procedure of consulting and receiving criticisms from various sectors, peoples, regions, geographies, etc.
 Vinay Sreenivasa of Alternative Law Forum submitted that the process by which the Committee was conducting the consultation was rather opaque. The vague TOR and the fact that the Committee was constituted by a Government that sought to belittle the importance of the National Wildlife Board and rush pet projects through the clearance mechanism, seemed to suggest the entire exercise appeared to be merely ritualistic. Ms. Aruna Chandrasekhar of Amnesty International - India sought to know what specific amendments were being proposed or demanded by industry/corporate sectors, and requested the Committee put it all out. But Mr. Subramanian waved away this request too.
Prof. Puttuswamy wanted to know how a High Level Committee sought to improve environmental laws when notifications of Ministry were being issued to dilute the laws. To which Mr. Subramanian responded saying he is not a “Postman” for the Ministry. Ms. Priti Rao, meanwhile, asked for decentralised solid waste management. Mr. Vijayan Menon shared that even though he was not an official, he had walked into the Committee's immediately preceding engagement with Government officials where a clear set of amendments were being proposed. He expressed surprise that this presentation was not being made for the benefit of the general public.
Ms. Bhargavi Rao of Environment Support Group wanted to know how law could be reformed when forest officials are unaware of biodiversity protection laws that had been passed over two decades ago and asserted that this rushed exercise in reviewing environmental laws had all the trappings of making light of people's fundamental rights and concerns. Justice A. K. Srivatsav (Retd. Judge of the Delhi High Court) and a Member of the High Level Committee stated at this juncture that the public must have confidence in a Committee in which a senior retired Judge is a member. By which time Mr. Subramanian had remarked several times that the public was wasting the Committee's time and there was no point continuing with this procedure. Several who had gathered protested such an assessment by the Chairman of the High Level Committee. Mr. Srinivas of Mavallipura sought to speak, saying he represents a community impacted by mal-development and waste dumping in his village, and he too was brushed aside.
At this point, Mr. Subramanian got up and said “We will end the joke here!” and walked out. He was followed by the rest of the Committee. 
When Mr. Subramanian walked out, it was 1 pm. Members of the common public who had travelled great distances to engage with the Committee protested Mr. Subramanian taking them for granted and dismissing their views as of trivial concern. They demanded that the Committee return to hear the public and as advertised remained in the Hall till 1.30 pm. Neither did the High Level Committee return, nor did any official of the Ministry of Environment and Forests or Karnataka Environment Department come back to explain to the public why the High Level Committee had behaved in this manner. In fact, throughout the engagement with the public, not one Karnataka Government official was present in the Hall.

The undersigned are deeply disturbed by the manner in which the T. S. R. Subramanian headed High Level Committee has treated this public consultation process. The undersigned demand that the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change call off this exercise as it has all the markings of being a ritual exercise. In its place the undersigned demand that the Ministry must constitute a Committee that has a clear rationale for reform and Terms of Reference that are democratic, consultative and transparent. In particular, the following demands are made:
1.      Environment Ministry must first come out with a White Paper discussing the nature of the reforms that it proposes in environmental, forest conservation and pollution control laws.
2.      On the basis of such a Paper, an accessible Committee must be constituted that would hear peoples responses across the biologically, culturally and linguistically diverse country and also from various sectors equally.
3.      The membership of the Committee should be so constituted that it would reflect diverse concerns and sectos, and in particular ensure that members conversant with tribal and human rights, environmental management, conservation biologists, biodiversity, risk assessment, planning, etc., and not merely ex-bureaucrats or members of the legal fraternity were included Particularly important is the need to ensure there is adequate representation of women on the High Level Committee, which presently is constituted only of men.
4.      The process of the consultation to be followed has to be meaningful and conform with Principle of Prior and Informed Consent, even if this is not a consenting process.
5.      The timeline for the Consultation mechanism for such a critical review has to be reasonable as laws sought to amended, or tweaked, fundamentally affect theRight to Life and Livelihoods, and Right to Clean Environment.
6.      The entire process has to be transparent, all meetings must be recorded publicly, none of the deliberations must be in camera (as it appears to be the case now), and all proceedings, submissions, minutes and reports must be in the public domain.
7.      Adequate facilities must be made to ensure that anyone interested can participated with dignity and without being inhibited by language or geographical location. To ensure this, the process must be devolved by enlisting the support of State and Local Governments.

Signatories:
Mr. Leo Saldanha; Environment Support Group, leo@esgindia.org. Cell: 9448377403
Mr. Vinay Sreenivasa; Alternative Law Forum. Cell: 9880595032
Ms. Bhargavi Rao; Environment Support Group; bhargavi@esgindia.org Cell: 9448377401
Ms. Aarthi Sridhar; Dakshin Foundation, aarthi77@gmail.com. Cell: 9900113216
Mr. Vijayan Menon; menonvij@gmail.com
Mr. Davis Thomas; Environment Support Group; davis@esgindia.org. Cell: 9036180914
Ms. Swapna; sapna.sb@gmail.com
Ms. Priti Rao; priti007@yahoo.com
Ms. Padma Ashok; Save Tiger, padmaashok@gmail.com
Mr. Ashok Hallur; ashokhallur@gmail.com
Mr. Rajeev Mankotia; rmanikoth@gmail.com
Mr. Sandesh Udyawar; sandeshudyawar@gmail.com
Ms. Marianne Manuel; Dakshin Foundation, marianne.manuel88@gmail.com
Ms. Shivani Shah; Greenpeace; shivani.shah@greenpeace.org
Mr. Sohan Pavulari; sohan_pavuluri@yahoo.com
Ms. Sangeetha Kadur; sangeetha.kadur@gmail.com
Mr. Bhaskar Bhatt; muggymach3@basejumper.com
Mr. Rohan Kini; rohan.kini@gmail.com
Mr. K.N. Somashekar; cmd_vilinfra@rediffmail.com
Mr. A.C.F. Anand; acfanand@gmail.com
Ms. Shashikala Iyer; Environment Support Group; shashi@esgindia.org
Mr. Leon Louis; Environment Support Group; leon@esgindia.org
Mr. Mallesh K.R; Environment Support Group; mallesh@esgindia.org
Mr. Prashanth; Environment Support Group; prashanth@esgindia.org

Tuesday, September 09, 2014

Where is Dara Shikoh’s tomb?




It is very sad that most will not know this. He lies unattended, neglected and forgotten…

Dara Shikoh undoubtedly was the most beloved prince of the Mughal period of the subcontinent, and it remains matter of intense debate as to how the subcontinent would been influenced if he, instead of Aurungzeb, was coronated. Aurungzeb was a petty fellow, a primitive who created lots of misery for the common people. It’s amazing therefore that you don’t really see much reference of Dara Shikoh in Indian history nor in public memory. Aurungzeb made every attempt to expunge him from the annals of history after he beheaded him, it seems the sickular (yep that’s new word and explains self serving elitist Indian pseudo secularism much better) forces too did the same thing to please the mullahs. So we have roads named after this insignificant man and much detailed elaboration in history textbooks too while Dara Shikoh languishes in some corner. Countries like Pakistan standing on deviant foundation will celebrate Aurungzeb, and they shouldn’t be surprised if the primitive beheaders are knocking the door. Aurungzeb was a degraded fellow whom even his elder sister (Jahanara who herself was much cultured) refers to as a ‘white snake’.



I was deeply anguished to see the tomb of Dara Shikoh at the precincts of much maintained and celebrated Humayun tomb. Not many know that this rather deliberately understated tomb –that stand in contrast to grand Humayun tomb, with no marble flower embroidery so on, is of Dara Shikoh. It is left dissected where the head is, probably to indicate that he was beheaded. Much ‘beautification’ has been done in and around Humayun’s tomb, even Agha Khan foundation chipping in (Agha Khan’s money pot incidentally is the product of royal-feudal entitlement reasons which could be traced to exploitation, a more sensitive government would have appropriated the property and declared it as national asset, the likes of Agha Khan &Co may not even find employment in call centre). There is no mention of Dara Shikoh anywhere, they have successfully carried out mullah’s worldview by denying Dara Shikoh his rightful place. Barbarian Aurungzeb beheaded Dara Shikoh while sickular India beheaded him from any form of decency. How is this society any different from barbarous past?

The picture herein is of Dara Shikoh’s tomb as also from a play on Dara Shikoh that i happen to see sometime back (wherein you see him discussing subtleties of philosophy while the arm guard is impatient for him to take up the role of ruthless soldier).    



English efficient engineers: we have already discussed the inefficient Indian bureaucracy and their English driven excellence that this country has to suffer. It is shocking that in careers that seek high level of technical competence there too we have this nonsense of English (as definition of competence). Indian Engineering Service (IES) exams that seeks to recruit engineers in government departments is conducted by UPSC (its inefficiency is too well known). They have a paper for English related skills carrying 100marks!! In a highly competitive exam this makes a significant difference. The bias is evident. I was travelling in a second class train compartment on an overnight journey and had got the Upper seat. It so happened that the fan was quite near and whenever I got up I risked hitting my head on the metal mesh that covered it. What made the matter worse was that these were pointed and jagged out (as you see in the picture). The worst did happen, I banged my head twice against this metal, as I got in a hurry to get up on approaching stations, getting bleeding wounds (not serious though). They could have easily seen this and designed a curved casing, it needs a minimal effort. What matters is attitude and intent, they just couldn’t place themselves in the shoes of the passengers. Clearly English skills trained excellence lacks basic understanding and something very necessary called empathy. Ever wondered why this high paid bureaucrats (and technocrats) with immense power are also quite incompetent and corrupt. Why English skill of engineers checked is beyond me!! It’s time to throw out these pointers of elitist colonial hangovers which is being fed as signs of competence. 

Wednesday, August 06, 2014

Thank you Pranji...

I am quite saddened to hear about Pranji’s demise. The character he created defined much of our childhood. Chacha Chaudhary, Sabu, Pinki, Billoo so on became quite a rage and I recall reading these keeping between the textbooks in schools or while doing homework…the nostalgia of time gone by…Lotpot, Champak, Nandan, later Twinkle…the list is long. Unfortunately for me one of the family friend convinced that these should be read in English as it will improve English skills, and henceforth they shifted these to English. I lost the interest, as it didn’t carry the fun that came from reading it in Hindi, furthermore it didn’t have any exchange value (that is bartering for other comics with kids around), as nobody wanted English comics.  
What was amazing about the man was that he created these characters when he faced stiff competition from syndicated well established international brands like Phantom, Mandrake, Superman so on and marketed it himself. Truly a great man. I was checking how the nation has honoured him, and find that he was ignored. He deserved atleast a Padma award, but I realize the manipulative political leaders and their cronies have consistently degraded these awards as also other institutions. Pranji’s biggest award is his readers whose childhood he cared for.