.jpg)
Coconut farmers’ woes
Take a cue from the calls of Kerala Congress chairman P J Joseph who has been doing a yeoman’s service in highlighting the woes of the farmers and calling for comprehensive development of the State integrating the old practices with modern techniques. And take measures to ameliorate the woes of coconut farmers. It is not that a solution would elude the government provided a compendious effort would be made.
Joseph would vouchsafe it for a fact, by setting an example, that his politician’s work becomes wholesome only by doing social service. A model farmer himself, he has found innovative ideas for sustainable development and a better lot for the farmers. Organic farming, use of bio-manure, introducing high-yielding varieties of milch-animals, effective agricultural management, setting up high-speed road and rail networks, and all-round development of the state have been some of his spheres of activities.
He has established Gandhiji Study Centre, a training and research centre for agriculture and rural development. The Study Centre has already adopted Aralam panchayat in Kannur and Mullankolly panchayat in Wayanad district for infusing confidence in the farmers by evolving self-sustaining schemes.
Rubber and paddy cultivation and raising cash crops have also been among the thrust areas where he has been helping the farmers. The development potential in the tourism sector, expansion of the information technology sector, elimination of rural poverty and the like found favour with him for constant engagement.
It is no exaggeration to affirm that almost all innovative ideas for development, with particular reference to rural development and introduction of modern technology, have been pioneered by him by way of dissemination of ideas all these recent decades.
Years ago, he propounded a cleanliness drive for ensuring impurities-free Kerala. Effective waste-management efforts by setting up bio-gas plants at the level of local bodies was propounded by him. Now the government and voluntary agencies are trying to implement these schemes.
No area of people’s concern has escaped his attention, particularly since he has gained considerable experience in various echelons of life, including his contributions earlier as Minister for Education, Revenue, Registration, Public Works and Home.
Dwindling areas of paddy cultivation has made him inspire losing farmers, urging them to cultivate abandoned paddy-fields.
These days, he has been devising methods by which the coconut farmers, who are adversely hit by falling prices of coconuts, could be helped. There has been the practice of transporting only copra, desiccated coconut, to outside States. P J Joseph has been advocating another method. Coconuts should be dehusked and the farmers should be able to sell them by measures of weight.
Moreover, extraction of virgin coconut oil should be popularised. Virgin coconut oil would fetch better prices in the national and international markets.
There has been a hue and cry when palmolein was being shipped in through Kochi and other southern ports. Import duty for palmolein should be doubled to dissuade its easy dumping in Kerala, if not its ban, Joseph insists.
Now Nafed officials have assured MPs from Kerala that steps would be taken for procurement of coconuts. MPs have wanted procurement at the rate of Rs six per coconut. No time should be wasted in the name of wide-ranging discussions for arriving at fair price. Offers of subsidy and procurement getting prolonged, without actual implementation coupled with simultaneous import of palmolein, would break the backbone of the coconut farmers.
The State government had decided to procure raw coconuts through co-operative societies with a subsidy of 80 paise per nut. Action is yet to ensue. Meanwhile farmers are forced to sell out at the rate of three or three and a half rupees per nut.
The Central and State Governments should take heed to the practicable suggestions made by Joseph for the all-round development of the State.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
O J’s Corner
Finally we have had it. The foundation stone was laid on November 16 for the much-haggled Smart City project at Kochi.
The $35 billion –project aims to build up a floor space of 8.8 million square feet in the years to come.
The on-again, off-again project had got embroiled in controversies as its agreement was being signed during the fag-end of the UDF’s Oommen Chandy-led government. The-then Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan, who is currently the Chief Minister, had vehemently opposed the terms. Therefore, the UDF Government had not signed the agreement.
Achuthanandan, after coming to power, re-negotiated the terms and arrived at ostensibly better terms. The plus point appears to be that the State-owned Info Park need not be given over to the Smart City company. Also the ban sought on other IT companies to spread their wings in the vicinity of the Smart City has been scrapped.
Kochi is, therefore, emerging as the IT City along with Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Pune. Cyberabads in India concentrate mostly on BPO- Business Process Outsourcing- works. In other words, these are outside works. Our boys and girls need not migrate to the US, UK or European countries to do their work. Sitting in cosy computer rooms in our own cities they can double as the workers the foreigners would have been forced to draft in their countries.
Our IT cities are becoming sleepless cities. Our boys and girls work all the time of the day and night, in various shifts. The Americans get an edge here. They can offload the work sheets in the evening, which is morning here. Our boys and girls do the work and send it back, which the Americans receive in the nick of time. That is the advantage of the time zone. The Americans would have to dole out plenty of dollars for a job done there. But the BPO offers them cheap labour.
Those who have working knowledge of English and who are tech-savvy can secure jobs in the BPO sector in IT cities. People think everything is hunky-dory in IT cities in the internet era. It could be far from that.
Labour laws are not applicable in IT cities, Info Parks, Techno Parks, Smart City etc. Eight hours’ work, eight hours’ entertainment and eight hours’ sleep do not work out for the jobbers. Boys and girls sit up during day and night, in shifts, before the computer screens finding ways to tackle the knotty problems plaguing the Americans etc.
Celebrated companies chalk out ways to provide enjoyment to the hard-working youth who concentrate on the computer just like those who watch out on radar screens in submarines. Their attempt is praise worthy.However, in course of time, their vision get impaired, brains get over-worked, their body and mind get clogged with work-sheets.
But then, why do our youth go in for these jobs? They have no other go. Opportunities for white-collar jobs are few and far between. Okay, the youth should work vigorously, earn and save the money for a rainy day, when they would find it difficult to work.
An important issue confronting BPO work is with regard to safety and security, particularly for the girls employed in IT companies.
On November 1 night, 22-year-old Jyotikumari Ramanand, working for Wipro’s Hinjewadi, Pune, BPO office was picked up by the driver of the cab contractor retained by the company. She never reached office. She was raped and killed by the cab driver and his accomplice.
On December 13, 2005, 28-year-old Pratibha Murty who worked for HP Global Soft in Bangalore, met with the same fate.
Three days after the Pune incident, Preeti Ganguly, a 24-year-old girl of the Belapur branch of the BPO, was stalked and mugged when she reached her flat at the Railway colony at Dadar.
For cost-cutting, companies engage contract cabs for ferrying employees from workplace to residence and vice-versa. They can save a lot of money, but the lives of the girls are in danger. Company car drivers can also turn evil, but the comparative cruelty is less on the part of the direct drivers of the company.
We need jobs, we need good remuneration, but we must not be carried away by the sheen of the computer front.
An employment satisfaction survey conducted among 1,760 BPO employees from 20 firms across the country shows that the number of women staffers has been declining. The women staff strength was 36 per cent in 2005. It is only 32 per cent this year.
The point is, we have no other go. Our unemployed youth have to be pick up remunerative jobs. But then, their safety, security and well-being on all fronts should be taken care of. Cost-cutting would not help..
Finally we have had it. The foundation stone was laid on November 16 for the much-haggled Smart City project at Kochi.
The $35 billion –project aims to build up a floor space of 8.8 million square feet in the years to come.
The on-again, off-again project had got embroiled in controversies as its agreement was being signed during the fag-end of the UDF’s Oommen Chandy-led government. The-then Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan, who is currently the Chief Minister, had vehemently opposed the terms. Therefore, the UDF Government had not signed the agreement.
Achuthanandan, after coming to power, re-negotiated the terms and arrived at ostensibly better terms. The plus point appears to be that the State-owned Info Park need not be given over to the Smart City company. Also the ban sought on other IT companies to spread their wings in the vicinity of the Smart City has been scrapped.
Kochi is, therefore, emerging as the IT City along with Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Pune. Cyberabads in India concentrate mostly on BPO- Business Process Outsourcing- works. In other words, these are outside works. Our boys and girls need not migrate to the US, UK or European countries to do their work. Sitting in cosy computer rooms in our own cities they can double as the workers the foreigners would have been forced to draft in their countries.
Our IT cities are becoming sleepless cities. Our boys and girls work all the time of the day and night, in various shifts. The Americans get an edge here. They can offload the work sheets in the evening, which is morning here. Our boys and girls do the work and send it back, which the Americans receive in the nick of time. That is the advantage of the time zone. The Americans would have to dole out plenty of dollars for a job done there. But the BPO offers them cheap labour.
Those who have working knowledge of English and who are tech-savvy can secure jobs in the BPO sector in IT cities. People think everything is hunky-dory in IT cities in the internet era. It could be far from that.
Labour laws are not applicable in IT cities, Info Parks, Techno Parks, Smart City etc. Eight hours’ work, eight hours’ entertainment and eight hours’ sleep do not work out for the jobbers. Boys and girls sit up during day and night, in shifts, before the computer screens finding ways to tackle the knotty problems plaguing the Americans etc.
Celebrated companies chalk out ways to provide enjoyment to the hard-working youth who concentrate on the computer just like those who watch out on radar screens in submarines. Their attempt is praise worthy.However, in course of time, their vision get impaired, brains get over-worked, their body and mind get clogged with work-sheets.
But then, why do our youth go in for these jobs? They have no other go. Opportunities for white-collar jobs are few and far between. Okay, the youth should work vigorously, earn and save the money for a rainy day, when they would find it difficult to work.
An important issue confronting BPO work is with regard to safety and security, particularly for the girls employed in IT companies.
On November 1 night, 22-year-old Jyotikumari Ramanand, working for Wipro’s Hinjewadi, Pune, BPO office was picked up by the driver of the cab contractor retained by the company. She never reached office. She was raped and killed by the cab driver and his accomplice.
On December 13, 2005, 28-year-old Pratibha Murty who worked for HP Global Soft in Bangalore, met with the same fate.
Three days after the Pune incident, Preeti Ganguly, a 24-year-old girl of the Belapur branch of the BPO, was stalked and mugged when she reached her flat at the Railway colony at Dadar.
For cost-cutting, companies engage contract cabs for ferrying employees from workplace to residence and vice-versa. They can save a lot of money, but the lives of the girls are in danger. Company car drivers can also turn evil, but the comparative cruelty is less on the part of the direct drivers of the company.
We need jobs, we need good remuneration, but we must not be carried away by the sheen of the computer front.
An employment satisfaction survey conducted among 1,760 BPO employees from 20 firms across the country shows that the number of women staffers has been declining. The women staff strength was 36 per cent in 2005. It is only 32 per cent this year.
The point is, we have no other go. Our unemployed youth have to be pick up remunerative jobs. But then, their safety, security and well-being on all fronts should be taken care of. Cost-cutting would not help..
O J’s Corner
Mullapperiyar again
It defies common sense when Tamil Nadu insists that it will not allow construction of a new dam at Mullapperiyar to replace the existing 111-year- old dam. The centenarian dam is situated within the territory of Kerala. The water collected in the dam is given over to Tamil Nadu.
That the dam is very old, fragile, situated in earthquake-prone zone, continuous leakage and all put emphasis on construting a new dam, which is not for the benefit of Kerala, but for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu in its entirety.
We have examples of lesser old dams getting destroyed. Dam disasters of Vaiont in Italy, Victoria in Australia, Morvi and Jaswant Sagar in India should be an eye-opener.
There is not even sarcasm in the political mad rage that is ravaging Tamil Nadu regarding construction of a new dam within Kerala territory at its expense for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu. Kerala’s relief lies in saving the lives of lakhs of people from an impending disaster.
It is in the interest of Tamil Nadu that Mullapperiyar dam should not get destroyed. Thousands of tamil families are eking out a living in the Periyar valley. The water from Mullapperiyar supplies four districts of Tamil Nadu, utilising which cultivation is undertaken there. That region is a haven for vegetable gardens with the help of water from Mullapperiyar. The contiguous areas of Mullapperiyar within Kerala do not receive a drop of water from the reservoir.
What is prevailing in Tamil Nadu is overplay of incendiary local politics to incite the people.
In 1978, the Central Water Commission reported that Mullapperiyar dam was not safe. Tamil Nadu government had agreed with the recommendations of the commission for the construction of a new dam. There can be no cogent argument against construction of a new dam.
As a precautionary measure, Kerala government had decided that the water level in Mullapperiyar dam should be limited to 136 feet. But now due to incessant rains in the catchment area, the water level has gone up beyond 137 feet. It appears Tamil Nadu has not been drawing enough water from the dam these days. If Tamil Nadu had taken more water when it was getting filled, the level could have been brought down. It is downright foolish to allow concentration of more water in the fragile structure which we call a dam. In the whole world this is the only structure remaining decommissioned in view of its fragile nature. The dam was constructed using earth and lime. The life of even modern concrete structures is limited to 50 years. Alas, our earth-and-lime dam is 111 years old, the first ever surviving one in the world.
Experts have pointed out that collecting more water in the very old dam would put the structure under heavy strain. Lives of around 35 lakhs of people living downstream, in about five districts of Kerala, from Thekkady to Alappuzha, are in peril. No government can subject the lives of lakhs of people in vivid danger.
Kerala government has made it clear that it is not against giving water to Tamil Nadu from Mullapperiyar. Tamil Nadu can avail of the water, provided a safe dam is constructed. Why can’t they invite international experts and decide about the fragility of the dam?
Sheer common sense insists that the situation cannot continue for long. Had the dam been within the territorial jurisdiction of Tamil Nadu, it would have started steps for the construction of a new dam.
Seepage of water from points of leakage is considerably more than the situation that has been prevailing all these years. When water level goes up from 134 feet, seepage rate multiplies. That means the structure is getting weakened as the years pass by.
The dam is situated in earthquake- prone area. If a serious tremor occurs, it can destroy the dam.
Tamil Nadu is not allowing a joint inspection of the dam by experts. It does not permit Kerala experts to assess the level of seepage.
The situation has come to such a pass that there can be no more hide and seek. Nobody can suppress the real danger that is dangling like the Damocles’ sword over the lives of people.
It is quite clear that Tamil Nadu has been clinging on, with its political clout at the Centre. One way or other Tamil Nadu has been enjoying power at the Central level in the coalition set-up all these years. But it is dangerous to play foul with the lives of people on the strength of coalition power.
Even if construction is started now, it may take some time to complete it. The old dam cannot go on holding water for years together. It is better, to protect the interests of Tamil Nadu, to construct a new dam and enjoy the water resources from it.
Mullapperiyar again
It defies common sense when Tamil Nadu insists that it will not allow construction of a new dam at Mullapperiyar to replace the existing 111-year- old dam. The centenarian dam is situated within the territory of Kerala. The water collected in the dam is given over to Tamil Nadu.
That the dam is very old, fragile, situated in earthquake-prone zone, continuous leakage and all put emphasis on construting a new dam, which is not for the benefit of Kerala, but for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu in its entirety.
We have examples of lesser old dams getting destroyed. Dam disasters of Vaiont in Italy, Victoria in Australia, Morvi and Jaswant Sagar in India should be an eye-opener.
There is not even sarcasm in the political mad rage that is ravaging Tamil Nadu regarding construction of a new dam within Kerala territory at its expense for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu. Kerala’s relief lies in saving the lives of lakhs of people from an impending disaster.
It is in the interest of Tamil Nadu that Mullapperiyar dam should not get destroyed. Thousands of tamil families are eking out a living in the Periyar valley. The water from Mullapperiyar supplies four districts of Tamil Nadu, utilising which cultivation is undertaken there. That region is a haven for vegetable gardens with the help of water from Mullapperiyar. The contiguous areas of Mullapperiyar within Kerala do not receive a drop of water from the reservoir.
What is prevailing in Tamil Nadu is overplay of incendiary local politics to incite the people.
In 1978, the Central Water Commission reported that Mullapperiyar dam was not safe. Tamil Nadu government had agreed with the recommendations of the commission for the construction of a new dam. There can be no cogent argument against construction of a new dam.
As a precautionary measure, Kerala government had decided that the water level in Mullapperiyar dam should be limited to 136 feet. But now due to incessant rains in the catchment area, the water level has gone up beyond 137 feet. It appears Tamil Nadu has not been drawing enough water from the dam these days. If Tamil Nadu had taken more water when it was getting filled, the level could have been brought down. It is downright foolish to allow concentration of more water in the fragile structure which we call a dam. In the whole world this is the only structure remaining decommissioned in view of its fragile nature. The dam was constructed using earth and lime. The life of even modern concrete structures is limited to 50 years. Alas, our earth-and-lime dam is 111 years old, the first ever surviving one in the world.
Experts have pointed out that collecting more water in the very old dam would put the structure under heavy strain. Lives of around 35 lakhs of people living downstream, in about five districts of Kerala, from Thekkady to Alappuzha, are in peril. No government can subject the lives of lakhs of people in vivid danger.
Kerala government has made it clear that it is not against giving water to Tamil Nadu from Mullapperiyar. Tamil Nadu can avail of the water, provided a safe dam is constructed. Why can’t they invite international experts and decide about the fragility of the dam?
Sheer common sense insists that the situation cannot continue for long. Had the dam been within the territorial jurisdiction of Tamil Nadu, it would have started steps for the construction of a new dam.
Seepage of water from points of leakage is considerably more than the situation that has been prevailing all these years. When water level goes up from 134 feet, seepage rate multiplies. That means the structure is getting weakened as the years pass by.
The dam is situated in earthquake- prone area. If a serious tremor occurs, it can destroy the dam.
Tamil Nadu is not allowing a joint inspection of the dam by experts. It does not permit Kerala experts to assess the level of seepage.
The situation has come to such a pass that there can be no more hide and seek. Nobody can suppress the real danger that is dangling like the Damocles’ sword over the lives of people.
It is quite clear that Tamil Nadu has been clinging on, with its political clout at the Centre. One way or other Tamil Nadu has been enjoying power at the Central level in the coalition set-up all these years. But it is dangerous to play foul with the lives of people on the strength of coalition power.
Even if construction is started now, it may take some time to complete it. The old dam cannot go on holding water for years together. It is better, to protect the interests of Tamil Nadu, to construct a new dam and enjoy the water resources from it.
Friday, November 16, 2007
O J’s Corner
Mullapperiyar again
It defies common sense when Tamil Nadu insists that it will not allow construction of a new dam at Mullapperiyar to replace the existing 111-year- old dam. The centenarian dam is situated within the territory of Kerala. The water collected in the dam is given over to Tamil Nadu.
That the dam is very old, fragile, situated in earthquake-prone zone, continuous leakage and all put emphasis on construting a new dam, which is not for the benefit of Kerala, but for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu in its entirety.
We have examples of lesser old dams getting destroyed. Dam disasters of Vaiont in Italy, Victoria in Australia, Morvi and Jaswant Sagar in India should be an eye-opener.
There is not even sarcasm in the political mad rage that is ravaging Tamil Nadu regarding construction of a new dam within Kerala territory at its expense for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu. Kerala’s relief lies in saving the lives of lakhs of people from an impending disaster.
It is in the interest of Tamil Nadu that Mullapperiyar dam should not get destroyed. Thousands of tamil families are eking out a living in the Periyar valley. The water from Mullapperiyar supplies four districts of Tamil Nadu, utilising which cultivation is undertaken there. That region is a haven for vegetable gardens with the help of water from Mullapperiyar. The contiguous areas of Mullapperiyar within Kerala do not receive a drop of water from the reservoir.
What is prevailing in Tamil Nadu is overplay of incendiary local politics to incite the people.
In 1978, the Central Water Commission reported that Mullapperiyar dam was not safe. Tamil Nadu government had agreed with the recommendations of the commission for the construction of a new dam. There can be no cogent argument against construction of a new dam.
As a precautionary measure, Kerala government had decided that the water level in Mullapperiyar dam should be limited to 136 feet. But now due to incessant rains in the catchment area, the water level has gone up beyond 137 feet. It appears Tamil Nadu has not been drawing enough water from the dam these days. If Tamil Nadu had taken more water when it was getting filled, the level could have been brought down. It is downright foolish to allow concentration of more water in the fragile structure which we call a dam. In the whole world this is the only structure remaining decommissioned in view of its fragile nature. The dam was constructed using earth and lime. The life of even modern concrete structures is limited to 50 years. Alas, our earth-and-lime dam is 111 years old, the first ever surviving one in the world.
Experts have pointed out that collecting more water in the very old dam would put the structure under heavy strain. Lives of around 35 lakhs of people living downstream, in about five districts of Kerala, from Thekkady to Alappuzha, are in peril. No government can subject the lives of lakhs of people in vivid danger.
Kerala government has made it clear that it is not against giving water to Tamil Nadu from Mullapperiyar. Tamil Nadu can avail of the water, provided a safe dam is constructed. Why can’t they invite international experts and decide about the fragility of the dam?
Sheer common sense insists that the situation cannot continue for long. Had the dam been within the territorial jurisdiction of Tamil Nadu, it would have started steps for the construction of a new dam.
Seepage of water from points of leakage is considerably more than the situation that has been prevailing all these years. When water level goes up from 134 feet, seepage rate multiplies. That means the structure is getting weakened as the years pass by.
The dam is situated in earthquake- prone area. If a serious tremor occurs, it can destroy the dam.
Tamil Nadu is not allowing a joint inspection of the dam by experts. It does not permit Kerala experts to assess the level of seepage.
The situation has come to such a pass that there can be no more hide and seek. Nobody can suppress the real danger that is dangling like the Damocles’ sword over the lives of people.
It is quite clear that Tamil Nadu has been clinging on, with its political clout at the Centre. One way or other Tamil Nadu has been enjoying power at the Central level in the coalition set-up all these years. But it is dangerous to play foul with the lives of people on the strength of coalition power.
Even if construction is started now, it may take some time to complete it. The old dam cannot go on holding water for years together. It is better, to protect the interests of Tamil Nadu, to construct a new dam and enjoy the water resources from it.
Mullapperiyar again
It defies common sense when Tamil Nadu insists that it will not allow construction of a new dam at Mullapperiyar to replace the existing 111-year- old dam. The centenarian dam is situated within the territory of Kerala. The water collected in the dam is given over to Tamil Nadu.
That the dam is very old, fragile, situated in earthquake-prone zone, continuous leakage and all put emphasis on construting a new dam, which is not for the benefit of Kerala, but for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu in its entirety.
We have examples of lesser old dams getting destroyed. Dam disasters of Vaiont in Italy, Victoria in Australia, Morvi and Jaswant Sagar in India should be an eye-opener.
There is not even sarcasm in the political mad rage that is ravaging Tamil Nadu regarding construction of a new dam within Kerala territory at its expense for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu. Kerala’s relief lies in saving the lives of lakhs of people from an impending disaster.
It is in the interest of Tamil Nadu that Mullapperiyar dam should not get destroyed. Thousands of tamil families are eking out a living in the Periyar valley. The water from Mullapperiyar supplies four districts of Tamil Nadu, utilising which cultivation is undertaken there. That region is a haven for vegetable gardens with the help of water from Mullapperiyar. The contiguous areas of Mullapperiyar within Kerala do not receive a drop of water from the reservoir.
What is prevailing in Tamil Nadu is overplay of incendiary local politics to incite the people.
In 1978, the Central Water Commission reported that Mullapperiyar dam was not safe. Tamil Nadu government had agreed with the recommendations of the commission for the construction of a new dam. There can be no cogent argument against construction of a new dam.
As a precautionary measure, Kerala government had decided that the water level in Mullapperiyar dam should be limited to 136 feet. But now due to incessant rains in the catchment area, the water level has gone up beyond 137 feet. It appears Tamil Nadu has not been drawing enough water from the dam these days. If Tamil Nadu had taken more water when it was getting filled, the level could have been brought down. It is downright foolish to allow concentration of more water in the fragile structure which we call a dam. In the whole world this is the only structure remaining decommissioned in view of its fragile nature. The dam was constructed using earth and lime. The life of even modern concrete structures is limited to 50 years. Alas, our earth-and-lime dam is 111 years old, the first ever surviving one in the world.
Experts have pointed out that collecting more water in the very old dam would put the structure under heavy strain. Lives of around 35 lakhs of people living downstream, in about five districts of Kerala, from Thekkady to Alappuzha, are in peril. No government can subject the lives of lakhs of people in vivid danger.
Kerala government has made it clear that it is not against giving water to Tamil Nadu from Mullapperiyar. Tamil Nadu can avail of the water, provided a safe dam is constructed. Why can’t they invite international experts and decide about the fragility of the dam?
Sheer common sense insists that the situation cannot continue for long. Had the dam been within the territorial jurisdiction of Tamil Nadu, it would have started steps for the construction of a new dam.
Seepage of water from points of leakage is considerably more than the situation that has been prevailing all these years. When water level goes up from 134 feet, seepage rate multiplies. That means the structure is getting weakened as the years pass by.
The dam is situated in earthquake- prone area. If a serious tremor occurs, it can destroy the dam.
Tamil Nadu is not allowing a joint inspection of the dam by experts. It does not permit Kerala experts to assess the level of seepage.
The situation has come to such a pass that there can be no more hide and seek. Nobody can suppress the real danger that is dangling like the Damocles’ sword over the lives of people.
It is quite clear that Tamil Nadu has been clinging on, with its political clout at the Centre. One way or other Tamil Nadu has been enjoying power at the Central level in the coalition set-up all these years. But it is dangerous to play foul with the lives of people on the strength of coalition power.
Even if construction is started now, it may take some time to complete it. The old dam cannot go on holding water for years together. It is better, to protect the interests of Tamil Nadu, to construct a new dam and enjoy the water resources from it.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Emergency-enforced Pakistan
By O J George ( full name Oottupara John George)
Pakistan has again come under Emergency. There can be hair-splitting arguments about whether it is Emergency or Martial Law that has been clamped in Pakistan. An emergency can be enforced only in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. But the constitution itself has been kept in abeyance. What is now prevailing is martial law, according to one interpretation. Whatever it is, the people have lost their freedom.
Every tyrant there had proclaimed from the roof-top that to save the country from damnation, suspension of constitution and democratic rights was indispensable. General Pervez Musharraf has proved that he is not different. Let us sympathise with the people of Pakistan.
Countrymen, let us hail India, that is Bharat, for being our motherland. Do we think it over for a moment how lucky we are compared to the people living in our neighbourhood? We can howl and hoot, shout slogans against the government, stage hartals/bandhs and strikes on any number of days, like in Kerala, the southernmost state of India.
There can be political manoeuvring of any magnitude like what is happening in Karnataka now. Kerala can clamour for construction of a new dam in place of the 114-year-old Mullapperiyar dam and Tamil Nadu can vehemently oppose it. A Velu can carve out a Salem Railway division with the help of Lalu, no matter what happens to the Palakkad division. There can be hartals on this score on both sides of the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. There can be absurdity plays wherever we want these to be staged. We feel non-plussed only when terrorists hit us in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore or Ahamedabad. The terrorist variety has a different gene altogether. They cannot be tackled with our ‘democratic’ loquacity, be it from Shiv Sena, BJP or the leftists.. Forget about Congressmen. They are, more or less, an uninjurious lot.
Perhaps now, more than ever before, Pakistan might need some disciplining in the wake of terrorist outfits overtaking the established structures of governance. A nuclear-powered Pakistan cannot be complacent in its rule. Nuclear arms should not fall into the hands of terrorist outfits, whoever they are. It is difficult to keep count of the names of Islamic terrorist organisations. Al-Qaeda, Taliban, LeT, Jaish and what not have had their free run throughout Pakistan, in addition to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq and other havens. Are they working for the good of the people?
We cannot choose our neighbours. Therefore, there is no alternative to living with the neighbours, however problematic they are. From the very beginning, Pakistan has been a nuisance to India. There can be many points for and against. But democratic processes have been a chimera in Pakistan, in spite of fiery Bhuttos ( Zulfiqar Ali and Benazir) and Nawaz Sharif in the recent decades. Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and the like had led the country on the strength of military support. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged without a pang at the instance of Zia-ul-Haq.After a few years, Zia met with a suspicious chopper accident.
Experts say Musharraf is like Zia-ul-Haq. Now he has got a Benazir Bhutto to keep company. What would be its outcome, no one knows. Pakistan is an unpredictable territory. India might well take heed. The neighbour is in ferment. Its problem should not spring a surprise on us.
India might have been dubbed as a disheveled democracy. There may have been so many political satraps calling the shot in various parts of India. But no one could impose a military rule here. The cacophony of democracy is its strength, whatever be its other weaknesses.
There were humorous references about Partition of British India. Had the British known that Mohamed Ali Jinnah was suffering from TB, perhaps they would not have allowed a separate Pakistan. From its very inception, it has been diseased.
By O J George ( full name Oottupara John George)
Pakistan has again come under Emergency. There can be hair-splitting arguments about whether it is Emergency or Martial Law that has been clamped in Pakistan. An emergency can be enforced only in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. But the constitution itself has been kept in abeyance. What is now prevailing is martial law, according to one interpretation. Whatever it is, the people have lost their freedom.
Every tyrant there had proclaimed from the roof-top that to save the country from damnation, suspension of constitution and democratic rights was indispensable. General Pervez Musharraf has proved that he is not different. Let us sympathise with the people of Pakistan.
Countrymen, let us hail India, that is Bharat, for being our motherland. Do we think it over for a moment how lucky we are compared to the people living in our neighbourhood? We can howl and hoot, shout slogans against the government, stage hartals/bandhs and strikes on any number of days, like in Kerala, the southernmost state of India.
There can be political manoeuvring of any magnitude like what is happening in Karnataka now. Kerala can clamour for construction of a new dam in place of the 114-year-old Mullapperiyar dam and Tamil Nadu can vehemently oppose it. A Velu can carve out a Salem Railway division with the help of Lalu, no matter what happens to the Palakkad division. There can be hartals on this score on both sides of the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. There can be absurdity plays wherever we want these to be staged. We feel non-plussed only when terrorists hit us in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore or Ahamedabad. The terrorist variety has a different gene altogether. They cannot be tackled with our ‘democratic’ loquacity, be it from Shiv Sena, BJP or the leftists.. Forget about Congressmen. They are, more or less, an uninjurious lot.
Perhaps now, more than ever before, Pakistan might need some disciplining in the wake of terrorist outfits overtaking the established structures of governance. A nuclear-powered Pakistan cannot be complacent in its rule. Nuclear arms should not fall into the hands of terrorist outfits, whoever they are. It is difficult to keep count of the names of Islamic terrorist organisations. Al-Qaeda, Taliban, LeT, Jaish and what not have had their free run throughout Pakistan, in addition to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq and other havens. Are they working for the good of the people?
We cannot choose our neighbours. Therefore, there is no alternative to living with the neighbours, however problematic they are. From the very beginning, Pakistan has been a nuisance to India. There can be many points for and against. But democratic processes have been a chimera in Pakistan, in spite of fiery Bhuttos ( Zulfiqar Ali and Benazir) and Nawaz Sharif in the recent decades. Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and the like had led the country on the strength of military support. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged without a pang at the instance of Zia-ul-Haq.After a few years, Zia met with a suspicious chopper accident.
Experts say Musharraf is like Zia-ul-Haq. Now he has got a Benazir Bhutto to keep company. What would be its outcome, no one knows. Pakistan is an unpredictable territory. India might well take heed. The neighbour is in ferment. Its problem should not spring a surprise on us.
India might have been dubbed as a disheveled democracy. There may have been so many political satraps calling the shot in various parts of India. But no one could impose a military rule here. The cacophony of democracy is its strength, whatever be its other weaknesses.
There were humorous references about Partition of British India. Had the British known that Mohamed Ali Jinnah was suffering from TB, perhaps they would not have allowed a separate Pakistan. From its very inception, it has been diseased.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Kerala, the Southernmost State of India was the victim of hartals/bandhs ( in effect strike) for about 180 days during the last ten months. An outsider would think it absurd. An average person with no political leaning considers this sort of strike imposed on the people as persecution. During hartals/bandhs, public transport grinds to a halt. Shops and business houses remain closed. If anyone opens shop, the strikers would attack them. The police cannot do much.
If someone falls sick, he can’t go to hospital. The strikers would not allow them to move.
Kerala is the most literate state in India. It appears everything has gone topsy turvy.
There are state-wide hartals and local hartals. Local hartals are limited to the area the callers prescribe.
The other day a tourist cruise liner berthed at Cochin. The tourists could not go sight-seeing or shopping.
We have lost our reasoning power, it seems
If someone falls sick, he can’t go to hospital. The strikers would not allow them to move.
Kerala is the most literate state in India. It appears everything has gone topsy turvy.
There are state-wide hartals and local hartals. Local hartals are limited to the area the callers prescribe.
The other day a tourist cruise liner berthed at Cochin. The tourists could not go sight-seeing or shopping.
We have lost our reasoning power, it seems
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)