Presence of one trained guide would have averted Thekkady boat tragedy

By O.J.George

Kottayam: The boat tragedy in Thekkady in which 36 deaths have been confirmed and increased toll suspected is, no doubt, man-made.

The tragedy could have been averted if sensible measures were taken.First of all, someone should have told the tourists that they should not collect together on one side of the boat on seeing wildlife on the banks of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.

Then, the question is: Who should tell the tourists who have come from various states speaking different languages and even foreigners? There was only the boat driver and a so-called aide.Apparently, there was no training for them, even as the loquacious KTDC chairman Cherian Philip can speak about political ideology and other topics.

Incidentally, it was Jalakanyaka, a boat belonging to KTDC (Kerala Tourism Development Corporation) which overturned and caused the deaths.The tourists belonged to Delhi, Punjab, Kolkata, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra etc.

And there are reports that foreigners could also be among the victims.One can immediately say there were no life jackets, but latest reports suggest the life jackets were kept packed in some corner of the boat.There was no means for the victims in the capsized boat to catch hold of the same.

Actually, what should be done was life jackets should be provided to each passenger on boarding the boat.In the present case, for those passengers trapped in the lower portion of the boat and under water, such devices might not be of much help, for they had no opening to move out.The lower deck had glass covered windows. And as the boat turned turtle, they were deep within the waters with no means to move out.

The same was the case with the Thattekkat boat tragedy. When the boat overturned, the children were trapped in the inside portion which had no leeway for them to move out.When the windows of the boat are completely covered, there should be at least an emergency door.The most crucial aspect is the need for a trained guide on each tourist boat who should give directions to the tourists about their conduct while being in the deep reservoir.

Boat tragedies have not made us wiser to ensure fool-proof safety

By O.J.George
This evening a tourist boat of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation capsized in Thekkady reservoir killing over 30 people. A few tourists were rescued. However more people have to be accounted for. It is believed that there were 80 passengers in the boat, Jalakanyaka, which was on its maiden voyage in the reservoir flanking the wildlife sanctuary.

Initial reports say there were two foreigners among the dead.

No doubt, there were not many lifebuoys on the boat, whose capacity was 74. That the tragedy occurred in the evening and darkness has set in made rescue operations difficult.

The venue of the tragedy was about five kms away from the boat landing berth. And it was a hazardous task to reach the venue in the reservoir which is filled to the brink on account of plenty of rains received these days.

To take those rescued to the hospital also was not easy as any hospital was not available within five kms.

Remember, two years ago there was a boat tragedy in Thattekkard bird sanctuary. And that was also an evening affair. The victims were 15 students and three teachers of Elavoor St Antony’s School.

There were 60 passengers in that boat which had travel capacity for only six persons.

The passengers had collected themselves on one side which caused the overturn.

Today’s Thekkady tragedy also has the same condition. The tourists had collected themselves on one side of the boat on their seeing wild animals on the banks.

Thekkady reservoir waters contain remains of standing dead trees in the water. Usually no boat would be allowed to ply in the darkness. Rescue operations in the dead of night would have bleak chances.

The area does not have range for mobile phones. Neither is electricity available in the region.

All these facilities should have been provided at a world-famous tourist spot.

We must not only grieve when a tragedy occurs, but we must provide all security measures for tourists.

What Dalit human right was protected by killing morning walker Sivaprasad at Varkala?

By O.J.George

That DGP Jacob Punnoose himself descended down Varkala to take stock of the extremist attack on morning walker Sivaprasad seemed to be worthy of attracting importance.

People of ordinary living should introspect what Dalit human rights could be enforced by doing away with the life of a commoner, Sivaprasad of Varkala, who was strolling along the road early morning, apparently because he had to do some exercise for a diabetic condition.

There has been no reason attached to the cold-blooded murder of this ordinary being. Reports say his umbrella and watch were snatched away by some hooligans two years ago as he was having his morning walk.

According to initial reports, the cowardly act was done by activists of Dalit Human Rights Movement.

We have heard about sensible agitations launched by various Dalit organizations for securing various rights, including temple entry rights. Forward caste leaders had also joined hands with Dalits in securing such rights.

There can be demand for job reservation, right to life and property, dispensing with discrimination and the like.

But what is this dastardly act? This was nothing but a goonda act to scare away people from the mainstream of life. They chose a hapless family for attracting attention on their God-forsaken ideology. But then is it an ideology?

The Chief Minister and the Home Minister should have visited the family of Sivaprasad to console them. Compensation should be paid to the family in good measure so that the next of kin do not suffer misery on account of the loss of the head of the family.

Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy has visited the place and comforted the family. The Government need not stand on ceremony but readily oblige to offer succour to the family.

Two activists have been rounded up and remanded to custody for two weeks. It has to be probed whether they have direct involvement or whether they had any role in commissioning this job.

Society is permeated with perverted ideas and politics that have no relevance in a civilized society. The condition of the Dalits should definitely improve, but their condition in Kerala is far better than in places ruled by their own leaders like Mayawati.

Improvement should be worked out not like this, but with sensible projections by far-sighted leaders.

Tamil Nadu should build an ARK for Kerala, in case Mullapperiyar dam……

By O.J.George

Tamil Nadu politicians appear to be aghast at the sanction given by the Union Government to conduct a survey for a new dam at the Mullapperiyar.

No one questions Tamil Nadu’s requirements of water from Mullapperiyar. But it should be at what cost? Should it be at the cost of roughly 50 lakh people of Kerala in four or five districts?

Those who oppose the decommissioning of the 114-year-old Mullapperiyar dam built of earthen materials must be inhuman. For they don’t care in case the dam bursts.Better let Tamil Nadu build an ARK for Kerala people in case the unthinkable happens.

But then will Noah’s ARK suffice to accommodate 50 lakh people? And there can be no provision for animals either.

Or one should build an ARK as in Evan Almighty, who took cudgels against the inappropriate way a dam was built.Other Congressmen pooh-poohed him. But God Almighty appears before him and asks him to build an ARK.

People humiliated him. Evan Almighty continued to say rains would lash and there would be a deluge from which the people can be saved if they come inside the ARK.

At last the unthinkable happened, as the dam burst and the people swiftly boarded the ARK which was taken to the Capitol building in the swirling waters.

God Almighty appears to Evan Almighty and tells him one can save the world by the ARK, which is nothing but an Act of Random Kindness.Let people exhibit an Act of Random Kindness and save the people of Kerala.

Shashi Tharoor scrapes through, but let him be careful

O J George
It is pass for Shashi Tharoor this time for his ‘holy cows’ and ‘cattle class’ comments after he met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and other leaders. It is a closed chapter by now.He and many others had attempted to wish away the bad referencing. All attempts had boomeranged on those who tried to camouflage the verbiage. In fact, the problem was more with the ‘holy cows’ reference than the ‘cattle class’ comment. Shashi Tharoor and some others had said holy cow is not an individual but any institution or idea. That may not be fully correct. Go to Editing by Bruce Westley. He has included persons also in the category of sacred cows, which is nothing different from holy cows.In Websters, a sacred cow is a person, institution, custom etc unreasonably held to be beyond criticism, something that cannot be violated.In the Congress scheme of things, no one can survive by joking about the high command. K.Karunakaran and son Muraleedharan had said something like ‘Madamma’ which can be translated as madam, but ‘Madamma’ has a sort of bad connotation. Karunakaran somehow scraped through. Muraleedharan is yet to be rehabilitated.Something should be learnt from P.Chidambaram who was with the team of Tamil Nadu leaders who met the Prime Minister on Tuesday. They wanted to highlight the plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. It was expected that they would make mention about the Mullapperiyar dam issue as well. We don’t know whether they, in fact, made a mention.But Chidambaram, in public, completely ruled out any reference to the Mullapperiyar issue. Afterall, it was a decision taken by a Cabinet colleague which cannot be questioned by another.Shashi Tharoor was wallowing in wilderness after losing his moorings in the UN echelons. It was the Congress which went out of the way to rehabilitate him.He has to follow the precepts so that he basks in the glory of his accomplishments otherwise.

The Democles’s sword of price rise for rice

By O.J.George
Short supply of rice is looming large before the people of Kerala, according to reports. Traders are waiting savagely to make a fast buck during shortage.

Black marketing, hoarding and profiteering are criminal acts, according to the law. But that is precisely what would ensue, if eatables are not plentily available.

Lemons are not available as per demand now. Traders charge more than Rs 100 per kilogramme of lemon. The rate was Rs 20 for a kilogramme when it was available lavishly.

In the case of rice, there will be black sheep who would channel ration rice in black maket and fetch disproportionate profits.

For a state like Kerala which cannot feed its people with the produce any time in human history, it would be dependent on other rice-producing states.

The assurance of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister, about ensuring supply through the public distribution system is waning during modern times.

Last year Food Minister Sharad Pawar had commented that the state should procure rice from the open market as the Centre cannot ensure procurement in full.

Here in Kerala, we have been depending on the Centre, more or less, for our rice, wheat and kerosene requirements.As time lapses, we have to keen an eye open and think about procurement either from within the country or through import with the Centre’s sanction to keep the people properly fed.

Meanwhile, there have been complaints about the inadequacy of the proposed food security scheme.

There is truth in the argument as the Centre is imposing a certain quota of BPL list (Below the Poverty Line) on the state.

The Centre fixes a quota and asks the state to accept it. That is far from logical. It is the state government which can finalise a list of the BPL list.

First of all the BPL list of the Centre is far smaller than that prepared by the state. Then there is another lacuna.

The APL (Above the Poverty Line) people are kept out.The government should be beyond shame if it considers the APL people are comfortable.

What is this APL paradigm? Those having an equivalent of a dollar income per day are apparently above the poverty line.

The comfort zone is when the government would be able to discharge its duty to feed all kinds of people. Those who can afford luxury can dispense with government largesse. But those who need support should be taken care of.

Now when the permits issued to the farmers of Andhra Pradesh for export of rice outside AP lapse soon, Keralites would be down in the dumps and rice would be costlier. State Government, better take notice of the impending problem.

Ahmadinejad on the course of destruction

By O.J.George
Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does not want to be credible in the general public of the world. That is why he has said there was nothing like Holocaust. Jews were not murdered in gas chambers and concentration camps. All such stories are figment of imagination.

Ahmadinejad knows it very well that his version may not be accepted by the outside world. But he is only concerned with the captive audience within sections opposed to Jews and Judaism.

So-called democracies thrive like this in many realms. Herr Hitler had undisputed support from the National Socialists. He could also be considered as an elected leader, for doing what, exterminating a whole race. Heydays of such extremists last for some time and they fade away after polluting the pastures of humankind.

Ahmadinejad wants to build a nuclear bomb and threaten the world with that. Probably he wants to keep the bomb and with its security, attack Jews. Think about the plight of the Jews. Just for imposing the German superiority theory, Jews who were considered superior intellects, were being decimated.Six million Jews of occupied Europe were killed by the Nazis during World War II.

Now Ahmadinejad’s variety of Islamists want to demonstrate their superiority. Even if Israel butts out, this hatred would remain with the types of Ahmadinejad. Ultimatley, this attitude would not contribute to help the Palestinian people. Firing rockets against Jews from the places vacated by the Israeli people has been the cause for the counter-attack by the Tel Aviv administration. You are provoking an attack.

Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States have condemned the statement of Ahmadinejad that holocaust was myth.

The destiny of nations of the world is determined by the leaders ruling them. Sometimes, there appear evil ones who would endanger their own nations. Ahmadinejad could be one.

Shashi Tharoor’s peccadilloes

By O.J.George
Shashi Tharoor is a tragic hero these days for his off the cuff comments, some of which have irked the Congress high command.

That Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan categorically repudiated Tharoor’s remarks underscores the alacrity with which the party high command reacts against undesirable practices.

For the Congress high command, personalities do not matter when it comes to it being hit below the belt. Raja Natwar Singh was its poster boy on matters of external affairs. Now he is languishing in obscurity, after being dumped by the high command.

And look at the way a new cabinet minister for external affairs was chosen this time. S M Krishna himself might not have thought that he would become a minister for external affairs.

The ease with which coronation and condemnation come to the high command should be observed by Shashi Tharoor in right earnest.

There are a lot of practising politicians around who were not happy with Shashi Tharoor’s candidature in Thiruvananthapuram. They are lying low for an opportune moment to strike back.

Shashi Tharoor has apologized for his goof-up about the cattle class. He says actually meant airlines and not low-class people. At the same time, his secretary has published a lot of Twitter comments supporting Shashi Tharoor.

Some people think that Shashi Tharoor is a stooge of the US, planted on Indian soil to do their bidding. But the same US had exercised its veto against his becoming the UN Secretary-General. When it comes to matters of grandeur, they have their own formula, and people like Shashi Tharoor would be down in the dumps.

India has come to his help, and rather mollycoddled him, for not making swipes at its coolie class of people who propel him at the hustings.

His connection with diplomatic people like Shahryar Khan in writing common cricket book or Niaz Naik in propagating backdoor diplomacy would not help him retain his seat here.

Recently, Niaz Naik, a bachelor, was done to death allegedly by terrorists for his hobnobbing with Indians. His stinking body was found only after a few days of his death. Pakistan does not take kindly to its definition of wayward behaviour.

Let Shashi Tharoor dispense with flamboyance and restrict himself to quiet diplomacy, functioning from his official residence, even if renovation is not completed, and not from five-star hotels which are vulnerable in many ways for an external affairs minister.

Muthoot Paul M George murder case cannot be wished away

By O J George

Whoever thinks that the Muthoot Paul M George murder case would vanish into thin air by fixing someone is in a world of unreality. No amount of artifice would satisfy the people at large as they are convinced that dreaded goons were involved in the killing act.

There can be any number of arguments like Muthoot Paul M George had been hobnobbing with the dreaded goons for achieving his nefarious ends.

Such arguments do not provide justification as the people would like to know everything including the wrong-doings of Muthoot Paul M George, if any.

Now Vilasini, the mother of Kaari Satheesh, who has admitted to the murder in an act of provocation, has approached Kerala High Court for a CBI inquiry into the whole affairs.

The High Court is hearing the plea for CBI inquiry on Tuesday.

On Monday, another news item appeared.The Andhra Pradesh Government led by chief Minister Rosaiah requested the Union Government to cause a CBI inquiry into the helicopter crash involving the death of Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, his private secretary, chief security officer and two pilots.

The inquiry by the Andhra Pradesh Government would continue even as the CBI takes over investigation into all aspects of the case.

Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram has readily agreed to have a probe done by the CBI.

It should be the same spirit with which the Kerala Government should proceed with the request for a CBI probe into the murder of Muthoot Paul M George.

It would be easier for the CBI to nab dreaded criminals involved in the Muthoot Paul M George murder, who are at large.

A CBI probe would satisfy the opposition in the state as well, for UDF convener P.P.Thankachen had called for an inquiry by the central agency.

Dreaded criminals at large, after 17 days of the Muthoot murder

By O J George

Thiruvananthapuram: Dreaded criminals Om Prakash and Rajesh Puthenpalam are still elusive even as the murder of Muthoot Paul M George was murdered on Friday, August 21.

Though the police have nabbed Kaari Satheesh and a few of the Changanasserry gang, the murder of Muthoot Paul M George can be unravelled only if the two dreaded criminals who were with the scion of the Muthoot family on the fateful day are nabbed.

The conspiracy angle involving them has to be found out with conclusive evidence. Even otherwise, they are wanted by the police in connection with many other crimes.

But the suspicion in the minds of the people is increasing day by day about the futile exercise to nab the criminals, as a lot of cops are hands-in-glove with their activities.

More so, there are allegations that they are close to ruling political leaders, particularly the CPM. The charge was that the Home Department’s hands are tied on account of the criminals’ nexus with top political bosses.

UDF convener P.P.Thankachen has already issued a call to hand over the investigation to the CBI.

Congress Party is holding dharna in all district headquarters today in protest against the goonda raj in the state.

Resourceful persons often get tied down with travails

By O J George

Fate automatically bestows on resourceful persons a lot of travails. For each according to his/her ability, that is the ratio of the blessings of Agony Goddess on human beings.

Anguish, torment come to the intellectual almighty too soon than to easy beings.
That is the levelling factor Fate has conferred on all of us.

Vayalar Ravi and Mercy Ravi were a mighty couple, endowed with a lot of blessings. Their union itself was unthinkable in the days of 1969, a Catholic girl, overcoming all the social pressures, becoming the wife of an Ezhava. That was unthinkable in the societal mores of those days.

Still she chose what she thought was the fit person in Vayalar Ravi. They together ploughed a political furrow together. Vayalar Ravi was blessed with the intellectual company he wanted most in Mercy Ravi.

They had many a travail and they faced all of it bravely. Mercy Ravi, even as she was suffering from kidney failure and connected problems, fought on courageously.

And as far as Vayalar Ravi is concerned, he provided her with the best of care anyone can fetch in this world.

For Mercy Ravi it was a rendezvous with the inevitable. She might have been waiting to meet Destiny, for she might be arguing with the Being about the travails besetting human beings.

She won an Assembly election only once and then she made history. She is the only woman MLA from Kottayam Assembly constituency. She would have fetched greater political glories, but by then she was crippled by ailments.

She has established a kidney research foundation which should provide succour to the patients suffering from kidney ailments.

Y S Rajasekhar Reddy was soaring like anything in the political graph, but then destiny gave him a violent death. No one knows the way we meet with our end.

For Mercy Ravi there was a long time for her to reflect on the aspects of life. May her soul rest in peace.