Endosulfan ban is a victory, but there is no instant relief

All those who clamoured for a total ban on the use of the deadly pesticide Endosulfan globally can have a feeling of victory, but there is no instant remedy for the dangerous situation.

We must salute the world body when the Stockholm Convention in Geneva decided to clamp a global ban on Endosulfan and certain other dangerous chemicals.

But India had insisted on getting a rider passed and that was allowed following which there could be use of Endosulfan for the next 11 years. During the interregnum, attempts would be made to formulate alternatives which would be cost-effective.
And Indian Parliament has to give the green signal for the ban on Endosulfan. This will all take time.

Meanwhile, what should be ensured is that there would be no indiscriminate use of the pesticide such as through aerial spraying.

Even as the Kerala Government has been going all-out to get national ban, it could not do justice to the people of the state when it used Endosulfan in plantations. Those who sought ban were responsible for aerial spraying one way or the other.
Instead of trying to win a brownie point, let the authorities take cogent action to prevent indiscriminate use, for the pesticide has already been banned in Kerala.

The Lame Duck Government in Kerala has got a lively engagement

The long wait to know the fate of the existing political government could be agonizing. The people have either voted in or voted out a prevailing government, but then the decision stands in limbo because the people’s verdict remains within the ballot box, nay electronic voting machines. A wait for a clear one month is worrisome for all.

Still the V.S.Achuthanandan government in Kerala has got realtime engagement, fighting against deadly pesticide Endosulfan. Since the issue is ticklish, and no sensible person can keep off the bandwagon if he had a glance at the deformed and malformed bodies of the victims anywhere, the item number draws huge gatherings wherever a stir programme is held.

In the bargain, the state government runs away without any blame even as it cannot wash its hands off since Endosulfan was used by aerial spraying in cashew plantations in Kasargode. The Plantation Corporation nor other entities have been punished for this criminal act which ultimately rendered the lives of hundreds of human beings as non-lives.

All the time, Endosulfan has been banned in Kerala, but no action was taken seriously to see that those who spray Endosulfan are punished. That is one point.
Another point is that the Union Government all the time refused to ban the pesticide at the national level on the plea that only Kerala and Karnataka had pleaded for such a ban.

It could be man’s inhumanity to humanity and even gene mutation that could never be forgiven. Now the Union Government stands in humiliation even as countries like China, Brazil, Argentina and others have sought ban. The US had already clamped a ban.

Anyway, Achuthanandan has wholesome stuff to while away his time while the government is in limbo.

Nothing but cruelty on the part of the Centre in not banning Endosulfan

No doubt it is outright cruelty on the part of the Union Government in not banning the use of dangerous pesticide Endosulfan which had caused devastation among people of Kerala and Karnataka.

The Ministers concerned, it seems, have been toying with appointment of various committees one after the other to somehow prolong the use of Endosulfan.

They have not visited the victims of Endosulfan, living anachronism of human beings, as they were deformed and disfigured with ugly looks. Writer M.T.Vasudevan Nair had said it was not possible for him to visit the victims as he cannot stand the sight of the so-called human beings who have been victims of gene mutation caused by the deleterious pesticide.

Come and see, that should be the slogan to be raised against the Union Ministers whose kith and kin are not affected by the pesticide because they don’t go anywhere near fields where the pesticides are used.

It seems the attempt of the ministers was to see that India took a stance favourable to the use of Endosulfan in the Geneva conference of the Stockholm declaration being held in the coming days.

It would be an ugly sight to see India, which is on the threshold of being considered a developed nation, arguing for the use of Endosulfan which makes death-in-life and life-in-death in human beings.

Forget about committees, people are convinced that Endosulfan is the culprit in making their lives and lives of future generations in danger.
The argument that request from two states is not enough to cause a national ban is ludicrous and at once vulgar.

I don’t see how these so-called educated and enlightened people have no qualms in playing with the lives of present people and future generations. These gentlemen have to be condemned.

Suppose the UDF gets majority, who all will Minister unto us?

Is it amiss on the part of any scribe to delve deep in imagination about who all could be the Ministers of the Congress-led UDF, it it gets majority to form a Government?

Not at all, one can always speculate, and unless something drastic happens to the contrary, Oommen Chandy would be selected by the Congress Parliamentary Party as the Chief Minister. Later, he would have a hard time coping with the palmolein case, if new investigation throws up any piece of evidence to nail him as an accused.

There would be our usual coterie of other Ministers, say P.K.Kunjalikutty and M.K.Muneer and some others from the Indian Union Muslim League. Who could be the nominees of the Kerala Congress (M)? No one else but K.M.Mani and P.J.Joseph. There could be no possibility of the Congress offering a third Minister to the KC(M).

Janata Dal Democratic Socialist, the nominee could be M.V.Sreyamskumar.

What about our old war horse K.R.Gowri Amma? Of course, she has to be offered the post from JSS.

CMP would have its supremo M.V.Raghavan. T.M.Jacob, Ganeshkumar and others are also in the fray.

In the end, we would have old wine in the old bottle.

No doubt, whoever rules would have to take measures against corruption; just tinkering with the issues not enough

The world is changing fast with knowledge regimes gaining importance in various countries. We know that there has been corruption, but from now on things are going to be different, for people have started reacting on a more active level.

Anna Hazare, who may not be beyond reproach, is still only a symbol around whom the people are consolidating themselves.

From now on, no regime can say we have some details about people stashing piles of money abroad, but we cannot disclose the names. Neither can we take action against them, because we are bound by agreements with the countries concerned not to disclose the names. People will say, change the system or we will change it.

India is fast becoming a strong member of the comity of nations which have many strengths, like billions capable of comprehension and combativeness.

Maybe one year, two years, three years, five years on, the country cannot remain mute to the demands of the people to punish the corrupt.
Till now, those who amassed wealth could simply put the money abroad in some Godforsaken nations which do not mind receiving the filthy money for their manipulation.

At some point of time in the future, there would be a situation under the UN Security Council or so, no country would be able to hide filthy money received from outside.
The people know that it is their money that is taken away and squandered through all foul means.

Let people concerned take notice, enough is enough.

Ratan Tata cannot be otherwise, straight answers to questions, no circumventing

The poise with which Ratan Tata answered questions raised by public accounts committee members relating to the 2G spectrum scam deserves praise. According to reports Tata gave straight answers to all the questions put to him. He answered in the affirmative about the conversation between him and lobbyist Niira Radia.

Human behavior usually is to circumvent issues, find some alibi and escape. Politicians, bureaucrats and even some judges would not hesitate for a moment in dodging issues.

In this regard, Tatan Tata stands apart. His business is to corner business that would be beneficial to his companies. He would pursue various lines to achieve his ends. But people can always argue business should be fair. It should not be at the cost of the public exchequer. That is another issue.

This Niira Radia and related issues are highlighted because these issues have come in the public domain. Suppose the authorities release the tapes of the phones tapped by them one way or other, there would be earth-shattering revelations. Those in possession of such information can work out to get the information released through benami. Then the world would be in tremors.

We give over-importance to WikiLeaks and all, but this is only with regard to something which has come up to the knowledge of the people. How much more correspondence and taped conversations are remaining with various agencies and people?

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter.Likewise, let there be many more revelations