Critiquie of CWG is unpatriotic, Critique of shoddy city infrastructure is not!

Once upon a time Congress heavyweight Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar has an unmatched command over the English vocabulary as well as a sharp mind. He also has a knack of drawing the limelight onto himself whenever he feels ignored. Humility not being his crowning glory, he amuses everyone by describing himself as the most qualified person for various public positions.

As Sports Minister in earlier UPA regime, he drafted a Rs 6,000-crore plan to hold national panchayat games to develop skills in kho-kho, kabaddi and assorted indigenous sports, insisting that fund infusion at that level would help grow talent. Result: He was divested of the Sports Ministry.

Similarly, his attempts to by-pass the foreign policy establishment by aligning with Iran met with stern disapproval from his erstwhile employer, the Ministry of External Affairs. He also went on an ego trip with CMD of ONGC and the result: He was divested from Petroleum Ministry as well.

Latest from Mr Aiyar’s kettle is criticizing Mr. S M Krishna over Indo-Pak talks debacle and as soon as media stopped covering the story, he has gone on a rampage airing his pet peeve over sports events in India.

The question is should we take his views seriously at all?

Mr. Iyer wishes that a modern day pralaya should deluge the forthcoming Common WEALTH Games. Predictably, this set the cat among the pigeons, which was precisely what Mr Aiyar had hoped for. Denunciations flew in faster than javelin throws. Mud-slinging event has already started and Mr. Iyer is self-appointed chairman of this event.

Mr. Iyer’s comments range from anti-national, demeaning, demoralising to unsporting and worse. We often find Mr. Aiyar seeking limelight at the expense of mega-events like CWG. He railed against India’s bid for the Asian Games and explained that he wished the CWG would fail so that New Delhi wouldn’t ever dream of bidding for the Olympics.

There are two facets to Mr Aiyar's ill-timed diarrhoea. Casting an evil eye on one of the most prestigious sporting events India will host is, unequivocally unpatriotic. Further, the argument that the Rs 35,000 crore should be used to promote sports facilities in backward or Maoist-infested areas like Dantewada is absurd even by Mr. Iyer’s standards.

Whatever one’s views on India’s ability to organise such events, and there are serious questions relating to that, this is no time to publicly berate the event. If the CWG turns out to be a disaster, India’s national honour and prestige would be seriously compromised. India’s global image, would be severely dented.

But where Mr Aiyar does make a point is with regard to infrastructure. Much of Mr Aiyar’s ire, though, should have been directed at Ms Sheila Dikshit rather than the IOC chairman kalmadi.

The manner in which the Delhi Government and the city’s civic authorities have gone about uglifying the city resembles the work of an amateur biology student dissecting a frog. Already incredible tales of official greed are covering front page of all the newspapers. As soon as civil work is completed by one department, the next one swoops down and commences breaking it up. There have been huge cost and time over-runs in all the CWG projects, except for the Metro.

The city is suffering from the poor quality of roads, collapsing drains, traffic mess. the Government’s obsession with sandstone and granite pavements has driven everybody up the wall. For my life I can’t understand whose daft idea it was to place expensive but slippery granites on pavements. Millions have been spent carting sandstone to Delhi and I am sure Ms Sheila Dikshit will eventually overtake Ms Mayawati in the quantum purchased.

“Commonwealth Games of Delhi are globally ranked number one for collective contractor exposure. It’s a matter of pride for us but a shame that an anti-national person like Aiyar can’t see it.” Said Mr. Kalmadi.

Mr. Kalmadi should not get into petty battles and focus on the task at hand. He needs to reinforce the belief of inevitable success of the upcoming games.

I am still confident that doomsayers will be given a fitting reply when the CWG is held with flying colours. I am sure that India could even host Olympics if one dared to dream about hosting it.

Things might look messy right now but like the saying goes “where there is a will, there is a way”.

Watch: A vestigial accessory

A person halts another unknown passerby and asks ‘What’s time’? We all have been witness to this situation many a times. Alas! This is history now. Watch has lost all its relevance. 

When our forefathers found that time is the only thing that cannot be controlled, they devised ways in which we can measure time. From the earliest recorded history, calculating time has been the concern and passion for man and India was at forefront with monuments like ‘Jantar Mantar’ still standing today. The earliest sundials and weight machines were an endeavour in this respect. 

Let me take you back to watch era phase I when there were only Pocket watches. The watches were worn in a pendant style from the neck but with the introduction of waistcoats, they were worn in pockets. Learned and affluent people used to wear watches and their wives tied their watches to the end of their saree at the waist. This was phase I. 

In the second phase in 1970s, electronic watches came and replaced mechanical watches forever. Watch became a status symbol. This was also the phase when fathers started telling their son to get good marks in board and the prize will be a watch. Also, a trend began with any tom, dick and harry gifting a watch to his son-in-law. There were two main brands available in India in seventies namely HMT, Ricoh. With the launch of Titan from the TATA stable in 1989, watches became as much an instrument of showing time, as a work of art. 

With India going global in Nineties began Phase III, we for the first time realised that there are watches costing more than salary of India’s Prime Minister. There was a flood of brands and watch retail stores came into picture. Now watches are marketed on the perceived value of one’s style, taste, and individuality. 

Nowadays, we see time everywhere – on news channels, on our PCs, mobiles etc. How well we use time is another story and I will go there some other time. Like time, watches have moved from monuments to pockets to hands and now we only see them in print ads of the elite magazines. 

Watches have become akin to a Junk Drawer in our house or like human body full of vestigial organs like muscles in our ear or tailbones etc. Watches just remain souvenirs of our evolutionary past. We don't use them for their original purpose anymore, and this small narration is a stunted memento of that original function.

India Bangladesh power venture leads to regional supremacy

India today signed a 35-year power transmission agreement with Bangladesh for supplying 250 megawatt of electricity from late 2012. The agreement was signed between the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCI).

PGCIL will incur a cost of about Rs.80 crores (about $17 million) to construct 80 km of transmission line and own, operate and maintain it. The Indian company will recover the construction cost under a fixed rate over 35 years.

Many are of the opinion that India is not able to generate enough electricity to support our domestic consumption. Thus, we should not be distributing to others. I would like to present a different perspective. In current times and age no country can remain with doors closed especially to its neighbours. It is not only imperative but compulsory for better international relations to support economically weaker countries. India is surrounded by Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and China. With an exception of China, all the countries surrounding India are very weak on infrastructure and resources.

Pakistan and china have been pursuing a regional policy detrimental to India's interests by consorting with forces that threaten India militarily. Afghanistan has been the hotbed of Islamic extremists like Taliban ('Students of Religion', created and nurtured by the Inter Services Intelligence of Pakistan) and Islamic terrorist organizations like Osama-bin-Laden's Al-Qaeda.  Hence relations with Afghanistan have been of security & strategic importance to India.

Bangladesh is another emerging terror front and militants from the North-eastern states continue to operate out of bases in the neighbouring country. The porous border that India shares with Bangladesh is a matter of concern for as infiltration and cross-border terrorism does take place. Government needs to accelerate fencing and lighting work at the border.

India has been primarily providing humanitarian assistance and also helping in establishing education centers, hospitals and other amenities to the neighbours. When Maldives was affected by the tsunami disaster, India promptly dispatched relief aid and rescue teams.

It is equally important for India to aid in infrastructure and funding initiatives with neighbouring countries to establish itself as a regional superpower. Areas for cooperation can range from mining to culture to higher education to clean technology and energy efficiency etc. This not only puts India at the forefront in the region but also makes a positive impact on the minds of our neighbouring states population. Government should setup a separate wing for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation with our neighbours.

India should have a government of the national bourgeoisie, which gives priority to the national interest. Our borders are surrounded by nations that have not only become tools of the imperialist powers, but also claim rights to its territory. And they present a threat to India's territorial integrity, both from within as well as without. Thus, we should be able to understand the importance of regional strategic interests and not only tactical efforts to deal with the dangers.

As Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Energy Adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury rightly said “This is a small step for Bangladesh and India, but a giant leap for regional cooperation.”

Common Wealth Games: Precursor to Opening & Closing Ceremony

The Opening and Closing ceremonies of 19th Commonwealth Games 2010 at J N Stadium Complex in Delhi will be a truly Indian affair. Both the ceremonies will have no foreign influence other than the fireworks at the end of the ceremonies. 

The first eight minutes of the opening ceremony will feature ace percussionist Taufiq Qureshi and his group on the theme ‘The Great Indian Bazzar’. It will give the feeling of ‘how Indian streets sound like’. Taufiq will be using different rhythm structures to attract the audience, which has every little detail of bazaar and been mish-mashed with sounds like an iron-smith using his hammer etc.

This will be followed by voices of Naga and Baul singers and sounds of Bamboo dancers by Bansi Kaul, a Delhi based theatre director. Bansi has extensive knowledge on folk idioms of India. 

Birju Maharaj and Shovana Narayan’s students will then take the stage for next 15 minutes of the opening ceremony with theme ‘Indian seasons’ which will have 480 artistes divided into six groups of 80 dancers each performing six Indian classical dance forms: Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Mohiniattam and Manipuri. 

Oscar winner AR Rahman, who is composing the anthem for Commonwealth Games, will also perform in both opening and closing ceremonies. The one-hour opening ceremony will have 9000 artists, dancers and musicians from all walks of life and each corner of India. The closing ceremony will be more about India’s martial art forms. This will include Kerala’s Kalaripayattu, Punjab’s Gatka, Manipuri Thang-ta and Tamil Nadu’s Silambattam. Both ceremonies will be mixed with rural and urban sports and culture of India. 

In total Rs 300 crore will be spent in both the ceremonies. Event will be managed by Wizcraft International Entertainment Private Limited. At the end, fireworks will be performed by Howard and Sons, an Australian firm who were behind the pyrotechnics of Melbourne Games. 

Incidentally, the centerpiece of the 2006 Melbourne Games was 11 minutes allotted to India. The Scots, who will host the next edition in Glasgow, would not get a similar time slot this time.

Looking forward to success of CWG 2010 - Delhi !

Census on Beggars, Prostitutes & Housewives

In the Census of 2011, wise people of Indian establishment have decided to equate 36 crore housewives (who are also called homemakers) with beggars and prostitutes, highlighting extreme insensitivity of the government to a family and social institution. Likewise I would suggest males and eunuchs also should be clubbed in this list. 

Policy makers feel that household duties like cooking, cleaning of utensils, bearing and then looking after children, fetching water and collecting firewood etc. are economically unproductive. How can anyone serving for more than 12 hours a day without formal payment be an "economic burden to society"? If it was not for housewives, our society (for that matter all societies) would have degraded long ago. We just need to look at societies of the western world and consider their divorce - statistics and the care that the children in their families are getting- we will then understand the value of housewives.

It may appear downgrading to housewives to be put in the company of beggars and prisoners and prostitutes but actually it’s a realistic pointer to the status of women in our male dominated society. 

A woman, who actually enjoys the facility of a prisoner at home, really deserves this status. You go to any lower class family and you can see women begging for few pennies to purchase basic necessities for her home and children. You might have seen many women begging at the God’s feet to grant her a son. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, the credit goes to husband. A woman can bear half a dozen children but her name would be anonymous and a child always takes father’s name. That is why wise people say that ‘beggars can’t be choosers’.

In our whole social system chooser’s responsibility has always been unsurpassed by men. Women have been rightly relieved by this responsibility presumably because they don’t have any capacity to select or choose. It always falls in the male’s dominion. If establishment is a little broad minded it would put men in the category of a brainy animal but did not dare to do so for they could not assess what height this special species would attain in our parliamentary democracy. 

I thank the honorable judges for this sharp observation and reprimanding people who think they are "moving forward" and the rest are "retrograde".

Electronic Waste in India

Where do all our electronics go when we throw them away? This is called E-waste, and it may be a bigger problem than we think. E-waste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their “useful life.” Computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines are common electronic products.

Unfortunately, electronic discards is one of the fastest growing segments of our nation’s waste stream. Millions of tons of disused electronic equipment containing toxic chemicals and heavy metals are being dumped every year without recycling or safe disposal. On an average more than 80 percent of televisions, computers, mobile phones and other equipment all over the world escape proper handling. E-waste levels are expected to touch 4.7 lakh tonnes by 2011 in India and reach over 2,00,000 workers mostly in the age group of 12-25. 

A United nations report suggests that mountains of hazardous waste from electronic products are growing exponentially in developing countries. The study also points out that India would have 500 percent more e-waste from old computers in 2020 than in 2007, and 18 times more old mobile phones. In a study conducted by Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health at the Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi of 250 people working in the city as recyclers and dismantlers over 12 months to October 2009 and almost all suffered from breathing problems such as asthma and bronchitis. 

                              

All workers have 10-20 times higher levels of lead, mercury and chromium in blood and urine samples. Such high levels can have a detrimental effect on the respiratory, urinary and digestive systems, besides crippling immunity and causing cancer. Toxic metals and poisons enter workers' bloodstreams during the laborious manual extraction process and when equipment is crudely treated to collect tiny quantities of precious metals.

Workers also are exposed to fumes of highly concentrated acids as they dip their hands in poisonous chemicals for long hours. The recovery of metals like gold, platinum, copper and lead uses caustic soda and concentrated acids. Safety gear such as gloves, face masks and ventilation fans are virtually unheard of, and workers -- many of them children -- often have little idea of what they are handling. The irony is that the amounts of gold and platinum these children extract are traces - fractions of a milligram. 

Even though the Indian government has proposed a law to regulate e-waste trade, destitute children still face hazards picking apart old computers. The proposed law says only big firms should be in the business of recycling and dismantling. This is not going to work because the informal sector already has a cheap system of collection, disposal or recycling in place -- so people will use that. The sight of children working in appalling conditions taking computers apart is as potent a symbol of India's deep troubles as rag-pickers sorting through stinking household rubbish dumps. 

E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2010 can be seen here. We need laws which will protect workers' interests, especially the vulnerable and children.

Origin of "Satyameva Jayate"

"Satyameva Jayate" (satyam-eva jayate सत्यमेव जयते) (Sanskrit: "Truth Alone Triumphs") is the national motto of India and is inscribed in Devanagari script at the base of the national emblem, which is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath, near Varanasi in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

The source of the motto is a well-known mantra 3.1.6 from the Mundaka Upanishad. Full mantra is as follows:

सत्यमेव जयते नानृतम् सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः ।
येनाक्रमत् मनुष्यो ह्यात्मकामो यत्र तत् सत्यस्य परं निधानं ॥

Meaning:

Truth alone triumphs; not falsehood. Through truth the divine path is spread out by which
the sages whose desires have been completely fulfilled, reach where that supreme treasure of Truth resides.

Mamata on Rails...

Indian Railways has hit a new low with the toll going to 13 accidents in 2010 and over 200 dead since Ms. Mamata Banerjee became Railway Minister for the second time. It amazes me that accident after accident our present government is keeping quiet and not even finding time to correct the wrongs of one of the most important ministry in their cabinet. 'Safety and security will be our principal concern' just to recall last years' railway budget speech. One needs to address issues of solutions, responsibility and accountability in that order.

1. Anti-Collision devices patented by Konkan Railway Corporation were duly tested and passed in 1999 by the parliament. 11 years and many governments later, Ministers and railway board officials still talk as if it is a new device which needs testing. In 2002, during the NDA regime anti-collision devices were retested and even commissioned on North Eastern Frontier railway. After a successful pilot, NDA government budgeted 17,000 crores for the implementation. Konkan Railway has also installed these devices on its 760 km long single line network. If minsters and stakeholders in the Indian government and parliament stop colliding with each other after every incident to gain political mileage, I am sure they can find the time and will to implement Anti-Collision devices throughout Indian Railway Network.

2. 4 of the 13 incidents in early part of 2010 were due to fog. Anti-Fog systems are also facing the same fate as Anti-Collision devices. IRCON international Ltd which is a public-sector enterprise has developed Anti-Fog systems and even implemented the same in other nations like Syria and Iraq but our rails are still awaiting an action.

3. On 7 February 2010, Ms. Mamata Banerjee announced start of nineteen new train services. Maximisation of revenue cannot be done at the cost of safety and security. Every minister of railways feels that their principal responsibility to their state and public can only be fulfilled by new trains. Such new trains weaken the already week infrastructure and are unnecessary drain on resources needed to fix larger issues.

4. It has become a common practice in our country for opposition to demand resignation and minister in-charge claiming sabotage and assuring enquiry. Between these two tracks, voice and issues of common man never reach their destination. It will be wrong for any party or person to demand resignation as that does not in any way end this series of accidents. We need to be asking for solutions not heads. Two accidents in a month in Bengal and all we get to hear from Ms. Mamata Banerjee is sabotage. How convenient it is to blame incidents on dead? As the Chairman and Minster have put all blame on the driver of the train in the incident yesterday. They should know better than to make statements like 'why did not the dead driver jump?' People serving at such high-echelons also need a lesson in not to think out loud in public. Coming to enquiry, Standing committee for railways has only railway officials on the board, so we can well imagine fate of the enquiry. Also, this committee then reports to Minister of Civil Aviation. Why? It is beyond my understanding.

5. We should be proud of having single largest rail network in the world but after 60 years of independence and many a governments, we still do not have a Disaster Management Team in place. Our minister yesterday called for Army to be deployed for the relief and rescue work. Calling Army for railway accidents that is like calling UN peace keeping force for unrest in a state. Someone needs to remind such people the role of different government bodies. Indian Army's role is to safeguard boundaries of our nation and not to add weight to ill-actions of railways or politicians.

6. Senior statesman and our finance minister Pranb Mukherjee who himself hails from Bengal says 'accident is an accident and cannot be foreseen'. Well that for me is wisdom personified. With the Bengal election around the corner in 2011, Congress has no option but to keep Trinamool congress as its political ally and can ill-afford to lose Ms. Mamata Banerjee if they have any chance of keeping CPI(M) away from the office. Railway minister should choose either 'Governance in Delhi' or 'Politics in Calcutta'. A ministry like Railway cannot be run like a BPO with the use of communication devices.

To serve public, one needs 'Excellent Time management', 'High Energy level' and 'Competence'. Even if we are ready to grant all these to the minster, where is the 'Accountability' which is the single most important factor? 

Let us not ask for her resignation but we sure do have a right to ask for accountability.

Indian railway accidents chronology in 2010

1. January 2, 2010. The first of three accidents in Uttar Pradesh on this day takes place near the town of Etawah, about 170 miles (270 kilometers) southwest of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state, when the Lichchavi Express entering the station in heavy fog runs into the stationary Magadh Express train stopped there. Ten people, including the driver of one of the trains, are injured. At least 10 people were reported to have been killed.

2.January 2, 2010. The Gorakhdham Express and Prayagraj Express collide near the Panki railway station in Kanpur, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) southwest of Lucknow, leave five people dead and about 40 others injured.

3. January 2, 2010. At Pratapgarh, 61 kilometres (38 mi) from Allahabad, the Sarayu Express plows into a tractor trailer at an unmanned railway crossing. Though nobody is injured, the engine of the train is severely damaged.

4. January 2, 2010. All seven coaches of the Arunachal Pradesh Express, running between Murkongselek and Rangiya derail between Helem and Nij Bogaon in Assam, India in the early hours of the day. No passengers are hurt. 

5. January 16, 2010. Three people die and around a dozen are injured when two express trains collide in thick fog near Tundla, 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Agra, in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The driver of one of the trains apparently did not react to a signal, slamming his train into another on the same track.

6. January 17, 2010. The Lucknow-Sultanpur Harihar Nath Express strikes a car at an unmanned railway crossing under Haidergarh police station area on Sunday afternoon in Barabanki district, India. Two persons traveling in the car die on the spot and four others who sustained serious injuries were referred to Trauma Centre in Lucknow. Train traffic on this route is disrupted for nearly two hours after the accident. This is the fifth accident in a series of similar accidents in the area.

7. January 22, 2010. Three bogies of a goods train derail at Sathiyaon station near Azamgarh, in Uttar Pradesh, disrupting rail traffic in the region. No one is injured. Traffic is disrupted on the busy Varanasi–Azamgarh–Gorakhpur route. 

8. May 25, 2010. A passenger train derails at Naugachia, injuring eleven people.

9. May 28, 2010. A train derails in the West Midnapore district of West Bengal, India, caused by either sabotage or a bomb that damaged the railway track, and is struck by an oncoming goods train, resulting in at least 90 passenger deaths.

10. June 18, 2010. Eight coaches and two engines of the Vasco-Howrah Amaravati Express (8048) derailed near Koppal in Karnataka, India, on Friday after the train hit a road roller at an unmanned level-crossing.Six persons, including the drivers of the road roller and the train, were injured in the accident.

11. July 19, 2010. At 2:00am, on the morning of July 19, about 50 people died and about 100 others were injured in a train collision. 2 coaches and a luggage car were crushed to splinters as ahigh speed train, hit a train standing local train at Sainthia station in West Bengal. Another coach was flung onto an over-head bridge at the station and was also smashed by the violent impact forces. The town is 200 kilometres north of the state capital, Kolkata (Calcutta).

Technorati: Sincerity amazes me 'Y358ZRGZDBPC'

Being a Sunday and all, I thought why not to do something worthwhile with "India First" blog and came though one of the most referred site online for blogs http://technorati.com. For the uninitiated ones, it's a Blog Search engine, Tags Aggregator and does Online Bookmarking. But then one cannot just visit, register and submit, well not so easy. I have been on it for past three hours and if you consider this an ordinary post, it's not. I am supposed to insert 'Y358ZRGZDBPC' to one of my posts to claim the blog.

I have always been a process person, although I am impressed with the process Technorati is following but it's the sincerity with which they are doing it forced me to write something about them. With Web, we are in an age and time that there is a plethora of websites almost begging to register users and happy to make web even more difficult for people looking for some quality information. Case in point, for everything I search nowadays with Google throws over a million results at least.

Here is a site (Technorati) that gives no registration or claim your blog link on any of their pages and one has to go deep looking for it. The process involves following steps:

1. Go to Technorati.com and log in

2. Fill the form and Click ’Join’ button

3. Verifying the confirmation link in email

4. Submitting the blog URL and ‘Begin Claim’

5. Copy the code and post it as a blog post

6. Manual review process

This is where I am right now. I am told that a human editor will review my submission and get back to me. I’ll let you know how that went. :)

Shailendra Chauhan

A must for Indo-Pak resolution

Whole of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Indian sovereignty is constitutionally applicable to this entire area. The Parliament of India had reiterated its position by a resolution in 1993. It is surprising that in several rounds of Indo-Pak talk or at any other international forum India has not raised this issue even for once. Have we decided to forget it? On the contrary, India recaptured a part of POK In 1965 war and after the war returned the area. If we talk of making LOC the international border, this offer dose not have international legal sanctity. Even today we stand by the resolution passed by our parliament in 1993 that whole of J&K is an integral part of India. POK is strategically important as a geopolitical area.  

Some are of the opinion that annexation done by Razakars and tribal people during medieval period was fare. This is not valid. Nor it is validated by any. Our legal sovereignty over this area is valid even today. POK has virtually created strategic cushion. This area of POK created strategic hot-land between India and northern area of Kashmir. This area has common boundaries with Tibet, Xinjiang, Afghanistan and other Central Asian countries are its next door neighbors. Further this has blocked our view to North-West world.

India must raise this issue time and again at international forums as well as Indo-Pak talks.  

New symbol for Indian Rupee

The Indian Rupee gets a symbol designed by D Udaya Kumar, an IIT Post Graduate. It is bold, clean, fusion of Devanagari and Roman script and reflecting the young driven India.

Visual features of the new symbol is based on the "Tricolour" and “Arithmetic Equivalence”. The white space between the two horizontal lines gives the impression of the national flag with the Ashok Chakra and the two bold parallel lines stand for ‘equals to’, representing balance in the economy, both within and with other economies of the world.

The rupee currently uses the symbol of “Rs.”, “Re.” and “INR” in the international markets. The Indian government will introduce the symbol soon and expects that in two years, the symbol will be in regular use.


A Proud Moment For All Indians!

Increase in Indian Ocean levels threaten Glaciers

In a study conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado and the National Centre for Atmospheric Research, Indian ocean levels are rising unevenly putting millions at risk along low-lying coastlines in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, besides worsening monsoon flooding in India. This is attributed to the rising levels in climate change triggered by warming seas and changes in atmospheric circulation patterns.

Sea levels in general are rising globally by about 3 mm (0.1181 inches) a year. But along the coasts of the northern Indian Ocean, seas have risen by an average of about 0.5 inches, or 13 mm, per decade, the study notes. Oceans absorb a large part of this extra heat, causing them to expand and sea levels to rise. Warmer temperatures are also causing glaciers and parts of the ice blanketing Greenland and West Antarctica to melt.

However, one man is not waiting for governments or organisations to make amends. Chewang Norphel popularly known as 'Glacier man' from North ladakh is a retired civil engineer who has figured out a way to build artificial glaciers in Ladakh. Chewang Norphel at the age of 75, has built 12 new glaciers already and hopes to train more to continue his work and save the worlds “third cap” from being transformed into rivers.

Through his ingenious technique, melt water from glaciers is diverted through a network of pipes into artificial lakes in the shaded side of mountain valleys. An embankment is built to keep in the water, which freezes at night and remains frozen until March, when the start of summer melts the new glacier and releases the water into the rivers below. So far, Norphel’s glaciers have been able to each store up to one million cubic feet of ice, which in turn can irrigate 200 hectares of farm land. For farmers, that can make the difference between crop failure and a bumper crop of more than 1,000 tons of wheat.

Indeed a real life Hero !!! More Ice to Mr. Norphel !!!

PM meets CMs of Naxal-hit states

Our PM made a statement last year: “We are not in favour of using armed forces to fight Naxalism. If the Naxals shed violence, we are willing to talk."

In my view, peace talks after laying down arms is an oxymoron. Just consider a scenario where a mad gunman is pointing gun at a captive. Will there not be the “so-called” negotiations with the gunman, whatever the final action or outcome? Peace talks have happened with the Kashmiri terrorists, ULFA etc. Then, why not with the Naxals? In my view, it is a case of false motives and mixed priorities not to engage in talks without preconditions.

Naxal problem is not just a law and order problem. The problem relates to genuine grievances of the rural poor but is only covered and highlighted when security personnel suffer like 76 men of the CRPF were killed in Dantewada (ChattisgarhState) on 6th April 2010.

The Naxal problem is a pointer to the poor efforts of the GOI and the State Governments in looking after the needs of the rural peasants and the adivasis. As per Indian Constitution, Law and Order is a State Subject but an exception needs to be made, by amending the Constitution forthwith to provide subjects like Naxalism and Terrorism under the Joint List. These two threats are widespread in the nation, requiring Central responsibility and coordination which the Centre cannot shirk.

Prime Minister is meeting leaders from seven Naxal-affected states today to chalk out a fresh strategy to curb Left-wing extremism. Let’s hope we have some fresh minds discussing old issues not otherwise.

Shailendra Chauhan

Probable, Possible and Preferable future

Today I stumbled upon in my thoughts on a book I read long back; Future shock by Alvin Toffler. Well, that is what future is ‘shock’, if not planned for as it takes birth from the womb of uncertainty.

Futurology which is a developing field in a nutshell is studies of the future. It’s about the determining the total set of possibilities for tomorrow, finding the most probable of outcomes, and leveraging advanced knowledge to even shape the future. For me, It is like joining the dots - seconds, minutes, hours and days of life for predicting scenarios and planning for a better tomorrow.

India needs to put extra weight behind the development of this field.  We make preferences which become habits and then we let habits govern us. A case in point, yesterday evening Delhi had many a rivers but fewer roads. In my viewpoint, this is a case of bad habits and planning leading to repeated interruption of public life.

Yes, there is a varied range of factors like philosophical, political, religious, scientific, and even incomprehensible ones which may make or break our future. We should not unknown deter us but face it head on by working smarter not harder, avoid pitfalls, exploit new arenas, plug weaknesses, and where possible influence the future.
      
Shailendra Chauhan

Interception reveals Pak design!

After the lapse of fifteen years Indian Military has been deployed in Kashmir. Intercepts of cross-border phone conversations between terrorist elements in Pakistan and J&K have confirmed that the stone-pelting and rioting in the Valley are result of some careful planning, funding and instigation of the crowds by Pak Military personnel guised as civilians.

It is very interesting interception by Indian military intelligence. The plotters even set the target of their own demonstrators. Among the local sympathisers whose conversations have been tapped are the senior office-bearers of pro-Pakistan hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s Tehrik-e-Hurriyat, Ghulam Ahmad Dar and Shabir Ahmed Wani.

In their conversation on Thursday, the two discuss a rally to be held later in the day at Budgam. “There must be some more deaths...10-15 more people should be killed,” Dar is heard telling Wani. The telephone intercepts also throw up the money trail. “You are getting money but not doing enough,” went a conversation intercepted on Thursday between Dar and Wani.

This is not the usual practice of terror outfits but new one targeting military personnel. The idea is to make armed forces attack those they have been giving their lives to protect. It is also terrorists’ game plan to drive away tourists, given that it is a major indicator of normalcy in the Valley.  There were 100% booking at hotels in Srinagar this season, which have now fallen to just 10% in the wake of the unrest.

It is evident that Islamist extremist terrorism continues to not only thrive in Pakistan but are getting more active and intensifying their activities ahead of an Indo-Pakistan peace initiative.

Hunger: India worse off than Uganda!

There are now one billion hungry people on the globe, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said recently.

A statistic that is shameful and shocking at the same time. The global financial crisis too has led to a dramatic rise in hunger across the world.

"This day, more than 17,000 children will die of hunger. One every five seconds! The world has more than enough food. Yet, today, more than one billion people are hungry," he said.

The Global Hunger Index measures global hunger by ranking countries on three leading indicators and combining them into one index. The three indicators are prevalence of child malnutrition, rates of child mortality, and the proportion of people who are calorie deficient.

According to the 2009 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 65th out of 88 countries, with a hunger rate of 23.9. Countries like Uganda (38th); Mauritania (40th); Zimbabwe (58th) and many others have a better record than India on this front.

Almost 21 per cent of the Indian population was undernourished (between 2003 and 2005), 43.5 per cent Indian children under the age of five were underweight (between 2002 and 2007) and the under five-year-age infant mortality rate in 2007 was 7.2 per cent.

Even war-torn nations have managed to combat the scourge of hunger quite well, while India -- even though it boasts of being the second fastest growing economy in the world -- languishes far behind and millions in the country go hungry.

Policy makers rather than raising prices should try and rise up in this index to the top and I am sure every Indian that day will work on a sunday to compensate FICCI for their estimated loss of Rs. 13,000 crores and Rs. 10,000 crores that of ASSOCHAM.

Let us look around and not go anyone stomach around us.

Being proud of most corrupt...

Rapid cancerous growth in the body polity is eating away its vital parts.

Once I had gone to procure electrical essentials from Bhagirath place, Delhi and took along with me faculty of the association of the market, so that I may not be cheated. While seeing the bill I saw the stars in the day. The secretary of the association intervened. The shopkeeper pointed out to my driver Anil and alleged that he asked for twenty percent ‘commission’. The driver was absolutely honest person. I had tested his honesty for four or even five figure amounts. Upon hearing the allegation my driver boldly delivered couple of slaps. The shopkeeper ultimately apologized to my driver. The shopkeeper then corrected the bill with apology.

Today even illiterate people know the meaning of ‘commission’ for it is prevalent at all levels from ministers to peons. It is this level of corruption which has made our country rank 84 out of 180 on Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) as per a survey conducted by Transparency International. New Zealand is the least corrupt country and Somalia fares worst among these 180 countries. Let us pledge and work towards not beating Somalia so as to make Indians proud of being the most corrupt.

Dina Nath Mishra

Sir Ken Robinson - A Wonderful Talk

From the TED site:

About this video: "In this poignant, funny follow-up to his fabled 2006 talk, Sir Ken Robinson makes the case for a radical shift from standardized schools to personalized learning -- creating conditions where kids' natural talents can flourish."

Sir Ken Robinson in his inimitable style and on his pet topic - The need for reforming education. His videos are not perfect but they serve a purpose. They are free and fast and easy to consume. They get ideas to viewers who may not otherwise be exposed to them. Food for thought: A three-year-old is not half a six-year-old. Life is organic, not linear. Education needs to adopt the principles of agriculture and not that of industrial production. Education is not fast food...

All in all, worth 17 minutes of time!

DRDO: Air-To-Air Missile Astra: Successful Night Test

For the first time, India today conducted the night trial of its indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile 'Astra' in inclement weather.

Good Work Done DRDO!!!

Cyber War: Myth or Reality?

The Economist July issue describes cyber warfare as "the fifth domain of warfare, after land, sea, air and space". Both offensive and defensive hacking can be politically motivated, although it is normal for defensive measures to overlap with ordinary computer security. I think it's dangerous to define domains in the sense of putting limitations to one’s mind about what's possible via the Internet. 

The Internet is so completely pervasive that if we only think of it as a single domain, we're going to block out threat possibilities that could impact other domains. We're not safe if we're at sea from a network attack. We're not safe in the air from a network attack. That's why I think it's limiting and probably shouldn't be defined that way. I disapprove of using the word cyber war but I am using it because that's what everybody's using. To date, there is no agreed upon definition of what an act of cyber warfare is? It just doesn't exist. There's cyber conflict. There's cyber attacks. There's cyber espionage. There's all of that. But there is no cyber war that we can point to that has any legal substance.

However, there is a perfect storm brewing where the skills and resources required to launch a significant attack is drastically lower. Also, a food for thought cyber intelligence negates military advantage that a stronger country had against a smaller country to an extent. But depending upon the effects of a possible worm on the smart grid boxes, and the vulnerability of the generators, networks there can be a combined attack that does have strategic impact. Recently, an Indian army major’s computer was hacked in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The input was given by the American intelligence agencies after some intercepts showed a picture of a brigadier, on a training course in the US, being dispatched to Pakistan from the computer in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Countries like India need to look at the modernisation plans of the armed forces and realise it is in the government’s long-term national interest to become self-reliant in the field of critical defence equipment. I am not legitimizing the doomsday criers; mostly policy makers and big corporations who will in turn get more government funding in the name of security at the cost of the tax payer. However, I have come to realize that there is gross negligence in how security issues are being dealt with, their maintenance, and how it is evolving.

While I will not cry wolf and say it is imminent, I sadly realize that an Electronic Kargil war is now very possible.

Shailendra Chauhan