NEW YEAR RESOLUTION

Every morning is the beginning of a new day, the beginning of a new week, a new month and a new year. But certain days have been identified as important and we celebrate them as New Year's day like the morning after Diwali, after Holi, after Pongal and so on. But, always a new day starts in the morning. The year 2011 ends tonight at 24 hours. It will be neither the end of the day nor the end of the night but it will be end of the year. Indeed the new year would begin in the morning tomorrow and this would be the mid-night in England. Aping the British,we also started celebrating New Year's day in the midnight.

Then,some of us make a resolution for the New Year. What should it be ? To be more prosperous than we were the year befor, to be more powerful than the previous year or to become more famous than the last year. I think the resolution should be that we would try to make our surroundins better than they were last year.

LOKSABHA ON LOKPAL

You might have heard the debate on the Lok Pal Bill in Loksabha and seen the arguments our politicians gave. Do these people represent India, the Jagat Guru? Their level of arguments, personal accusations and approach to a serious issue was strange to say it mildly. In this whole exercise we are all defeated. The common man is defeated because he did not get an effective tool for reddresal of grievances. The government is defeated because it did not have its way in the last and Anna is defeated because the crowds are gradually thinning on the ground. The government will never bring an effective or strong Lok Pal Bill because it will be 'noose around their neck' as lalu Yadav has timely realized. They will not disclose the names of those having ill gotten money in foreign banks because it will bare them naked and they will not act against the culprits because they happen to be their kith and kin. We cannot expect much in the circumstances. We have to live with HOPE ,let us keep it alive.

CORRUPTION IS IMMORTAL

I doubt if the disease of corruption can be eradicated.It is almost immortal and may take another shape if removed from one place. I illustrate the fact with an assumed satirical story of an office clerk. The clerk had become infamous for corrupt practices he followed and despite transfer after transfer he always found ways of receiving bribe. Then he was transferred to sea coast for some assignment. He was getting bored of not receiving his daily dose of bribe. He sat one day on the sea shore asking fishermen not to enter the sea. When they asked why no entry. The clerk said 'lahren gini ja rahi hain tum unhe bigad doge' (waves are being counted and you will erase them). After repeated pleadings and requests he bargained for his dose, saying the officers will also share the amount. The fishermen went for fishing. This became a routine and the fishermen knew what to do.

So, this imaginary story tells you that any number of Lokpals or Prithwipals will not be able to eradicate the menace of corruption. We must realize that those who give bribe are more guilty than the ones who take it. Bribe givers are not being punished and therefore when 'miyan bibi razi kya karega kaazi' (when bribe giver and taker are concurring what will Lokpal do?). People are getting frusrtated and becoming Naxalites. Perhaps Islamic laws can be more effective but then what about democracy?. A dictator like Neta Ji Subhash Chandra Bose might do some good and this also will be at the expense of democracy. Hople Anna Hazare is able to refine his ways to deal with the devil of corruption.

NON-PRODUCTIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION

Yesterday in Lucknow, there was huge rally of Dalits in Lucknow in support of a political party. On 18th December there will be another rally of Thakurs, Muslims and Vaishya communities of the same party. There already had been a Brahmin rally. Apart from dividing society on caste lines, the rallies of any kind bring thousands of vehicles for a non-productive cause and consume huge quantity of fuel. Besides, due to traffic jams caused by crowds, traffic moves at snails speed forcing vehicles to consume more than normal fuel. It may sound insignificant but if you imagine the rallies organized by all the political parties, trade unions, student unions and all the rest, the quantity of non-productive consumption of fuel will come out to be enormous.

We are silent spectators nay sufferers of the political hooliganism. We cannot do much but surely we can do one thing. All those who cased inconvenience to us and wasteful consumption of fuel by organizing rallies should not get our vote. We can possibly do it through carefully identifying such people. There are decent ways of canvassing like debates on tv, Newspaoer ads, hoardings, pamphlets, corner meetings, door to door contacts and so on. I feel the Election Commission should ban the vulgar show of muscle power and ill-gotten money.

AUSPICIOUS - INAUSPICIOUS

I was building he school Bhartiya Gramin Vidyalaya, my dream project. One fine morning the mason informed that one window was short and was needed the same day. I asked my driver to start the Marshall and move to Itaunja, at a distance of 12 km, where I used to go to school everyday as a child. I purchased a window there and was returning. When I reached Mahona, about 3 km from Itaunja, on my way back, I realized it was Saturday. I should not have purchased iron that day. Well, I said to myself that I have done it without knowing and allowed the mason to fix the window. Many years have passed and nothing bad has happened. Whenever I go to the room and glance at the window, I smile and say to myself 'inauspicious Saturday'. All days are equally good or bad bu destiny or the law of probability decides incidents. We cannot be absolutely rational but surely it is possible to introduce certain elements of rationality. When we see young kids and old ones alike begging for money and oil on Saturdays, they must be discouraged. It is a pity that some of us encourage them by paying money.

NEEDS COURAGE TO BREAK TRADITION

When I got married some 40 years ago and marriage party along with the bride (my wife Nirmala) arrived to my village, the village women said I could not enter the house though the bride could go in. I was told a ritual called 'Chatursi' must be performed before the bridegroom could enter his house. And the ritual this time had to wait until the auspicious time two days thereafter. I was shocked and disappointed to be asked to spend two nights and two days outside my house. I gathered courage and asked the village folks ' we should forego chatursi as it was not an essential part of the marriage'. They were reluctant but I was firm and they finally agreed. Believe me there has been no chatursi thereafter and evil spirits have harmed any one. I do not mean that traditions be broken for the sake of breaking them but if superfluous, they must be dispensed with.

There are many beliefs in the countryside like you should not travel to North on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, to South on Thursday to East on Mondays and Saturdays and never travel on Sundays to West. This may sound ridiculous and ridiculous it is but the people in the villages believe in such notions. It is good that children in the cities are not aware of such beliefs and may be I should not tell them but those who are aware should refrain from following the practice.

Agnivesh with Bigg Boss

Swami Agnivesh has gone to the house of bigg boss supposedly to guide the youth there. He seems to forget 'kaajal ki kothari mein kaiso hi sayano jaye ek leek kaajal ki laagihai pai lagiha". It would have been different if he has claimed to go there to learn a few more tricks of his trade. It would be appropriate to take Digvihjay Singh and Manish Tewari along to give him company. Occasion demands that he take off his saffron garments and do as Romans do. In any case, let us wish him to achieve for which he has gone there.

INFLATION AND GROWTH

Inflation in India is likely to reach the level of 1979 when it was more than 16 percent. Some of the government functionaries say it is due to population growth while others think it is a symptom of vibrant economy. Still others think we Indians eat too much but the bellies have remained as they are. Indeed, inflation is a result of mismanagement, corruption and greed. Yashwant Sinha in a debate in Parliament had claimed that food inflation can be brought down in a single day. It is understandable because millions of tons of food grains are rotting in the go dawns and millions of people are starving. Why do the government purchase if they are unable to preserve. Situation of mismanagement in other items may not be different.

Recently they increased petrol prices and tried to explain away that petrol is decontrolled. But, who decontrolled petrol, none other than the government. International price rise cannot be blamed for the hike in India because situation outside is not that bad.

Basic necessities of human beings namely food, shelter, clothes, medicine and education are going beyond the reach of common man. Inflation hurts everyone except those who have the cushion of black money.

FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

Notwithstanding the derogatory terminology being used by the government against Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare, the fight against corruption is taking a definite shape and the present outfit working as government will have to go sooner than later. The terminology is not new them, they mastered the phrases during Seventies against Loknayak Jai Prakash Narain. History repeats itself, historians say. Let us hope and pray that history of the ouster of corrupt, dictatorial regime will be repeated but the history of the selfish leaders of the Janta Party withering away will not be repeated. The outfit that was ousted by the masses had to be brought back by the same masses.

The Nation is solidly standing behind Anna on the issue of fight against corruption and one can see writings on the wall that this is beginning of the end of the corrupt government. But What Next? Will the other set of disgruntled, selfish politicians take over from the present UPA government? Anna and Ramdev have not created an alternative, honest, non-political set up to take charge of the affairs of the country. If they think, using Janlokpal, it will be possible to make these old dirty hands rather pure and clean, it is naive idea. Let us hope they have this aspect in mind !!!

OSAMA MUST BE SMILING IN HEAVEN

Osama Ji was peacefully living there, said Digvijay Singh, the general secretay of the Congress Party of India. Only naive would agree that it was a sarcastic remark from the man who showed so much sympathy with the accused of Batala House incident in Delhi. Rahul Gandhi says 99% of terrorist attacks have been stopped, all of them cannot be stopped, he says. And, what percentage of train accidents, corruption, day light murders, rape and above all the intelligence failures have been stopped?

When NDA people talk to biriyani being served to terrorists in the Hazarat Bal Monsque, the Congress people retort that a sinior Minister of NDA government escorted Maulana Masood Azahar to Kandhar. What a justification. Guilty-guilty bhai bhai. Osama must be smiling for different reasons. The government of India is unable to prepare an accurate list of terrorists living in Pakistan and makes itself a laughing stock, it is unable to implement the court orders in case of terrorists convicted for life and most important that terrorists can outwit intelligence agencies as our Home Minister says there was no intelligence input for the Mumbai attack.

Another reason for satisfaction to Osama must be the utterences of many important people that harsh laws against terrorism are undesirable, that human rights of terrorists must not be violated, that terrorists come only from across the border and there are none in India, that SIMI people are only as much terrorists as the RSS people and so on. The poor people, both Hindus and Muslims are suffering from terrorist attacks because of these friends of Osama in the ruling party. The ruling party is under illusion that Muslims of India will feel good if care is shown to terrorists who happen to be Muslims. Time will tell.

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS

A single train accident near Bharuch in Gujratr had moved Lal Bahadur Shastri to the extent that he instantly resigned. Value system has changed and resignation of present day railway minister, one would say, may not be a solution of Kalka Express or a remedial measure for the future accidents. But what is the solution?

Railways have been and continue to be the means of travel for those who are constrained to care for money. Lalu Yadav as Railway Minister introdued the concept of profit through gimmicks. Modernization of railways and training to railway personnel occupied back benches. As a result, these days most accidents are either due to so called human errors or due to failure of tracks and trains. The accident during Shastri Ji's time was due to stubborn attitude of passengers.

Much later when Babu Jagjivan Ram became Railway Minister, there were a few accidents and Atal Ji in his style had said a passenger while boarding the train says good bye to 'Jag' after he is in the coach becomes concerned about 'Jivan' and thereafter he says 'Ram' ie when accident takes place. Believe me, the accidents were neither as frequent nor as severe. Present day minister and government is insensitive to human life and they think 5 Lakh is good enough to compensate a human life.What a shame !!

NAXALITES ARE NOT BORN

I am too old to seek justice through direct action but I do get agitated when I see injustice and anarchy all around. The other day dozens of Dalits of my millage Kunaura were helplessly watching when the land they were tilling for decades was ploughed by powerful moneyed man using four tractors.Police was there but not to protect the Dalits but to support the cause of moneyed man. The only fault of the fathers and forefathers of poor Dalits is that they could not get the land transferred to their names from the erstwhile zamidar and the present day wealthy people have claimed the land for themselves. Should the land not have been automatically transferred by government machinery to Dalits' names if they had been occupying and cultivating it for decades? In another case the land of a Dalit was sold somehow to a Savarn who managed to get the title transferred to his name. The Dalit it is said has run gone away to Bihar. The purchaser has now sold the land to another non-Dalit with huge profit. All this could not be possible without connaivance of revenue officers and personnel. Similarly dozens of poor OBC's and Savarn have been tilling the zamidar's land for decades but the government machinery retained zamidars' names in all these cases and some day some muscle man pretinding to be a zamidar would sell the land and poor tillers would have no choice but to cry and sit back.In this age of Dalit loving governments it is possible to oust Dalits and poor non-Dalits may be from their houses and fields. In such circumstances, is there a way to get justice except to join Naxalites and seek justice through direct action? There are other instances but who cares.

RAMDEV AGAIN

Baba Ramdev is heading towards Delhi today, this time to see his injured disciple Rajbala who is recuberating in the G.B.Pant Hospital. He will be wise not to adopt provocative posture at this moment. In the press conference he may explain the circumstances under which his followers were forced to leave in the midnight and he was deported out of Delhi. But, the incident is under the scanner of the Honourable Supreme Court and All should wait for the verdict.

Baba had gained huge popularity for application of yoga in the eradication of physical ailments, a tangible and demonstrable goal, before the incident of June, 4, 2011. His concern for eradication of National ailment of corruption is loudable but as Anna Hazare has aptly described, Baba does not have skill and expertise to handle Satyagrah. Let Anna Hazare handle the Satyagrah and Baba confine himself to yoga, his domain of expertise. RSS, BJP and all the rest can give a helping hand to Anna Hazare as they did to Jai Prakash Narain in Seventies and to V.P.Singh in Eightees of the last Century. Let the Lok Pal as a government agency find out the list of those having black money in the foreign banks and publish the list on the internet. Lok Pal can do no more in the international matters. Nation is watching what comes out of the agitations called Satyagrah. They should not go waste.

SHADOW OF WATER CRISIS LOOMS LARGE

Depleting groundwater and dry ponds in the country side indicate horrifying prospect. Yet, the politicians have no time to think of the thirsty poor. In my village and surrounding areas until a few decades ago, the surface water was effectively used for irrigation, fisheries and cattle use and underground water for drinking purposes. Now the entire pressure of water consumption is shifted to underground water. As a result there is alarming drop in the level of groundwater year after year. Some people believe that the third World War will be for water.

To understand the management of water, we need to have some idea of 'Water Cycle'. The sea water that evaporates to form clouds is condensed as rainwater that falls on the surface of earth. A small part of the rainwater goes under ground to form groundwater and is stored there for future need. The ground water is filtered through permeable rocks and is clean enough for human consumption. The other part of rainwater is stored as surface water in the ponds, lakes and reservoirs. The surface water is suitable for use in irrigation, horticulture, fisheries, industries and cattle consumption.

Recently I visited many villages in the districts of Lucknow, Barabanki and Sitapur and found that the village ponds are filled with wild grasses, hyacinth (jalkumbhi), humus and mud. Several of the old ponds are converted even to residential areas. Millions of rupees spent through NAREGA and MANREGA, have not increased water storage capacity of village ponds. Needless to say, the harvesting of rainwater in these ponds, not the drops of water from roof tops would solve our problem of water scarcity.

Natural storage of rainwater, among other things, has pre-requisite of optimum forest cover and thick vegetation If the ground is covered with thick vegetation, forests and soil cover, the flow of rain water will be slow and time allowed for down percolation of water will be more. Large quantities of water will be stored on the surface as well as under ground. However, if the ground is bald and barren, the run off will be fast leaving little time for rain water to go under ground or to be soaked in the soil.

We need to have 'Water Use Policy ' based on sustainable water supply. We used to have one or more ponds in every village with controlling bodies for management of surface water, something like ‘Pani Panchayats’ Successive Governments of Independent India have overlooked the traditional wisdom of our country.

. Greedy vote catchers provide subsidised and even free electricity to farmers to drive them towards tube wells for irrigation and fisheries. The ground water is pumped out to fill the ponds made by digging agricultural lands.. The Governments encourage such ventures of fisheries by providing financial assistance and grants to influential people.

Economy in consumption of water is an integral part of water management. Indeed, the proper management of surface water is key to the solutions of future challenges of depleting water resource.

FORGET THE MODI OF 2002

Those who have visited Gujrat recently would agree that the province has made tremendous progress in one decade in spite of natural calamities. I am no body to condone the administrative lapses of 2002 but to accuse Anna Hazare if he praises Modi and Nitish in the context of development is beyond comprehension. When the issues are development and governace, some people are not ready to give even a left handed applause to Modi.We must not forget that Gujrat of Modi, in the matter of development, has the certificate of Rajive Gandhi Foundation.

There are innumerable cases in history when errant people made valuable contribution to society and the Nation at large. We have read that Valmiki who was a dacoit for most of his life, gave shelter to Sita, groomed her two sons and gave the epic 'Ramayana' to the mankind. Would you go on harping on the past of Valmiki?

Objective assessment demands that a man be evaluated in the light of his lapses as well as good deeds. Nehru happened to be the Prime Minister when the worst masacre in the history of India took place in 1947 as a consequence of his partitioning the country and Rajive Gandhi witnessed the shaking of earth with the fall of a banyan tree --the masacre of the Sikh community after assassination of Indira Ji in 1984. It can be argued that the loss of life in 1947 could be minimized if the advise of Mahatma Gandhi against partition was accepted and massacre of the Sikh community could be reduced if the advise of the then president of India Gyani Zail Singh was saught. Be as it may, the performences of Nehru Ji and Rajive Gandhi are evaluated in totality.Why be selective in case of Narendra Modi?

GANDHI, JP AND HAZARE

In the recent past we have witnessed three movements of all India nature. The first and the foremost was the freedom movement of Mahatma Gandhi that culminated in the independence of our country on Friday, August 15, 1947. The movement was negative one to throw out the British rule from India. Frankly speaking, the alternative model was neither ready nor it would have been acceptable to all the elements. Gandhi Ji knew that he was heading desperate elements that will not remain together for long time. He wisely suggested to disband the Congress Party after achieving the goal of independence. No one in the party listened to him. What happened thereafter is history. A.B.Vajpayee had aptly described once that the Congress Party had died with the death of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru Ji carried its corpse for decades, even that has vanished now'. Then came the movement of Jai Prakash Narain against the rule of Indira Gandhi.

Jai Prakash Narain termed his movement "Total Revolution" and this again was negative in approach to overthrow the Indira Gandhi's regime. The movement had huge success but Jai Praksh Ji was not a visionary like Mahatma Gandhi . Contrary to Mahatma Gandhi, JP insisted on the conglomeration of his movement to form a political party the Janta Party. The party no doubt had huge success to the extent that the Congress Party was thrown out of power. In due course of time, the desperate elements of JP movement withered away and the movement turned out to be an exercise in futility.

The newest one by Anna Hazare is not a negative movement to throw out a government. It is for creation of clean society and he insists on the instrument of change--the Jan Lokpal Bill. But, Anna has neither the organizational skills of Gandhi ji nor the political experience of JP. His movement like the other two comprises desperate elements and contradictions have started to surface. We wish hem well.

To my mind, what is needed is a movement like that of Chanakya . But where is Chandragupta?

WHO DERAILS OUR PRIMARY EDUCATION

Students are not to be failed in schools is understandable but they will be awarded certificates without making up for the deficiency is beyond comprehension. If they have to attend schools only to get certificates, why would they have respect for books, teachers and school campuses. The makers of Education Policy seem to be unaware that certificates without knowledge are mo more than pieces of paper.If knowledge is not the goal, there is no justification of reprimanding, scolding or punishing the errant pupils. Press and TV highlight {out of proportion } any instances of punishment in schools to the extent that guardians get upset and go even to the courts of law. Principals and teachers are scared even of scolding students.Governments provide buildings, uniform, food, books and scholarships but teaching positions remain vacant. Many schools are single teacher schools and some do not have even that. Kabir Das had aptly stated 'bina guru gyan mile kaho kaise' {how to gain knowledge without teacher}. But knowledge does not appear to be the aim of education these days. Teachers of rural schools belong to far of cities and seldom attend the schools that too for a short duration. The so called 'Shiksha Mitras' are there not because of their knowledge and aptitude but simply because they happened to be the relatives of the then village pradhans. It was a back door entry that is being regularized particularly in Uttar Pradesh. It is not difficult to see, who derail our primary education .

CHAR CHAWANNI

CHAR CHAWANNI

It was 1972. I had returned from Canada, got married to Nirmala and together we had started a school in a remote village Kunaura. There was problem of drinking water for school kids in that barren area and we did not have money to arrange for running water. There were more pressing things to attend to. So we decided to have a dug well like most others used to have in that area. There was a custom those days that people would contribute towards such an effort either in cash or kind . Day's work was over, people offering Shramdaan (donation of labour without taking wages) had gone and I was sitting with my wife thinking about the next days programme. Then came an elderly man --- Lachhman Bajpai and gave four small coins, quarters of a rupee (chaar chawanni). He was from my village and I knew he was passing through hard times, hands to mouth. Those Char Chawanni could buy him 3 kg of wheat, enough to feed his family for one day. He donated them towards the cause that he thought was worthy. .I was moved and accepted the coins with humility.
Over the period of four decades the school has grown big, made socio-economic impact in the area and many friends have made huge contributions. Neelesh, Karan, Sukanya and their friends are making loudable efforts to make the life of school kids as comfortable as possible. Through their efforts the school has electricity,running water, computer lab, a library, play ground, games material and boundary wall. The dug well is still there, just a reminder of early efforts.
I think the sacrifice of Lachhman Bajpai and his Char Chawanni have no less importance in the making of my school than large contributions by generous wealthy friends.

RURAL KIDS ARE EQUALLY TALENTED

On 7 February the kids of Bhartiya Gramin Vidyalaya and C.T.D.Foundation School Kunaura celebrated the function on the school annual day to mark the occasion of Vasant Panchami, the birth day of Saraswati, the Godess of Wisdom. Their performance kept the audience of more than 2000 villagers spell bound. I always knew the kids have talent but I was very impressed to see that they improve upon the previous performance every year. Their acting brought the memories of Mahatma Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai, Mother Teress and Swami Vivekanand alive. The folk dances and folk songs and individual dances were superb. Kids can do miracles if they get some professional guidance in acting and speaking. Last year we were privileged to have distinguished guests from Mumbai like Shishir Dala, his wife and sons. I congratulate the teachers of the school who prepared the students despite meagre resources and costumes.

On the previous day on 6 February there was a public feast (Bhandara) in my ancestral village Deora in the temple that we have built there. The villagers and kids served the guests with full dedication. Every year we arrange the feast to mark the foundation day of the temple. Last year my grandson Aditya also served the guests with admirable devotion. We were surprised to see that village kids have a deep sense of serving.

Village kids can serve with devotion and perform admirably on the stage if only they have opportunity to do so.

THEY GOT SWEATERS WHEN NEEDED MOST

This winter was really severe for weeks together and I used to watch the shivering village students, of my school in the remote rural area, with anguish. I could not possibly help them all and even when the government of Uttar Pradesh closed the schools for a few days, it was hardly the solution. Then my son Neelesh had come to visit us around that time. He felt the pain of the poor children himself and issued an appeal. Large number of well wishers and friends realized the need and donated promptly to the school. We could distribute sweaters to a 1000 students and watch the smiling faces. Neelesh has shared some of the pictures and I am sure you can imagine the degree of satisfaction that came to us through generosity of friends and well wisher. I wish to personally write and thank all those who helped the boys and girls of Kunaura and surrounding villages. But I do not have addresses of many of them. I request the donors to mail their addresses to me so that the receipts could be sent by post.MY VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED ME ENJOY THE SATISFACTION OF HELPING KIDS FIGHT SEVERE COLD.

SAVE SCAVENGERS TO SAVE MAN KIND

This year on the day of ‘Pitra Visarjan’ (farewell to souls) when the crows, dogs and other animals are fed to please the heaven bound ancestors, an acute shortage of these animals and birds was felt in Allahabad and Varanasi. If they are not available for feast, how can they perform their duty as scavengers. In the absence of scavengers like vultures, crows, dogs, bacteria, fungi and microbes, the world will be covered with dead animals, plants, garbage and filth. Scavengers recycle the garbage and change its form.

India is perhaps the only country where people knew the value of animal scavengers. Fish is considered auspicious, Varah is one of the incarnations, tortoise is worshipped, crow is remembered as ‘Kakbhushundi’, Sampati the vulture is admired for fighting Ravana (destroyer of nature) and for attempting to save Sita (daughter of earth), trees that consume carbondioxide are likened to Shiva who consumed poison to save the biosphere. We forget all this while using deadly insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers in the agricultural fields and poisonous drugs to animal bodies. Scientists believe that in less than 20 years about 90 percent population of vultures has disappeared from India because of poisonous drugs like ‘diclofenac’ in the carrions they eat. We can well imagine the fate of those who eat meat of animals injected with similar drugs.

It is not the drugs alone that killed all vultures. I enquired a few villagers about the places where vultures used to spend nights. The most favored habitat is a peepal tree. But the trees are disappearing and so are the vultures. The population of the other birds as well as the aquatic life is also in danger.

Fish in the river Gomti are dying en mass. Water cannot be purified without fish and tortoise. Earthworms convert garbage into manure, purify soil and are a friend of farmers. But, these too are uncomfortable in the soil saturated with insecticides, pesticides and artificial fertilizers.

Dead animals are peeled of in the open in countryside by contractors for skin and they leave the flesh to rot there. In the absence of vultures, the crows and dogs have to dispose off carrions but their capacity is limited. In the hill areas like Chilchakkar of Nainital, the vulture and kite population is still visible. It is desirable to save the genes of these endangered bird species in the gene-banks and also to establish hatcheries possibly in the hill areas so as to save Homo sapiens--

CLOSING SCHOOLS IS NO SOLUTION

Every year during winter season there is cold wave and the governments fulfill their duty by closing down schools as if this will save the kids from cold. The poor children of villages go to their homes where thatch houses are worse than the solid walls of schools, where they go out in the fields ill clothed without realizing the frost bite and many fall sick. Governments close down schools because it does not cost anything to them but it takes away a few teaching days out of 180 days contemplated for academic calendar.

It is not the poor children of villages that are sent home but also of public schools where children are well clothed and schools can afford hot air blowers and heaters. These schools are closed to demonstrate government authority. Closing of schools will not equip children to fight cold. There are better ways to fight cold but these will cost money.

Neelesh, Vishal, Shilpa, Yamini and their friends have demonstrated that a 1000 sweaters could better equip the children to fight cold. The government if desires can provide sweaters to all the poor students free of cost through village Pradhans. They can also provide firewood in the school;s, regular power supply to schools and can change school timings to avoid the worst hours of cold. After all, if cold was so monstrous, the schools of America, Canada, Europe and the other cold places would be closed for all time to come as they have cold all year round. In North India, the cold is an annual feature and the governments can declare long winter vacations and short summer vacation. But in case, the youth of India can face neither cold not heat, it is pointless to talk about competing with the tough citizens of the other countries.

I hope a clear policy would be formulated to fight cold rather than ad hoc arrangements and escape routes of closing schools and so on.

PRICES THEY CAN CONTROL

You have seen over a period of a few months that the prices of onion were rising sky high. Then one fine morning they crash to less than half and are rising again with the same speed. It is not happening without an effort and if the Government desires, they can bring down prices in no time. But they declare in the News Papers and other media channels that the pulses would be imported, sugar will be brought from Pakistan and the production of such and such thing would fall short of the target and so on. These are clear hints to the traders for hoarding the commodities. They will tell you that efforts are being made to bring down prices but in the same breath they would say they have no magic stick to reduce the prices. They pretend that the god of rains controls economy, hoarders manage the commodities, Sugar lobby and cotton lobby decides the prices and the government ? Does it have any role for itself? Yes, they do as traders of votes and champions of scandles. They deliberately allow the prices to rise through mechanisms they have mastered in 60 years.