Sunday, May 9, 2010

Last journey

Cadaver donation is one significant aspect which is yet to catch up in a big way in our society. This apathy is due to ignorance, lack of infrastructure, religious beliefs and staid thinking. People should be educated about its noble intentions and concerned authorities should create visibly dignified infrastructure to encourage people to opt for donation of their bodies.

Teaching Hospitals and Medical Colleges should come forward in association with voluntary and charitable agencies in creating this awareness, infrastructure and quick, efficient and dignified service.

I have read about an Hospital in Royapuram, Chennai, which takes care of terminally ill or very aged people, who are destitutes or abandoned by their kith and kin, in their last days, on the condition their bodies are donated to the Hospital.

Apart from the benefits that will accrue to the would-be recipients of organ donation, this could be an efficient and clean option of body disposal provided, proper infrastructure is created.

Leaving aside the miniscule minority of Parsees, who follow the most environmentally friendly way of disposal of their dead, the only two options available are burial or cremation. There is immense pressure on land and there is so much dearth of firewood, that both these options have already become unviable, especially in urban areas, where cremation grounds/cemeteries have been encroached in a big way and just no land is available to create newer ones. Electric crematoriums just don’t function in majority of cases.

Hence, the time has come for searching for other options. Sea burial, especially in coastal cities, towns, is one excellent idea. This could be a third option to those who do not want to donate their organs.

Concerned authorities like Municipal Corporations, Rotary/Lions Clubs, other Charitable organizations can join together in creating the required infrastructure like proper collection site, boats, trained staff, etc. There should be staff available for registration of the sea funeral to facilitate quick issue of Death Certificates.

Government should first come forward to enact laws (if required) for recognizing this system of disposal of the dead, provide space, infrastructure and give wide publicity. Old Age Homes should counsel their inmates about this. Religious seers and leaders should educate their flock about the good that will come to the society by this noble act. Instead of harping on traditions, they should boldly encourage their co-religionists to change – for the better of the humankind. Most importantly, they could set personal example.

Late Jyoti Basu set a very visible and noble example like many unknown before him.

…ponder

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Man-made Ecological Disasters

Today’s TOI has given thumbnail sketches of 10 man-made ecological disasters in the context of recent oil spill off American coast. These can be read at the following link.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Human-error-Man-made-ecological-disasters/articleshow/5906418.cms

Knowing the consequences, due to lure of money or populism or vested interests or plain callousness, we continue to perpetuate ecological disasters through simple actions like throwing plastic to very serious actions like permitting import of surgical waste.

Yesterdat TV9 reported that by planting imported Australian ‘Thumma’ saplings over thousands of hectares in Tirupati hill ranges, we have wiped out ethnic flora and bio-diversity has been stamped out and as these trees have a life span of only 35 to 40 years, shortly these hills will be barren rocks with no support to the ecological balance. Environmentalists and botanists have to study the veracity of this report and, if true, come up with long term solutions.

Government should take urgent action to bring legislation to totally eliminate or atleast severely regulate the following for example.

. Ship breaking.

. Import of dangerous waste/scrap into the country.

. Quick plantation of only local varieties of greenery wherever plantation takes place. Advise of local Tribals should be followed.

. Stop distribution of exoitic varieties of cattle and instead distribute local breeds though may be less productive.

. Strict and regular audit of radioactive materials.

. Compulsory use of jute/cotton bags in place of plastic.

The alarm bells have been ringing. These should not become tolling of disasters. Let us all wake up.

…ponder

Friday, May 7, 2010

Development and roots

I live in Kakinada. This was a Portugese colony, later annexed by the British. Yanam, a former French enclave and today part of Pondichery shares border with Kakinada. This was a small moffusil town though the headquarters of East Godavari District. There are three main roads parallel to each other intersected at right angles by side roads. This town has several lakes, well preserved, and generally clean. Once upon a time, this was known as Pensioners’ Paradise.

Educationally, this town was very important. The first Engineering College in AP was established here. There is a Medical College, one of the oldest Arts college, Polytechnic, ITI, etc. some dating back to pre-independence days. Today we have several corporate schools and colleges, coaching centres, in addition.

The discovery of gas off Kakinada coast is changing the face of this town. You see more of people from other parts of country which was not the case even as recently as 5 years.
Like any other town, vehicles have outgrown the capacity of roads, shopping malls like Spencers have sprung up. The profile of the people has also changed. Kakinadites are in the software field in a big way.

However, one puzzling aspect is there is no gas run buses or autos here. Kakinada gas may power several projects elsewhere. But people in places like Gadimoga, the nerve centre of gas industry here, cook with firewood. Delhi buses may run on CNG extracted here, but here buses run on polluting diesel.

Industrial activity will bring wealth, resources and opportunities. But along with these, it also brings ecological disaster, displacement of local population, turning farmers into migrant labour and so on. Whereas the wealth, opportunities and resources are enjoyed elsewhere, the misery is faced by the local population alone for whom no tears are shed. Fishermen are one of the worst sufferers. High seas braved by them for centuries are no longer open to them.

Oil/Gas exploration and extraction is a highly complex activity where only very highly skilled people can be employed and what with automization, least labour employing. But it guzzles thousands of acres of land. What is the fate of these marginal farmers, farm labour, fishermen? Migration to urban ghettos? Slavery in Gulf? Social unrest?

…ponder

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Riddle called 'Service'

Yesterday during a chat with the Anchor of TV9, Mr,Ram Gopal Varma, made an interesting confession. That it is beyond him to understand why politicians go to voters and request them to give a chance to ‘serve’ them. The riddle is, why people request to ‘serve’.

What is there in ‘serving’ to make them spend crores, undertake gruelling tours, use and face muscle power with every possibility of not being accepted by the voters to ‘serve’ them.

It is indeed puzzling. This urge to serve.

For example, Nehru was a great man, chosen heir of Gandhi. He went on and on serving the people till his death for which he had to regularly beg the voters of Phulphur to give him the chance. As a logical derivation, he could not have served the country without wriggling out the privilege at Phulphur nor did he serve the country before advent of independence and elections.

Also some families dedicate their sisters, brothers, progeny, distant relations and coming generations to this sacred cause of ‘serving’ the people. There is the example of one venerable gentleman serving the country for decades and has already placed the services of two sons, one nephew at the disposal of country and reports suggest that he is requesting the mighty high command to allow his daughter also to serve.

People found new political parties if they don’t get the chance to ‘serve’ from their present party. Even new States are sought to be created because they were sidelined by their bosses.

No wonder Gokhale foresaw all this and founded the Servants of India Society. Must be either chuckling at his joke or uneasily turning in his grave.

…ponder