Cricket World Cup Champion 2011 India and Love

After a gap of 28 years, India had won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka in Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. This was one of the biggest achivement of India in the world's sports arena.
Whole nation erupts with joy after this triumph by Indian Team, the party goes all night. Thank God the match was on saturday, otherwise one more week-day would be gone in the celebration.

  According to one survey,  67.8 million people saw this match on TV, making it as a biggest sports event viewed in India. I was also one of the avid tv viewer whose adrenalin rose up and down with every breath taking moments. Apart from home, big screens were put in the markets and elite homes. There were parties in Bollywood Actor's homes to saw the match , they have invited their near and dear ones to saw the match. Even in ghettos and lower income group housing hundreds of individuals saw the final on small tv screens. Defence establishments were also part and parcel of this cricket frenziness. I was also invited for one of party to saw the match on a large screen with friends. I declined the offer  and saw the match with my family.
    
    In this whole episode, what I found that our young generation saw the match with their friends rather than their family. And growing trend was that pubs and bars were full with cricket enthusiast. There was a bumper sale of liquor and related food items. This is not a good sign, celebration with friend  is ok but this growing trend shows that love is somewhere lost in our family system. Some years back, we generally saw the match at home and celebrate them with our friends in our locality by distributing sweets and lighting fire-crackers. But, now the youth want to saw the match at pubs and bars and celebrate the win by driving the bikes and cars recklessly and dancing on the cars of the strangers and creating all type of nuisance in the public.

        
     This trend in the society is due to preference to materialist things rather than love and affection in the society. Yesterday, my father gave me an article to read from 'The Speaking Tree' suppliment of Times of India. The story was that three old men were sitting in front of the house and on asking them to to come inside, they told the owner that they were Wealth, Success and Love and they had to invite only one person. After much delibration, the owner asked Love to come inside, all three old men come inside and told them that if they invited Wealth or Success than other two will not accompany that person. And as the owner asked for Love to come, Wealth and Success had to accompany  Love.

    So, it is ok that Wealth and Success is important but it is more important that Love is not lost in the family and we celebrate more and more such events with great pomp and show.

JAI HIND.
   

       

Land Acquisition Act, Yamuna Expressway and Farmers.

        Yamuna Expressway is always projected as a project that will reduce the time to travel between Delhi and Agra and the area around it will be developed for industrial and model township. But last month, we heard about it for a wrong reason. Agitation, arson and killing were linked to it instead of development and industrialisation around the expressway.

                          Now the question arises, what is the root cause for such an agitation that disrupts normal life not only of the farmers of Uttar Pradesh but also of Delhites. Apart from that, Indian Parliament also saw disruption of its mansoon session many times.

       The bone of contention is the acquisition of land of the farmers for the proposed expressway and the model township to be developed by Jaypee Group by the UP Government. According to Land Acqusition Act, 1894, the goverment can acquire private land for public purposes. As defined in the act, Section 3(f)  "public purpose" means building educational institutions, town or rural planning, residential purposes to the poor or landless. Moreover, it also include that land can be acquired for any premises or building for locating a public office, but does not include acquisition of land for companies.

   There are two schools of thoughts which are prevelent among the farmers not only in that region but whole India as land acquisition is a India-wide phenomenon. According to one school, government is acquiring land for Big Businesses and not for overall development of that region. Moreover, some have reasoned that compensation is not good enough as it takes at least two generations to change your profession and lifestyle. Even government is not providing them any information or knowledge for investing that money. Ironically, only plus point is increase in the Excise revenue with the sale of Liquor and increase in the number of automobiles (Car and Motorcicles). Furthermore, resentment is brewing in the youngsters, they said they want to go with agriculture on their fertile land instead of being 4th class employ in the factory built on their land.

      Second school of thought thinks that compensation given is not fair. They should be provided fair compensation at par with what is given in Noida and Haryana. According to them, government only gave 4 lakh per Bigha whereas government will sell that land at exhorbitant rate.

         So, what will be the probable solution for this problem? Yesterday, TV channels like NDTV, ZEE News, IBN Live were showing debates on this issue and spokespersons of  political parties like Congress, BJP, RLD, Left were there showing genuine concern about farmers. Ajit Singh, Rita Bahuguna and Naqvi with member of Bhartiya Kisan Union were unanimously agreed that land acquisition is a necessity but there must be some checks-and-balances so that the affected one will be adequately benefitted. Moreover, acquisition must be for the public purpose and government must not act as "Dealer" for big companies. Even, Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, 2007, which seeks to amend the 1894 Act must be passed as early as possible. Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi had assured the public in the epicentre of the farmer's unrest, Tupple (UP) that this bill will be introduced in the next session is a welcome step.       

   Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, 2007 which seeks to amend the 1894 Act and guarantee market price for acquired land. It also makes provision for social impact assesment studies of the development project and costs related to the resettlement of the displaced masses.

PM Manmohan Singh, Independence Day and Common Man

       On sunday, when PM Manmohan Singh ji unfurled our tricolour, lot was expected from him by the Common Man. But that resulted in a disappointment. His speech had everything from socio-economic problem to the high growth rate of development after the recession. But the stark reality is the increasing wedge between economic development and the Common Man.

    Yes, this was the landmark occassion that he was only the third Prime Minister to have reached the seventh year in office. More significantly, he is the first non-Nehru family Congress Prime Minister to have achieved this distinction. But the story he told about growth and develpment after recession is more a repetition than new one. The work done by the UPA-1 government is more comendable than this UPA-2 one.

  On the issue of Kashmir violence, he has presented only a political roadmap whereas the need of the hour is overall development of the region. Jammu and Kashmir need a plan which will create confidence in the people that Central Government has a genuine concern for the people of that region.

      Similarly, our North- Eastren region also need holistic development. Our PM gave more emphasis on "Discussion and Dialogue" but the reuirement is more. Apart from that,  region requires economic as well as  social development. The aspirations of the people must be fullfilled then only the youth may leave the path of violence.

He had told Naxalites to abjure violence, come for talks with the Government and join hands with the authority  to accelerate social and economic development. But to persuade them to leave violence is not easy. The Central as well as State Government must work in tandem for development of the neglected part of the country. Moreover, they work honestly to rise above their personal and political interests to meet this challenge.

Furthermore, the spiralling price graph, and even more so by the insensitivity of a government that suggests that inflation is a price to pay for growth make the life of the Common Man very difficult. Mr. PM has not suggest any measure taken in this direction.

Overall, I think our aspirations from Dr. Singh are very high and the apathy shown by the other parties in UPA-2 towards the policies led to the dismal show of him. Further, he did not deal adequately with burning issues like the situation in Kashmir, price rise and international relations.

Now, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi came from abroad and said that guilty must be punished after the CommonWealth Games, I think must boost the moral of the Common Man that in future she will look into other matter of importance.


 

On the eve of 63rd Independence Day Common Man thinks.

On the eve of 63rd Independence Day we are eagerly waiting for the unfurling of the flag at the Lal Kila. Getting up early to listen to the prime minister speak from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort  is like a ritual, one which I enjoy. But this year there is some anxiety in the masses , the prevelant atmosphere is not conducive for peace and harmony in the country. Therefore Common Man expects that Mr. Prime Minister will take stock of the vast socio-economic problems, particularly, of improving the lot of the common man consistent with his dignity and the unity of the natoin.

We are expecting that Mr. Manmohan Singh will handle the burning issue of Kashmiri Violenece. Today they do not want a mere political promise, according to them the movement was a retaliation to India's unfulfilled promise. They need a genuine concern towards the problem faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiri youth need a holistic development of the state, so that they can live dignified life in a free environment.

Moreover, the Naxalites movement is also a cause of concern, politicians for the petty gains are fueling the fire. Mr. Prime Minister must also look into genuine needs of the tribal population of the country. Again they need a holistic approach for solving their problem of development and exploitation of the natural resources.

   Forthermore, the rampant corruption that clogged the development of the whole India also need a look.
The controversies surrounding Common Wealth Games (CWG) tarnished the image of India in the world.
We are already at 84th position in Transparency International  published  annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2009. Definately, this will further lead India into wrong ladder direction on corruption Index. We need that guilty must be punished come what may.

Common Man also concerned for the rising prices of the essential commodities, and the Adulteration of food items.

In all, we do not need just a promising speech from our most learned PM Manmohan Singh. We need concrete solutions to the socio-economic problems faced by us. All the problems have some traits very much common . So, no problem can be solved in isolation. I hope we are not demanding too much from our Prime Minister.

Jai Hind

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake

Yesterday, I was reading a book and found a prayer written by Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore. Truly the words are mesmerising and the dream of every Indian. I am reproducing the same

" Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic
walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary
desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought
and action -
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake."

Infact this is the dream of every one. No one in the world is free from any type of fear. Extremism, regionalism, war for religion, hatred, greed are bane of the life of an Individual.

I do not know when this will end but lets pray for this dream to come true.

Jai Hind.

Is Earth Hour enough against Climate Change.

When Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia in 2007 nobody knew that in a year it had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating.

Even in March 2009, 100s of millions people took part in this hourly phenomenon. With 88 countries and 4000 cities officially switching off light, made it the largest global initiative against Climate Change.
Now, today on 27 March, 2010 we are sure the numbers will be more.

Why we need Earth Hour?

But the question arises why we need Earth Hour. Is this one hour enough for fight against Climate Change.
What I think is, why we do not make it a habit to switch of unnecessary lights. Moreover, we can use CFL bulbs instead of simple light bulbs. Even Indian Government is supporting this scheme.

Furthermore, we have to teach youngsters and children to make it a habit of switching off electricity when not needed. Even we can use staircases instead of lifts. Using staircase is benefit for our health also.

Why only Earth Hour for Electricity?

Water Crisis is another problem that world is facing today. Saving water must also be the responsibility, perhaps the duty of each one of us to contribute towards water management. Intelligent utilisation of water resources is the need of the hour.

If we use water indiscriminately, the day will come when a campaign like Earth Hour will be needed which motivate individuals not to take bath on that particular day. So, why not pro-actively start today and save water. Even it is our duty to teach children about saving water.

Cost Cutting Campaign in Industries.

When I was in IT Sector, I saw a phenomenon, Cost Cutting Campaign, during recession. In that campaign, unnecessary lights were switched off and circulars were issued to save paper and less use of printers. Even a bizarre scene that tissue papers (in Rest-Rooms) were issued on rationing basis.

Again the question is, do we need these types of campaign? It must be our duty to save electricity and do not waste our resources whether they are at home or at our work place.


So, the need of the hour is judicious use of not only our natural but man-made resources. Than only our fight against Climate Change will be successful.

Save Tree Campaign.

Save Tree Save Earth.

Today morning I got a message from my friend Ankit Mohan.
He wrote

"It will cost 38 Trillion Dollors to create Oxygen for 6 months for all Human Beings on Earth. But Trees do it for free, so save Trees and save Earth."

I donot know the claim that it will cost 38 Trillion Dollars to create Oxygen in Lab , but I know one thing that it is always beneficial to plant and save trees than creating oxygen in lab.

It must be our endevour to plant atleast one sapling in a year so that we as well as our future generation live happily.