13th October 2008.
On this 13th day of October 2008, the price of tomatoes in a local market in Chennai is Rs.33 per Kg. - an all time high, both during the existence of this Blogger for five decades plus and the existence of this tomato specie in this planet.
What is the reason ? Economic Melt down mayhem ? As jucy debates deepen across the world to identify the reasons and remedies to arrest the on going economic melt down radiation, credit crunch is kicking in unabatedly in many of the citadels of capatilistic structures. Yesterday's neo-liberal market marauders have become today's mendicants. Strong-looking and himalayan sized fortresses of capital kingdoms raze to ground like pack of cards. Bursting of bubbles burdened by the weight of toxic debt traps, forced write-offs of bad debts, haunting memories of menaingless entry into untreaded areas of business (which super- dooper invented that in the unhindered and regulatorless market regime, even mortgage of houses could be converted into saleable proudcts in the show-rooms of bourses. I think ,he/she looses the Noble prize by a whisker) have shrunk these avaricious organizations into today's non-entities begging for alms.
Honey-coated allurements thrown at common man that even a pauper on the street could be made a prince of palace (which can not commonly happen in the dictatorial and hegemonized capitalistic economic landscape), if he/she signs a few housing-mortgage-repayment-sort of agreements, the recital and reading of which quite often tires the mortgagor - all these and others, spew endless and uncontrollable mass of failed capitalistic excreta. The speed with which the radiation of such failed capatilastic economic models travels,entraps in its trail, untreaded areas of human living in this economic scenario and therefore tumbling of prices of tomatoes can not be an exception. Lehman brothers, had they conducted their business keeping in fore the concept of brotherhood as their underlying business philosophy, they would not have built their empire on the soul less ground of capital terra firma, denying millions of housing customers their due happiness and they would not be requiring bail-out from all quarters.
People in the garb of governance rush in unprecedented speed in America to secure a semblence of bail-outs to such failed captalistic corporations. Is it because, corporates, by their very nature and by legal fiction, are like human beings, and have the tendency to commit crimes, either by doing things they ought not to do or by not doing things they ought to do. But the moral question here is, whose money you'are bartering away to bail out such corporations ?Federal Reserve fund of America is tax-payaers' money and no one individual's father's property. There is an opinion taking rounds in America that money bartered away for the bail-outs should have the consent of of its people, atleast by a sort of refrendum. Governments are trustees of the people and their property and therefore they can not be parties to acts bordering on crime of negligence. For paying Peter, you'are robbing Pauls.
The human tragedy behind the failure of these greedy corporations is realy unfathomable. In America, yesterday's house owners have become today's street squatters. Unable to bear the burden of house-mortgage debts, millions of house-owners are bound to abandon their houses in favor of investments bankers. Housing market has been receiving death blows in America and elsewhere.
Beyond these unfortunate human tragedies, the slide down in the economy will add to the large inventory of unsold houses, thereby depressing the prices further. Many mortgages are and will be greater than the house is worth, which , in turn, will lead more people walk away from their houses with inflated prices, producing even more fore-closures of mortgages and further price declines.
Be that as it may, are we justified in not joining the concerns and worries of our neighbour over the prices of tomatoes and commodities, that the spiral activity of the economic melt down had brought? Are there solutions within our reach to inject fresh breathe of life into our dying spirits caught in the clutches of untamed and unbridled price rise ?
In India, no amount of reducing the credit interest rates by the Central banks seem to be rendering a semblence of succor to the common citizen in his quest for two meals a day with the on going and quantum leap of prices of commodities.
One suggestion making rounds is that the world, instead of pursuing capital centric model of economy, may switch over to "green economy", as the best hope for the future. What exactly is green economy ? Of course, clean energy, of course, renewable materials, of course, clean production practices. Environmentally effective economy is one that necessarily one that delivers the highest quality of life to people, while using the lowest planatory resources.
An economic policy that facilitates people getting a lot of lifeless and souless "stuff" is not necessarily one that delivers high quality of life. Happiness research is showing that " it is not
material possession but relationships, community, meaning, a sense of purpose and use one's most valued skills that make us happy".
Good economic policies might be one that helps to strengthen our relationship with the communities, nature, friends, family, etc. Instead, current economic model works to strengthen our relationship with corporations. Everything from our food to health care comes from corporations. These bonds are lopsided and therefore we are at the mercy of changing fortunes of these corporations. What, if our food and health care came from locally, from our communities, for example. This reminds me how barter system worked so well in ancient times.
A government that did not cause us to be so particularly dependent on economic throughput, but instead helped us to forge reliable bonds, might provide more stability in the face of changing corporate fortunes.
When Mahatma Gandhi insisted on the practice of wearing locally produced and home woven khadi clothes, many an eye-brow was raised on the premises that the suggestion would not fetch practitioners in the midst of mingling of occident and oriental cultures. Such a course, according to nay sayers, would negate the natural course of the expansion of an economy built on capital centric model. But the doom-sayers proved wrong. A generation of old and young did wear khadi clothes (and wearing now too) in India and feel a sense of pride and service to the nearest community who produce such products.
When relationships are more local, that is , the farmer knows the distributor, who in turn knows the grocer, people are likely to screw each others. There will be accountability. If the distributor artificially jacks up prices, the former can go to the distributor, and discuss it.
Let us learn not to spend beyond our means. Do you really need that house now ? Do you really need that car right now, when own a bike ? Think. Think.
Green technology is giving more life with less. Drive efficiently, if you drive, walk or bike or ride otherwise. Source your food requirements from the local farmer direct.
I remember to have read what a renowned scientist of Indian origin had said: "Instead of bailing out corporations with 700 million dollars, we could be bailing out nature." What words of wisdom.
Its Bye now from Chandru.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
CORRUPTION : THE BANE OF EMERGING INDIA
Recording these stray thoughts on the despised profession of corruption has the basis and inspiration from a recent news clipping in one of the local TV channels, wherein, the former President of India, Dr.Abdul Kalam (despite his demiting the office of the presidentship , he continues to be the People's President of India) was shown interacting with school children in a school function. He was shown lending a piece of advice to the children to take individual and collective vows to root out corruption totally from the country. He was a worried man that corruption is impeding the growth of the country. He wanted the children to learn to be honest in life. He is no doubt a visionary.
Dr.Kalam new well that his message would go down into minds of the students, who form a sizable chunk in the India population - one survey says that the youth group in India occupies nearly 50 percent of the Indian population. This important group, Dr.Kalam believes, will cetainly produce right leadership for making India an econmic power. Therefore, it is apt that the People's President has endevoured to reach this targetted group through his message.
While on the subject, I recall how Shiv Khera, the notable and successful Management expert recorded valuable information in his book FREEDOM IS NOT FREE about the level of corruption prevailing in India and his sincere arguments about rooting out corruption from the country. Relying on an authentic report published by the Swiss Government, Shiv Khera says that Indian money worth 2500 billion dollars have been stashed away from the country unaccounted by faceless persons of Indian origin and such money found safe deposits in the Swiss bank.
In the same vein, Shive Khera depicts another scenario to drive home his point of view. An average middle class Indian, if he/she is to secure a medical assistance in a Government hospital, for instance, has to shell out a considerable amout from his savings to grease the palms of the powers that be, even to secure a semblence of medical treatment. Is this the ethical culture and the so called shining ways of India, he asks. By greasing the palms of the greedy, are we becoming partners of crime? In other words, the author asks:"Are we victims of corruption or perpetrators of corruption ?" Shiv Khera argues that that no one wants to bribe others on his own volition. Since the system itself has placed a demand on average Indians that even their basic needs themselves would be served only by bribing the service provider and persons in the corridors of power, the person giving the bribe is definitely a victim of corruption and not perpetrator of corruption.
What is the answer to this cancerous growth of corruption in public India? On the one side, our soldier brothers are struggling all through their lives in inconvenient and inhospitable border terrains to protect the country's territories and the prestige of the country. On the other side, the country has been caught in the vicious circle of rampant corruption. What happens if our soldiers refuse to perform duty even for a few hours. We forget that THEY ARE SACRIFYING THEIR TODAY FOR OUR PROSPEROUS TOMORROW. We have forgotten to keep the nation first in our quest for material wealth.
The psychology of the urge to commit the crime of corruption is greediness and one of avariciousness. A land that boasts of following a well developed ancient civilization, which places spiritualism and 'Dharma' over materialistic interests, has been showing trends of running after material wealth and the corrupt leave no stone unturned to achieve such wealth wherever and whatever way it comes from. Centuries old nurtured values and ethics have become the first casualty in the hands of these greedy leaches, who have made corruption a way of life.
No doubt the culture of corruption is world wide phenomenon.. Had it not been the case, wealth of literature would not have been created about the issue of corruption world over. Shakespeare's phrase 'the art of glib and oiling' finds enough practice in India. In Arthur Miller's (renowned American dramatist) book 'All my sons", the protogonist piolet son of a wealthy businessman, trading in aeroplane spare parts to the American Airforce, commits suicide by crashing his plane against a mountain - not because he was unhappy about his life, but because he could not bear the fact that his father had been selling quality-less and third rate spare parts to the American Air Force which led to innumerable deaths of American soldiers and the nation's prestige.
Gatsby, the protogonist in Scot Fitzeralds novel "Great Gatsby" engages in illicit brewing of liquor to achieve not only success and to become rich, but also to relive his past and to regain his lost love towards a young women. But he suffers not only from his failed love episode but also from the committing of the crime of becoming rich through illegal means.
In the Indian scenario, Nand Kumar's case is a case in point. Warren Hastings, the then Viceroy during the British Raj, was forced to face the punishment for his alleged bribe taking activities.
That shows the level of judiciary then and its concomittant role in rendering justice. Despite the prevalence of innumerable agencies to arrest the menace of corruption in India, those engage in the art and science of corruption continue to strike gold. While every bit of crime investigation in India engages such tests like Lie Detector test, Narco analysis, etc., no one seems to be giving loud thinking for applying such tests to the breed of executives and politicians who engage in corruption.
Luckily for the country, modern Indian corporates make it a point to include the concept and practice of wealth creation through legal and ethical ways, as their corporate philosopy and goal. Infosys Technologies Limited, a reputed trans-world corporate body, engaged in providing allied IT services world over, has incorporated the concept and goal of wealth creation through legal and ethical means, as their main Corporate policy.
Incidentally, in the context, while there are a number of social orgnizations in India fighting for the cause of rooting out corruption in public life, one small organization in Vellore,a small town in Tamilnadu, India, has received the attention of this Blogger. Named "Oozhal Ozhippu Iyakkam" in Tamil language (which means, a movement for destroying corruption), this Organization does excellent service in the fight against corruption and thus does a service to the nation. The number of current members in the Organization is hardly five or six only. To become a member in the Organization, the aspiring persons should have caught hold of, at least one bribe taker and should have brought such bribe taker before the police authorities for prosecution. As things stand, no one dares coming forward to catch bribe takers red- handed and to face future consequences of threats of death to their life from the associates and hired goondas of such corrupt persons. Dr Valluvan, a qualified medical practitioner does a commendable service in the Orgnization in assocaiton with one Mr.Gandhi of the said Organization in the fight against corruption. This orgnization deserves all encouragement and support from the Governement of India.
The case of the atrocious killing of Sathyendra Dubey, an honest, intelligent Engineer in National Highways Department of India and a whistle-blower, who exposed the rampant corruption in the National Highways Department should be an eye-opener to every law abiding citizens of India.
Therefore, this Blogger makes an earnest prayer that we unitedly come forward to convert Dr.Klam's message into positive action and help make India a major economic power and a corruption free country... Jay Hind.
Too much blogging, eh............Bye until next time, from Chandru.
Dr.Kalam new well that his message would go down into minds of the students, who form a sizable chunk in the India population - one survey says that the youth group in India occupies nearly 50 percent of the Indian population. This important group, Dr.Kalam believes, will cetainly produce right leadership for making India an econmic power. Therefore, it is apt that the People's President has endevoured to reach this targetted group through his message.
While on the subject, I recall how Shiv Khera, the notable and successful Management expert recorded valuable information in his book FREEDOM IS NOT FREE about the level of corruption prevailing in India and his sincere arguments about rooting out corruption from the country. Relying on an authentic report published by the Swiss Government, Shiv Khera says that Indian money worth 2500 billion dollars have been stashed away from the country unaccounted by faceless persons of Indian origin and such money found safe deposits in the Swiss bank.
In the same vein, Shive Khera depicts another scenario to drive home his point of view. An average middle class Indian, if he/she is to secure a medical assistance in a Government hospital, for instance, has to shell out a considerable amout from his savings to grease the palms of the powers that be, even to secure a semblence of medical treatment. Is this the ethical culture and the so called shining ways of India, he asks. By greasing the palms of the greedy, are we becoming partners of crime? In other words, the author asks:"Are we victims of corruption or perpetrators of corruption ?" Shiv Khera argues that that no one wants to bribe others on his own volition. Since the system itself has placed a demand on average Indians that even their basic needs themselves would be served only by bribing the service provider and persons in the corridors of power, the person giving the bribe is definitely a victim of corruption and not perpetrator of corruption.
What is the answer to this cancerous growth of corruption in public India? On the one side, our soldier brothers are struggling all through their lives in inconvenient and inhospitable border terrains to protect the country's territories and the prestige of the country. On the other side, the country has been caught in the vicious circle of rampant corruption. What happens if our soldiers refuse to perform duty even for a few hours. We forget that THEY ARE SACRIFYING THEIR TODAY FOR OUR PROSPEROUS TOMORROW. We have forgotten to keep the nation first in our quest for material wealth.
The psychology of the urge to commit the crime of corruption is greediness and one of avariciousness. A land that boasts of following a well developed ancient civilization, which places spiritualism and 'Dharma' over materialistic interests, has been showing trends of running after material wealth and the corrupt leave no stone unturned to achieve such wealth wherever and whatever way it comes from. Centuries old nurtured values and ethics have become the first casualty in the hands of these greedy leaches, who have made corruption a way of life.
No doubt the culture of corruption is world wide phenomenon.. Had it not been the case, wealth of literature would not have been created about the issue of corruption world over. Shakespeare's phrase 'the art of glib and oiling' finds enough practice in India. In Arthur Miller's (renowned American dramatist) book 'All my sons", the protogonist piolet son of a wealthy businessman, trading in aeroplane spare parts to the American Airforce, commits suicide by crashing his plane against a mountain - not because he was unhappy about his life, but because he could not bear the fact that his father had been selling quality-less and third rate spare parts to the American Air Force which led to innumerable deaths of American soldiers and the nation's prestige.
Gatsby, the protogonist in Scot Fitzeralds novel "Great Gatsby" engages in illicit brewing of liquor to achieve not only success and to become rich, but also to relive his past and to regain his lost love towards a young women. But he suffers not only from his failed love episode but also from the committing of the crime of becoming rich through illegal means.
In the Indian scenario, Nand Kumar's case is a case in point. Warren Hastings, the then Viceroy during the British Raj, was forced to face the punishment for his alleged bribe taking activities.
That shows the level of judiciary then and its concomittant role in rendering justice. Despite the prevalence of innumerable agencies to arrest the menace of corruption in India, those engage in the art and science of corruption continue to strike gold. While every bit of crime investigation in India engages such tests like Lie Detector test, Narco analysis, etc., no one seems to be giving loud thinking for applying such tests to the breed of executives and politicians who engage in corruption.
Luckily for the country, modern Indian corporates make it a point to include the concept and practice of wealth creation through legal and ethical ways, as their corporate philosopy and goal. Infosys Technologies Limited, a reputed trans-world corporate body, engaged in providing allied IT services world over, has incorporated the concept and goal of wealth creation through legal and ethical means, as their main Corporate policy.
Incidentally, in the context, while there are a number of social orgnizations in India fighting for the cause of rooting out corruption in public life, one small organization in Vellore,a small town in Tamilnadu, India, has received the attention of this Blogger. Named "Oozhal Ozhippu Iyakkam" in Tamil language (which means, a movement for destroying corruption), this Organization does excellent service in the fight against corruption and thus does a service to the nation. The number of current members in the Organization is hardly five or six only. To become a member in the Organization, the aspiring persons should have caught hold of, at least one bribe taker and should have brought such bribe taker before the police authorities for prosecution. As things stand, no one dares coming forward to catch bribe takers red- handed and to face future consequences of threats of death to their life from the associates and hired goondas of such corrupt persons. Dr Valluvan, a qualified medical practitioner does a commendable service in the Orgnization in assocaiton with one Mr.Gandhi of the said Organization in the fight against corruption. This orgnization deserves all encouragement and support from the Governement of India.
The case of the atrocious killing of Sathyendra Dubey, an honest, intelligent Engineer in National Highways Department of India and a whistle-blower, who exposed the rampant corruption in the National Highways Department should be an eye-opener to every law abiding citizens of India.
Therefore, this Blogger makes an earnest prayer that we unitedly come forward to convert Dr.Klam's message into positive action and help make India a major economic power and a corruption free country... Jay Hind.
Too much blogging, eh............Bye until next time, from Chandru.
PLASTIC MANACE - PEOPLE'S PANACEA
In my previous blogging dicourse dt.30.9.2008 I was ruminating on the personal problems that I confronted in my readjustment in settling in Chennai from the Nilgiris. While trying to float along with the winds of change in the new set up, I am unable to cope with the sight of heaps of used polythene bags anywhere and everywhere. Having been destined to rent a house in suburbon area of Chennai on Old Mahabalipuram Road, close to Sholinganallur, I used to try occasional evening walk along the OMR road and in interier settlements. Invariably I forget that I am mortally in Chennai and am not still in the Nilgiris hills. Why such thoughts ? What business polythene bags and plastic materials have to do with drawing a comparison between Chennai and Nilgiris.
The other day, during one such walking sojourn, I could witness a stray dog, spalashed with remains of thrown-over food all over its body,was busily poking its nose in a heap of used polythene bags in a by-lane leading to a residentail area on the sidelines of Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR for brevity). The scene temporarily changed. A neatly attired youngster with his neck under strangulation from a broad a tie, approached the heap of polythene bags. He himself was carrying a big polythene bag, seemingly containing left-over food as is evident from the yellowish 'sambar' curry oozing out as he walked. On his having approached the said heap of bags, the dog which was engrossed in enjoying its supposedly last supper, seemed to have been disturbed that a human mortal was encroaching its jurisdiction, denying its rightful place for food. The next moment, everthing around was a chaotic situation. The dog gave a firm warning by incessent howling that the gentleman should better keep away from the heap and try a throw the polythene bag in his hand from a distance to the dog's convenience. The order having been executed, brought a new situation. The thrown bag even before reaching its decided destination, fell on bike-rider who happend to wheel across from a by-lane.
The net result is a 'Piccadly Circus' , as E.M Forester narrated in one of his essays, resembling a similar situation. But thank Almighty ! Forester's men did not have the courage to practice playing hand-ball with left-over food in polythene bags ! Here, this blogger is not interested in the incident, but in the lesson one has to learn.
Used polythene bags thrown all over and everywhere posses serious health problems. Universally, nations are taking appropriate measures to quell their usage, much less their publc exibitionism. It requires stern rules and public awareness for proper usage and correct disposal. Polythene bags caught in the soil have the tendency even to change the course of water table and soil structure. The biggest menace to the ecology is plastic products. This does not mean that the whole world should be fully free of plastic products. Polymer tecnology has done wonderful things for the convenience of people.
While on the subject, one epochal movement in the Nilgiris district in Tamilnadu should draw our attention. The credit for such a movement for banning the usage of polythene bags should go to Mrs.Supriya Sahu, I.A.S., the then Collector of the Nilgiris district in Tamilnadu, India. Her initiative caught the attention of the general public and the same was converted into a public a movement.
She dared to promulgate district-specific rules to arrest the usage of polythene bags. Those found throwing used polythene bags in the roads and street- corners were severly dealt with. Usage of paper bags was encouraged and rewarded. Students came forward in taking forward the movement to the public. Non-governmental organizations extended a helping hand in organizing seminars, debates on the avoidance of using polythene bags and their proper disposal. During her stint as the Collector of the Nilgiris, she could achieve a near total plastic-free environemnt in the Nilgiris district. Hats off to her !
In Chennai, till such time another Supriya Sahu comes to the fore front, let us, as socially conscious citizens, take a vow not to throw used polythene bags in roads, drainages, street corners, and places wherever public gather. Let us make it a habit that we collect our small purchses from petty shops in paper packs and paper"pottalams". Why not the students of Chennai city lead the public in forming a movement as in the Nilgiris district ? Too much didacting , eh....?
The other day, during one such walking sojourn, I could witness a stray dog, spalashed with remains of thrown-over food all over its body,was busily poking its nose in a heap of used polythene bags in a by-lane leading to a residentail area on the sidelines of Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR for brevity). The scene temporarily changed. A neatly attired youngster with his neck under strangulation from a broad a tie, approached the heap of polythene bags. He himself was carrying a big polythene bag, seemingly containing left-over food as is evident from the yellowish 'sambar' curry oozing out as he walked. On his having approached the said heap of bags, the dog which was engrossed in enjoying its supposedly last supper, seemed to have been disturbed that a human mortal was encroaching its jurisdiction, denying its rightful place for food. The next moment, everthing around was a chaotic situation. The dog gave a firm warning by incessent howling that the gentleman should better keep away from the heap and try a throw the polythene bag in his hand from a distance to the dog's convenience. The order having been executed, brought a new situation. The thrown bag even before reaching its decided destination, fell on bike-rider who happend to wheel across from a by-lane.
The net result is a 'Piccadly Circus' , as E.M Forester narrated in one of his essays, resembling a similar situation. But thank Almighty ! Forester's men did not have the courage to practice playing hand-ball with left-over food in polythene bags ! Here, this blogger is not interested in the incident, but in the lesson one has to learn.
Used polythene bags thrown all over and everywhere posses serious health problems. Universally, nations are taking appropriate measures to quell their usage, much less their publc exibitionism. It requires stern rules and public awareness for proper usage and correct disposal. Polythene bags caught in the soil have the tendency even to change the course of water table and soil structure. The biggest menace to the ecology is plastic products. This does not mean that the whole world should be fully free of plastic products. Polymer tecnology has done wonderful things for the convenience of people.
While on the subject, one epochal movement in the Nilgiris district in Tamilnadu should draw our attention. The credit for such a movement for banning the usage of polythene bags should go to Mrs.Supriya Sahu, I.A.S., the then Collector of the Nilgiris district in Tamilnadu, India. Her initiative caught the attention of the general public and the same was converted into a public a movement.
She dared to promulgate district-specific rules to arrest the usage of polythene bags. Those found throwing used polythene bags in the roads and street- corners were severly dealt with. Usage of paper bags was encouraged and rewarded. Students came forward in taking forward the movement to the public. Non-governmental organizations extended a helping hand in organizing seminars, debates on the avoidance of using polythene bags and their proper disposal. During her stint as the Collector of the Nilgiris, she could achieve a near total plastic-free environemnt in the Nilgiris district. Hats off to her !
In Chennai, till such time another Supriya Sahu comes to the fore front, let us, as socially conscious citizens, take a vow not to throw used polythene bags in roads, drainages, street corners, and places wherever public gather. Let us make it a habit that we collect our small purchses from petty shops in paper packs and paper"pottalams". Why not the students of Chennai city lead the public in forming a movement as in the Nilgiris district ? Too much didacting , eh....?
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