देशभक्ति का पुरस्कार

एक आदमी: “अरे यार, क्या जरुरत थी अपने पति को पकडवाने की? ३-४ बम फुट जाते – हम या कोई हमारे घरवालो में से कोई मर जाता ! सरकार कम से कम हर परिवार को एक-एक लाख रुपये देती. उसको क्या मिल गया? पति गया, कमाई भी गई, और २५००० रुपये दे कर सरकार भी छुट गई”

Young Brigade 2.0

Teens, youngsters, collegians… That is how we know them! They are one of us, our siblings, our cousins and our neighbors. India is a country of youngsters. A huge portion of the Indian population is aged between 0 to 40. (Source: http://www.census.gov/ipc/prod/ib-9701.pdf). With two major factors, one – majority percentage of the population and two – majority being the young population, young brigade will dominate the ‘train’ INDIA significantly.

But where do these young wagons are heading? How would they see the neighborhood, state and the country? How would they treat this expeditious growth and how would they even tackle?

This young brigade does not seem to be giving a lot of hope and they rather seem to be disappointing with their behavior and perception towards the country, state, society or even to the person sitting next to them. The respect to other is just an obligation and also limited to family and nearer ones. These youngsters are sought hardly to be respecting a waiter in the restaurant, a traffic cop at every cross road, a manual worker, a lower class individual and everyone who look inferior, poorer and more precisely unable and helpless. Here’s a fresh incident of today:

“A few college going students were having an unlimited lunch at a Pizza Parlour. They wanted to be served in second, they kept changing their orders and they were laughing at the confused waiter. One of those was talking on the phone and was threatening someone and saying that he will not pay some bucks and was also ready to beat him up. They also wanted to finish everything in the restaurant as they had unlimited lunch offer despite of the capacity of their stomach. They were rudely talking to the waiter if he did not understand what they were asking for. They were continuously laughing after the waiter. Very disappointing scenes!”

Respect to others regardless of anything, isn’t it a foremost virtue? Are the parents and teachers are proving to be failed to teach children about basic respect and behavior?

An Open Letter to Maruti Motors

Date: 27-05-2011

Ahmedabad

http://www.marutisuzuki.com/Maruti-joins-hands-with-the-Gujarat-Government-to-set-up-Driving-and-Technical-Training-Institute-for-Tribal-Youth.aspx

Dear MARUTI,

As a leading car manufacturer of India, we are undoubtedly proud of you and we are deeply attached with the brand and products of Maruti with the stories it has spelled over the years and years now.

With the sheer concern and with the respect towards Maruti, I would like to bring your attention to a serious matter. As it has been read in all newspapers and on your own website, Maruti is coming to Gujarat to establish an automobile training institute. Well, many congratulations! It is a very good news. Being an open-eyed citizen of Gujarat and having seen the tide of awareness in Gujarat being spread by some authentic leaders, I would like to bring your attention to a few things which you must check, verify and confirm before you land into this huge initiative:

• The present Gujarat government has been involved in a random land distribution to the industries and businesses **2 with the least concern to the owners of those lands, environmental safety and also overlooking the legitimacy of the transactions. Hence, firstly it is very important that the land acquisition taking place by Gujarat government for Maruti is legal and more importantly, moral.

• It is also important that whatever clearances and certificates Maruti receives from government or relevant departments, it is necessary to verify that it has been provided to you it all of its legalities and maturity.

• As the initiative is mentioned to be a part of Maruti’s social responsibility, it is strongly recommended that the CSR team visit and assess the land situation and people’s concern wherever the training institute is going to be located.

• The issues may range from forced land acquisition, underpaid purchasing of land, type of land (fertile lands cannot be used for industrial development) **1, employment of local people, pollution and other environmental hazards affecting the local people, the portion of water and other natural resources used by the training unit and if that affects the overall need of the local people.

If all these issues are addressed and if all the clearances from the Environment department are proven and well assessed, you are more than welcome in the throbbing land of Gujarat. Gujarat is rich with its agriculture and farmers in hundreds of villages, enriched with remarkable and beautiful natural resources in remote places in all over state. We and I am sure, you too would like to preserve these natural resources, preserve the livelihoods of people and preserve the human integrity wherever you are, or we are.

Recently, Supreme Court has rejected the clearance of environment safety for cement plant of Nirma in Mahuva, Gujarat. After two years of agitating protest of farmers and people of Mahuva, who were about to lose their livelihoods which majorly relies on the fertile lands and water resource around Mahuva. MoEF has advised SC that Nirma has to move the cement plant from their current site to save the natural resources. In the entire circus, even if we forget everything, Nirma is going to lose several crore rupees of investment because of this decision from MoEF.

Nirma tasted the sweetness when they got the clearance from environment department and also got the wetland for very good price, but at the end they suffer a huge loss. This can happen to any industrialist and any business if they do not chose the right path. One would not be able to blame government who helped them grabbing all good lands and natural resources for cheap prices. People are waking up and they are ready to act.

With all due respect to Maruti, it is the only small request of mine that please consider the nature, people and farms before presenting projected graphs of fantastic social responsibility work.

Kindest Regards

Sneh

Email: sneh@red-em.com

Phone: 9979506249

Some Links to refer:

**1 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Nirma-cement-plant-has-violated-green-norms-SC-told/articleshow/8232346.cms

**2 http://www.livemint.com/2011/03/16223138/A-land-policy-debate-unfolds-i.html

http://www.inewsone.com/2011/03/27/no-more-forced-land-acquisition-says-buddhadeb/38584

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-25/india/29580895_1_land-owners-urgency-clause-public-purpose

http://deshgujarat.com/2011/03/18/sc-orders-formation-of-8-member-committee-on-nirma-issue/

Hello Ladies!!!

Two ladies, everyday, come for lunch in our office canteen! They always come together, do not look at each other, do not care what one has brought for lunch, do not even talk a single word. Still, every single day they come for lunch together, sit on the same table in front of each other and they look completely aloof from each other.

Well, what could be the reason? One of the senior employees of this organization once suggested that people from same department should go for lunch together. Is this the reason? If it is, it could be the most unpleasant place to work for both of those ladies.

I thought of one another interesting possibility. They may be connected through a man, one is wife and one is sister of the same person but they don’t get along.

Any other reasons you can think of?

Keep posted

“Chai” – an integral edible + social substance

“teni…,  char cutting!”

“are yaar, koi chai to pilao!!! Chai kab aaegi!?”

“cha na pivu to mathu dukhva lage che!”

Known Facts

Tea (Chai as we all call it) is a universal drink and more considered as a social phenomenon. In how many ways and for how many reasons tea has been drunk in all over the world! Winter, summer or monsoon, be it an early morning, or you need an afternoon kick or you just want to feel fresh in all your nerves, all we need is a little CUPPA TEA!

There are numerous types of teas being consume in different countries. Britons have it with a lot of water and a little splash of milk, or just black. Egyptians tea is made out of some flower and with a lot of sugar in it, whereas Indians have their own rich tea with full of milk and sugar.

Look at the man moving load on a pedal or a CEO sitting in a posh office, all they need is a CUPPA TEA every now and then! It is considered as an addiction as well by some class of people, but it’s more of an accepted addictive substance globally.

Meeting friends, discussing problems, having official discussions or even the fights happen over a cup of tea.

Issues

Having known all these things associated with the tea, social interlocking among people is in danger as a half cup of tea costs 5 Indian Rupees. The quantity has also gone down significantly. The road side vendors serve these teas in tiny little plastic cups and the hurting part is that immense amount of plastic is getting into the environment.



Childish Solution

In a traditional city office, on an average there will be at least 40-50 employees working and having tea twice a day which leaves them with at least 100 cups in their bins. Having the permanent ceramic cups for all the employees will be much friendlier towards the environment; it could save a horrendous amount of plastic spoiling the nature resources.

Try it!

Know Your Neighbourhood…

21st century woke up with the dawn of extraordinary inventions and also horrendous issues within the society, environment and economy. Where does the right solution lie? INDIA has enough financial resources to empower the poor section! We do not lack infrastructure and arrangements to bring up the problems on the board!

India today, does not seem to be unable to deal with the serious issues we have! Our NGOs, our wealthy industries and businesses, the pool of young, intelligent & talented population and increasing awareness through media and technologies – these are the few of those able sources which can make a difference. Having said that, what can the individuals do?

It is more appropriate to touch upon some questions than answering them right now, because most of us may not think enough about it! Are we Mahatma? I guess, no. Are we Abraham Lincoln? Are we Dalai Lama? No, we are common people with constrained ability, access and power to the resources which does not motivate our intensions and turn our inner zeal into practice. But there is something we all have and that something we do not know. We could be no different than any great personality only if we identify our own ability though limited.

Watering the roots should make the tree grow up and high! Roots have to be very strong to survive a long life. Three major institutions of the society, family, schools-colleges and friends-family (let us call it ‘the neighbourhood’). I have to acknowledge one of my acquaintances who helped me to vocalize this word which was roaming inside of me somewhere! Families pour the substantial values, schools and colleges teach public behaviour and manners whereas what is more important is NEIGHBOURHOOD which remains with us, keeps changing us for the major part of our lives. Hence the first thing is to be aware what is happening around us and then to think of doing something about it!

How can a business/IT professional make a difference? How can an accountant who is just making his/her livelihood, help someone in day-to-day life? Apparently, these people may have least time to spare to conduct a camp, to volunteer in a public service or to join a protest against injustice. As said, there are organisations and nowadays corporate social responsibilities to do that. We all are small time people with our little ability to help others. But often we help a person who meets with an accident on a street, who needs a quick lift to somewhere, who needs a little help with their electric fuse and many other ways.

We apply our hands when we get confronted by our own swoon values or our human responsibilities. We hardly know that what our neighbours are up to! We least know about their profession, their views about others or us, their interests and sort of problems they face in public life. Technically speaking, a piece of information is always helpful! Knowing about your neighbourhood can solve a lot of issues itself. A computer professional can fix someone’s minor problem in minutes! Two neighbours have to travel long to work but their offices are so close to each other, can share a car while going to work every day – which eventually saves money and precious fuel on this earth. There can be so many other major things as well which can be worked out! So again, it is about being aware of neighbourhood and being proactive to know.

Recently, some religious issues got surfaced regarding acquiring a residence in Mumbai and also in Ahmedabad.  Most people do prefer to live in equated communities and we do resist residents from other cast, religion and even language. Again, when we do not know much about our neighbours we know WRONG about them! What do we know about Muslim or Jain religion? Most of us can only give the name of their prophet and their holy book! We wouldn’t know more than this and still we have strong presumptions about their religious practices. Our most opinions are based on incomplete information and our resistive attitude. We are far too busy in blaming government and authorities. One of the recent movies, YEH MERA INDIA (YMI) did try to convey a simple and basic message which is still very deep and worth understanding. There are always good things and bad things; it is up to us what we remember. Resisting the human nature, which is more intolerant about negative things, is the foremost thing we could consider.

Knowing about your surroundings may lead you to be a little helpful to others and there is no university of social services, NGO or public bodies you have to go to. I trust our humane instinct that with some more awareness about the people next door will surely do wonders!

Amen…

Visit  www.snehism.com to view the site.

My First Ever Words – Notating Thoughts

 

“It’s been a year from the day I penned down my first proper piece of writing, 23rd June 2007! I would like to share this note on Global Warming. Mr Al Gore, former president of United States of America, has spent year researching on Global Warming and there is a short movie called ‘An inconvinient truth’. I strongly recommend watching this movie, you would find a great importance of every single human to this earth’s survival from global warming consequences. A quote from that movie, which is one of the best I have ever heard in my life, and I would like to mention it before to start to my first ever article.”

(Pointing to a little dot in a picture of universe taken from a satellite Al Gore says,)

“That little yellow dot is our planet, planet Earth, our only HOME! We have nowhere else to go and live from our lovely little home. So please we all, let us take care of it!”

Global Warming – A simple note… 

 

Could the destruction of southern states of USA be linked with collapsing ice rocks in Greenland? Could the millions of dead fishes in Amazon linked with deforestation in Australia? Are these disasters are also related in any way with Europe’s recent ever hottest summer, which left 27,000 people dead!!?

It is the most serious issue that the World has ever faced, GLOBAL WARMING. The World scientists are collaborating to study Global Warming and its effect in forth coming decades. The most unprecedented changes in the climate have been observed after mid 20th century. Rising temperatures have been measured by a number of space stations.

The Sun is the source of warmth and light to us, but the intensity of the heat is different to the different parts of the Earth. Over the years, the earth has kept changing its orbit and moving pattern around the sun, and because of this the World has seen the significant changes in the climate during the last few centuries.

Let’s have a look at this…

Ideally, the rise in temperature over the years would have not been so momentous, but if we consider the greenhouse effects and the Earth’s orbital movements we can accept some changes or rise in temperature. Although at present, the actual situation of climate change is far more terrible; and human beings are responsible for this. Me, you and all of us.

As we study the numbers, it is only 0.6 degree of rise in planet’s average temperature. But this has already created so much havoc with the climate of the planet. Arctic is warmed by 3 degrees in last few centuries and the ice is melting unbelievably faster. Although, dirty snow has also played the part in this increase. The existing wild life on these continents is under threat. We might think that what if those animals die there in Arctic that is not going to affect us!!! But the whole Food chain would be disturbed by extinction of these animals. Of course, it is the later issue in this case but it is. In addition, rapidly melting ice is the biggest threat for the whole world not just north and south poles. Katrina, Hurricanes, Tsunami – most of the people was not aware of these words before a few decades. The rise in sea temperatures is the reason behind these destructive winds and storms. The rise has caused the average sea temperature to reach up to 26 degrees. In August 2005, Katrina struck New Orleans, Mississippi and parts of Mexico and we have also observed many destructive winds in last decade. It was the worst season of climate disasters in 2005 and it was also the alarm for the World to wake up and take significant action against this Global Warming and Climate change. Researchers say, “They can be more destructive and frequent in next few years!”

Before 160,000 years ago, the World’s average temperature was just 3 degrees less than it is now. But we human beings will make it rise (!) by 2-3 degrees higher within next 30,000 years and many cities near coasts will be flooded.

The choice is yours!

Sneh Bhavsar
London, 23 June 2007