Kerala top on number of Covid patients- Is this also considered a golden feather?

 

Is this also considered a golden feather?

 

Now,Kerala has the highest number of Covid patients in India . Will the Government consider it also as an award ?No idea. What was the situation a few months ago. An hour-long press conference by the esteemed Chief Minister in the presence of two ministers as security on either side,one of them was the Minister of Health. He had given  details of the containment  zone, which was being set up even in a panchayat ward . He also announced the amount collected and deposited to CM's relief fund by different organizations. He was not satisfied with health workers performance and handed over  health related  work to the police. Social media contingent projected Kerala being the world's first in handling Covid, projected Chief Minister as a Messiah. No one cared that at this time Kerala was only conducting 50% sensitive antigen tests on a limited number of people,instead of RTPCR test that was advised by the Centre. Malayalis blamed the guest workers coming from other states including Tamil Nadu as those spreading the disease.In fact, Kerala was on a tactical strategy to ensure that the total number of patients diagnosed did not exceed one thousand and that reported deaths were limited to one or two.

 

During this time, more than 50,000 people in Tamil Nadu were subjected to mandatory RTPCR tests on a daily basis. When more than 7500 patients were found there daily, we said,the health sector in Tamil Nadu was in bad shape and should make Kerala as the model.The same time, health department of TN made the daily test up to 75,000. The peak of the disease was detected and then the graph began to decline. It has declined from five thousand to one thousand and now from 38 districts of TN, only 500 people are found sick on a daily basis. The same time , Kerala was moving beyond one thousand and five thousand. Now Tamilians are afraid of Malayalis coming to Tamil Nadu. After the entry of "celebrities" like Swapna and Saritha as political swords , the great victory in the local government elections, Kerala began to ignore Covid just as done by US and Brazil . Now there is no press conference and no statement from CM. All is entrusted to health minister Shylaja.

 

Bars and cinemas were opened to boost the commercial activities and to entertain the public.  Defensive actions ceased. Wedding celebrations are in full swing . The Indian Medical Association and the Union Ministry of Health began blaming Kerala. It is the right time for Vijayaraghavan,LDF convenor to make a statement that this is a destructive act planned globally by ugly forces to humiliate Kerala.

 

Now, there is something that can be done honestly. At least, one lakh people should be tested daily by RTPCR test to control the disease as soon as possible. Then,the number of patients may reach 10,000 daily. Without inhibition, Government should accept the reality and has to take responsibility to prevent the disease and save the people and Kerala . What is needed now is to buy the necessary equipment and expedite the process. It would be a mistake to think that the vaccine will come and everything will be fine. It is better for the government to remember that the vaccine does not help the sick, only prevent the spread

 

Tractor rally- everything was as expected

 

Everything was as expected

 

I was one of the supporters of the agriculture bills from the very beginning. However, I did not oppose the right to protest in a democracy. It was felt that the struggle was being aided by the middlemen who run the mandis in Punjab and the wealthy Punjabis in countries including Canada. Of course, the struggle was fueled by the combination of several neighboring countries that wanted to weaken the country and the united opposition as an opportunity to weaken the ruling party. The forces that want to keep the struggle above the peasants real cause. When the strike went ahead without yielding to the many compromises put forward by the government and the intervention of the Supreme Court, it spread like wildfire to many including on social media.

 

The tractor rally in Delhi was part of that intoxication. The Delhi Police, the Central Government and the protesters knew for sure that the agitation would turn violent . We know the violent history of many freedom struggles, including the Quit India Movement. Gandhiji, the Prophet of non-violence, condemned and stopped such struggles. The Babri Masjid was demolished by a mob. When any agitation escalates, it will be taken over by the vested interests rather than the people in the leadership.

 

That is what happened here too. The flag hoisted at the Red Fort made it clear that this was not a struggle for the needs of the farmers, but a struggle to weaken the country and beat the Center.

 

There should be a buffer zone between the forest and the human settlement

 There should be a buffer zone between the forest and the human settlement

 It is natural for those who start  resorts or start farms  in or near the forest to have to fight with wild animals. It is advisable to leave the wildlife's own space to them instead of  cut down or encroach the space. Humans are the last born on earth. Humans have a misconception that everything they see is made by God for themselves. Perhaps man is a trap set by nature to destroy everything it has made. The complete destruction of the Earth is certain. It can be done by human hands only. It is important to extend the disaster as much as possible. Rulers need to be thoughtful and concerned about the next generation. We need such rulers. Those who killed an elephant at a resort in Masanagudi by burning it with a fire, and those who  trapped a leopard,killed it , shared meat and planned to sell its teeth,skin and claws in Mankulam in Idukki deserve the same punishment as those who kill people.

 The Left was the movement that should have been able to implement the Gadgil Commission report, but they backed down for fear of loosing the vote bank. No one can implement it anymore. The Western Ghats will gradually disappear. Kerala Sastra Sahithya Parishad, a powerful group among the left just translated the Gadgil report to Malayalam,but failed to convince the left rulers to implement it . But, a few creative actions we can do. It is important to create a buffer zone of 2 km between the forest and the human settlement. Another thing is to bring the adivasis out of the forest ,settle them and give them jobs in the forest department. Now, the Government is helping the resort lobby by building roads in the name of the adivasi settlements inside the forest. That should be avoided. Another thing that needs to be done, at least, is to turn jungle roads as flyovers .The  knowledgeable should be prepared to understand that the Earth is the place for all living beings and be able to educate those who are not aware of the fact

Kairali Emporium-SMSM Institute-Traditional artisans' arrears to be settled

Kairali Emporium-SMSM Institute-Traditional artisans' arrears to be settled

 The Handicrafts Development Corporation of Kerala under the State Industries and Commerce  Department has starved the traditional artisans when even the government welfare pensions were disbursed on a regular basis during the Covid period. Sales of handicrafts have come to a standstill as tourism and local celebrations have come to a halt. But the authorities are not even willing to hand over the amount of the sale. Minister EP Jayarajan needs to intervene to pay the amount immediately.

 The method of transaction is as follows

 The artist will receive a message within a month of the product being sold. The amount will be credited to the bank account within three months. So much has happened in the power of e-governance. By March 2020, Covid has upended the system. Sales were down. The amount of the sale was not paid to the artists. Emporium gave a little to those who were constantly coming into the office. Others are in distress.

Earlier system

Before e-governance, money was paid as cash from the office. The payment for the art work was received only when the artist went to office and bribed the accounts wing. Today that situation has changed. But the misery does not end there

Sales method

Kairali acts as an intermediary between artists and consumers. It takes double the amount of the products from the consumer. If artist gives a product for Rs five thousand ,Kairali sells it to the consumer for Rs. ten thousand with tax. That is, twice the actual price. Yet ,the firm delays the payment for 3 months minimum ?

 Solution

Kairali and SMS Institute are part of Kerala, a state of  strong e-governance.Institute can develop  a facility for an SMS to the artisan  at the time of sale. The next day the amount shall be transferred  to the bank account. The government should take the initiative to transform the Handicrafts Development Corporation of Kerala to such an artisan friendly system. At the same time, kairali can provide  the artisans'  address and contact number on the website, so that the artists can sell their products directly too.


 

 

The Great Indian Kitchen

Recently, I saw  Nimisha Sajayan-Suraj Venjaramoodu movie" The Great Indian Kitchen", scripted and directed by Joe Baby, an OTT release . A girl with a passion for dance married to a well educated,employed boy of a ruined feudal family. She was forced to help her mother-in-law, who was a slave to the egoistic father -son duo. After a few days, the mother -in-law went to Bangalore to support her pregnant  daughter. With that, the daughter-in-law  turned into a kitchen-washbasin-laundry- bedroom machine. She was in a state of doing what one didn't like and not doing what one liked. Husband and father-in-law were male egoists and not bothered on the quantum of work she was doing and arrogant on small issues . The hatred that springs up in her, culminated when the untouchability on the menses period and the sabarimala pilgrimage of father-son coincide. There she established her feminist stand and became free by sprinkling the virtue of filth against the male chauvinists.Then, the director  showed us the emergence of   another slave  in her place. The acting of Nimisha, Suraj and the actor who performed the role of  the father were commendable. The film portrays food profanity in the kitchen and on the table in a way that is disgusting to the viewer. The film conveys the message that there may have feudal families still standing.

 I suddenly remembered my family. We were three children, a father, a mother, a grandmother, the workers who were often in the fields, the guests who came at the lunch time. Mother and grand mother had to make food for all of them, and there was another group that included cows, calves, dogs ,hens and cock.That time we never heard of a gas stove,cooking was done using firewood. Laundry  had '501' brand  soap, washing soda  and 'neelam'. (My father was wearing a white mundu and a jubba, mix of neelam and rice starch were a must to make it steady) In addition, they had to prepare food for the cattle too. Needless to say, when it rained, to add to the pain of daily labour, the firewood didn't burn. It was amazing how they handled that Great Kitchen then.

Now, the situation  has changed. We all became small families. Family members  work together to pull  the household forward. Most men  I know, are very supportive on day to day household works.However, even today, there may be people with a low end  chauvinist  character as seen in the movie. They should definitely be shown this movie. It might make a small change in them. There is no doubt that the message is great. 

 The present day Kerala is fast changing.The time is not far off in Kerala when girls will shift to better jobs and boys shifting to household chores. Congratulations to Joe Baby and team for the wonderful presentation of  inner world of a traditional family .

A day at Kanyakumari forest guest house

 

 

Forest guest house at Kanyakumari is in a beautiful location, having the entire view of the sea from a reasonable height. It was really a pleasure that spent a night at the guest house which is  on the way to the sun set point. Guest house is having 4 rooms and  given exclusively to the officials . We reached there at noon. From the main gate, it is a steep concrete road that leads to the portico. There is a small well ,may be planned as a fountain or lotus pond, but not completed. There is no trees to sooth the day heat, hope forest department will plant a few trees soon .

Two staff were there to welcome us, a very pleasant welcome. The building has a visitors’ room and staff facilities in the ground floor .First floor is exclusively structured for the guests with a common dining hall. We were in two rooms , very spacious with hall, bed room and open veranda to enjoy the sea. Very small, but fast moving birds are there in plenty, in addition to the crows. To protect the veranda from flying trespassers, the  authorities stretched fishnet throughout the open space.

After settling, we asked them to arrange vegetarian lunch for us. They ordered very tasty food from the restaurant , arranged it in banana leaves. We enjoyed it, took rest till evening. Evening, we went out to see the amenities built recently under the supervision of  the District Collector at the beach side. Kanyakumari, in fact, lacked open resting place and walk ways , that would entertain hundreds of guests who spend minimum a night at the triveni sangamam. That limitation is overcame now with modern pavements, lighting, benches in two stretches . We enjoyed walking in that area , came back and spent time till mid night watching the sea and its musical rhythm. In between, ate masal dosa , plain dosa etc that were arranged by the staff. In the morning hours, it is interesting simply sitting on the veranda and watching the movement of vehicles, sea waves and the fast moving birds ahead. On the right side of the building is an open land that was given to ISRO and adjacent to it is a waste processing unit. The waste processing is not yet started on large scale, but luckily, no bad smell emitting from there. No idea, what will be the future of that dump yard!

After breakfast, we returned with loving memories!!

 

A picnic to Sothai vila ,kanyakumari

Travel is always enjoyable, whether it's a long trip or a picnic. COVID-19 made a net of fear and all are cornered to limited spaces, the home or to the maximum ,the office. Retired people like me spent most of the time at home since April 2020. Now, in fact,the fear is lessened and have a confidence to go out a little. Hence,we decided to go for a picnic to avoid the boredom of confining at home. It was nine o'clock when everyone woke up from the laziness of the holiday. Then at 12 o'clock, all were ready after breakfast. We packed lunch from a near by hotel and went to Shankhuthurai beach. This was where we had gone earlier too. The beach is located at a distance of 14 km from Nagercoil. The beach has no proper place to rest at noon. We climbed the tower and had a view of the beach and the vast sea for a few minutes .Viewing sea is really an enjoyment and it expands our thoughts and feelings .The beach was less crowded,only a few young boys were there. Only the whistling of the Casuarina plants could be heard . The boys suggested there is an estuary(pozhikkara) near, where the lake and the sea meet. We decided to go there . We moved from main road to a narrow lane where both sides have coastal settlements. It eneded on a place where thick bushes and screw pines were abundant.Then a road without tar and gravel for driving. A few prsons were playing cards on the open compound. Empty liquor bottles were everywhere. The place was just like Veli village and Paravur pozhikkara in Kerala,but not having that beauty. We felt it was not a good place to spend an evening, so returned from there. We crossed Shankhuthurai and went ahead on the coastal road. People had built houses parallel to the sea , may be expecting a tourism boom in future and have plan to convert them as home stays or resorts. The journey ended in Sothavilai. Sotha Vilai is one of the beautiful beaches located in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. There are a lot of people coming to the beach to enjoy the evenings.There are also places to relax and children to play. There is also a tower to view the sea and the sunset. Another feature of the beach is the good white soil. There is no other beach in Kanyakumari district with such a long beach. The beach is located between Shankhuthurai and Kanyakumari. There are several resorts and an Ayurvedic center nearby. There is only a very small shop here .Hence, those who love to visit the palce must bring the food ,if needed. The sale of ice cream was in full swing. Authorities are trying to restore the beach, which was badly damaged by the 2004 tsunami. The time was around 3 PM. We unpacked the lunch boxes and had food at the lounge. The stray dogs,very common every where in India , were waiting for food as it was an open space. We gave them food ,then their numbers began to increase. By then we finished the lunch and washed our hands. There is no security personnal on the beach. Governemnet may plan such things in future. Sothavilai can be developed like Kovalam at Thiruvananthapuram. It will definitely be a pleasure to spend an evening on the beach having a playground for children. The heat had not abated. So after spending some time there, we headed towards Kanyakumari. When we reached Sunset Point there, the sun was shining brightly and was getting ready to go to sea for a night's rest. Nice cool breeze welcomed us. Devotional music could be heard from a temple in the distance. The sun was going down with its rhythm. Even though after it was completely submerged, the light was still there for some time. It was getting dark and then we returned.

An e-commerce portal is essential for GI products

Geographical Indication is one of the best methods to promote the rural economy and the traditional knowledge. The artisans get a chance to sale on their special skills and earn a good money,if it works properly. Farmers can also earn their right on the product based on the climate, soil and many parametes. But, there are middle men and fox among the sheep to manipulate it and making duplicate or low quality products and sell under the GI title. Hence, consumers are confused on which one is right or wrong. To avoid such a confusion , it is better to start an e-commerce platform by department of industry promotion or an agency under it to provide the details of the products, its genuine producers ,there contact number and an online business too. It is important to ensure that the bureucratic red-tapism will not affect the payment. When a business happens, immediately the money has to be transfeerd to the concerned GI owner and an SMS regarding the sale. Such a platform will benefit hundreds of genuine rural producers and a great relief for those who love to purchase genuine GI products . Hope the Government will take such an initiative soon. A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. A geographical indication right enables those who have the right to use the indication to prevent its use by a third party whose product does not conform to the applicable standards.Geographical indications are typically used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts, and industrial products.GI tags are issued as per the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act,1999. This tag is issued by the Geographical Indication Registry under the Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The geographical origin of a product can create value to producers by communicating to consumers the product's characteristics, which derive from the climate, soil and other natural conditions in its particular area, promoting the conservation of local traditional production process; and protecting and adding value to the cultural identity of local communities.Geographical indications are generally applied to traditional products, produced by rural, marginal or indigenous communities over generations, that have gained a reputation on the local, national or international markets due to their specific unique qualities. Rural development impacts from geographical indications, referring to environmental protection, economic development and social well-being, can be the strengthening of sustainable local food production and supply (except for non-agricultural GIs such as handicrafts); a structuring of the supply chain around a common product reputation linked to origin; greater bargaining power to raw material producers for better distribution so as for them to receive a higher retail price benefit percentage; capacity of producers to invest economic gains into higher quality to access niche markets, improving circular economy means throughout the value chain, protection against infringements such as free-riding from illegitimate producers, etc.; economic resilience in terms of increased and stabilised prices for the GI product to avoid the commodity trap through de-commodisation, or to prevent/minimise external shocks affecting the premium price percentage gains (usually varying from 20-25%); added value throughout the supply chain; spill-over effects such as new business and even other GI registrations; preservation of the natural resources on which the product is based and therefore protect the environment; preservation of traditions and traditional knowledge; identity based prestige; linkages to tourism. The list of state-wise registered GIs can be accessed at http://www.ipindia.nic.in/registered-gls.htm. Any association of persons, producers, organisation or authority established by or under the law can apply. The applicant must represent the interest of the producers. The application should be in writing in the prescribed form. The application should be addressed to the Registrar of Geographical Indications along with prescribed fee.The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years. It can be renewed from time to time for further period of 10 years each. To file an online application, visit https://ipindiaonline.gov.in/eGIR/Login/LoginNew.aspx.

Will our system provide justice to Walayar children ?

Questions raised by Walayar In Walayar,Palakkad district of Kerala, two children were sexually abused and and they later committed suicide or murdered in 2017. These deaths did not hurt the Malayalee community as much as the persecution that took place in Uttar Pradesh and Kashmir before and after this incident. It may be because of change of attittude of the public or may be political. In any case, as we have seen in the case of Sister Abhaya, the administration and the judiciary were seen lurking in front of influential persons. The community as a whole has to stand behind that mother to get justice to the innocent girls, but that never happened in this case. The opposition and the media, which chased after Swapna Suresh,who was the kingpin of gold smuggling using diplomatic route , that they thought will benefit politically , not given proper attention to the manipulations happened in the POCSO court ,that freed the accused persons. They didn't take initiative to bring the police system, which was corrupt and mischievous, to the notice of the public. When the prosecutor maliced the duty, it was not the subject of much debate. No matter who rules,such things happens in socially upgraded Kerala society is a shame . Although all the systems in the country stood together to protect Abhaya's killers, in the end, Abhaya somehow got justice, at least to a small degree. For that ,there was a lone fighter , Jomon. The Walayar Justice Committee is the only one to help the mother of these children. The present High Court judgment for reinvestigation is a soothing act that brings trust in our system.Walayar children cannot be considered to have received justice until the defendants receive the death penalty. There are still many crossings. There was only a speck of sunlight in the entire cloudy sky. The light of a full sun must shine. Hopefully that will happen. We need a big change in our system. 1. The High Court says that training should be organized among the judges of the POCSO courts. It is a soft corner attittude towards the judge who comes within the justice system. But there should be a mechanism to dismiss such judges and make them defendants in the case. 2. The court said that insincere and incompetent officers are a disgrace to the entire police force. Should there be a mechanism to dismiss such officers and prosecute them? 3. The court held that the position of prosecutor was not intended to provide employment to those in favor of the administration. - Should there be a system to appoint prosecutors on permanent basis through PSC than posting people who manipulate cases for the ruling party ? It is to be hoped that such systems will be in place in the future to strengthen democracy.