Friday, February 25, 2011

INDIA INDUSTRIAL HAZARDS: Land of work disasters

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India has no structured processes to handle industrial hazards

India is perhaps becoming the epicentre of work related health diseases. Across the nation, industrial centres are spewing toxic material that harms workers much faster and worse than it does any other group in the society. Gujarat, for example, is the epicentre of asbestos related diseases in India ' one in Alang (one of the largest ship breaking yards in the world) and the other in Ahmedabad. Lethal diseases, including lung cancer and skin diseases affect the exposed 55,000 workers in Alang, where they are exposed to toxic asbestos fiber ' and unmindful of the grave danger, they work there at their own peril. Although the International Agency for Research on Cancer is trying to develop an alternative product to asbestos because of its health risks, the fact is that right now, the material is extremely risky.

In the city of Ahmedabad, hapless workers toil in sordid conditions to produce asbestos required in the construction industry. In reality, the asbestos industry is booming in India ' factories have obtained permission forcefully from the authorities and the government is turning a blind eye to the health hazards being created. The fact that the government supports asbestos manufacturing is not without reason as it provides livelihood to thousands of people in India (annual production turnover of the industry is 1,25,000 mn metric tons).

Another example comes from the recent episode in New Delhi involving the radioactive material Cobalt 60. Six people were hospitalised in Delhi after they were exposed to Cobalt 60! Close on the heels of this comes the news that a major radioactive disaster was averted at Tarapur Atomic Power Plant, as scientists there fixed a technical snag at just the right time to save the nearby villages from a catastrophe.

The spate of calamities continue unabated ' a cylinder with chlorine gas leaked in Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) and enveloped a nearby college ' 98 people, mostly port labourers, suffered. The fire brigade was rushed in to save the situation. Post the incident, experts found and cleared more than hundred chlorine cylinders lying in the MPT area since 1997! As if that was not enough, a day after this episode, 25 people (mostly workers) were hospitalised in the steel city of Durgapur in West Bengal, as they complained of breathlessness and nausea! The happening was because of carbon monoxide leakage from the nearby steel plant.

These industry hazards not only affect the workers directly but also contaminate the natural resources. From water to air to soil ' everything in the vicinity of an industrial area is found to have traces of toxic and harmful metals.

Natural calamities can and do happen, but preventable calamities taking place because of human error or negligence. In the US, one keeps hearing about products, toys and equipment being recalled after being found to have toxic material. When was the last time such an episode occurred in India?

The closest we came to was when a US ship carrying radioactive material was sent back by Minister Jairam Ramesh late last year. But even that was caught by accident rather than by a structured process in place. Unless India develops a structured procedural action plan to catch such happenings and occurrences, India will remain flying on a plane which is guaranteed to crash ' sooner rather than later ' with untold negative effects.

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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

KOREAN WAR 60TH ANNIVERSARY: The great American proxy war

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60 years after the Korean war, are things in shape?

The Korean war between South Korea and North Korea may not be termed as a "great" war, yet its impact was more than it was envisioned. The war that began on 25th June, 1950, was in reality a proxy war between cold war rivals, with the US and NATO on the south side and the Soviets and Chinese on the opposite. The war was better described as "a forgotten war," perhaps because the Americans and the Western media never wanted to highlight their humiliating defeat by the Chinese and the Russians. As war veterans mark the 60th anniversary of the start of the war, not much attention ' if at all ' has been given to the fact that celebrations on one side, no concrete progress has been made towards strengthening the dented relationship between erstwhile brothers-in-arms, South and North Korea.

One of the main reasons for these is the US itself. A quick recall of history would reveal that the Korean peninsula was the Apples's Eye, metaphorically, at that time ' a share for which China, Japan and the Soviets grappled for a long time. But post World War II, the two newly formed super powers viz. USSR and the US tried to corroborate the remediation of their oversight to exert their influence over the land. Though they both left the land by 1949, they still continued to influence the region, which eventually resulted in the development of the heavily armed North Korea. As of today, while Soviet tanks, artilleries and of course 135,000 soldiers are in place to act against the South whenever required, South Korea's preparation seems meek to say the least! One reason for the South to be lightly armed by the US is the fact that the South had lost its charm ' both militarily and economically ' for the US at that time; a decision the US might be ruing currently, given South Korea's belligerent and belated economic progress (with the likes of LG, Hyundai ruling the global roost) and North Korea's apparently new found nuclear strength (with Chinese affectations, but obviously).

It's not as if the peninsula hasn't tried ' at least the South has. There were initiatives like the popular 'Sunshine Policy' (backed by the South Korean leader Kim Dae Jung) aimed towards North Korea for which he was also awarded the Noble Peace Prize. The policy allowed the South Korean corporations to invest in the North. Unfortunately, the policy was misdirected by South Koreans leaders for political gains rather than sincerely aimed-reunification attempts. Another initiative to reopen a direct rail link to connect both nations in 2006 was rejected by North Korea's Kim Jong-il. Similarly, many other peacekeeping initiatives failed. Relations worsened when North Korea sank the South Korean warship Cheonan and then again, when North threatened to wage a nuclear attack on the South.

The way forward? Basically ignoring North Korea. With Chinese support, it's inevitable that the North would gain nuclear competence soon. The South should now accept the fact and simply move on with their economic march.

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Friday, February 18, 2011

Be like the lotus: A lotus in marble at Santhigiri aims to take you closer to divinity

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Both the soul and the body are important. The Guru of Santhigiri (Hill of Peace) Ashram had preached this message and he practised it in true spirit. The late Karunakara Guru thus advised medicines for the body and meditation for the mind. With the former President K.R. Narayanan and renowned litt'rateur and thinker O. V. Vijayan among Karunakara Guru's disciples, Santhigiri is not new to fame. The beautiful ashram at Pothencode, located on the periphery of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, is in focus again, for a magnificent structure that is set to compete with the choicest architectural marvels.

Pothencode, with its sylvan and serene settings, is nature's very own lair. Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru, who attained what the Ashram defines as 'union with the Adisankalpam (The Plane of Primordial Consciousness)' in 1999, started his work here in a simple way in a Parnasala (holy hut) made of locally available materials. Now the new building complex that is a forum for multifarious activities is built in the vicinity of that very Parnasala. President Pratibha Patil will inaugurate the complex on August 13 this year, and the place will be open for worship on September 12, the 84th birthday of the Guru.

The 91 feet high lotus-shaped structure of the new building is 84 feet in diameter and is built with white marble from Makrana of Rajasthan ' the same marble that is the building block of the exalted Taj Mahal, and the very beautiful Akshardham temple near the capital.

The Parnasala is the sacred spot where the physical body of Navajyothisree Karunakara Guru had been laid to rest. The lotus-shaped splendour in marble has 12 petals reaching up to a height of 41 feet. More than 1 lakh square feet of marble has been used in the construction that costs around Rs 22 crores.

In keeping with the sanctity of Parnasala and its importance as a pilgrimage spot, a 25 acre 'Spiritual Zone' is also being developed around the monument. The entire area would be maintained as a 'Zone of Peace' for spiritual contemplation and prayers. 'The Parnasala Development Master Plan, other Ashram activities and its various units will have separate Healthcare, Agricultural, Educational and Trade & Industries Zones,' says Ashram Organising Secretary, Swami Gururethnam Jnana Thapaswi.

The spiritual haven is open to all without discrimination. 'This Parnasala will be maintained as an area of peace for people to come and experience spiritual joy and to wash away their sufferings and worries through self-purification. It will be an ideal spot for calm contemplation for seekers of truth,' says Swami Gururethnam Jnana Thapaswi. Considering the times that we live in, Santhigiri sounds like the ideal getaway.

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Monday, February 14, 2011

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI: Written for success!

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Packed with thrills, frills and more!
Once upon a time
Ajay Devgan
in Bollywood films, Salim-Javed penned the dialogues, and decades after they were delivered by angry young men and their brothers, people still remember them word for word. 'Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai' is a film that belongs to that era, and in its attempt to recreate the soul of the 70s, the writer of the film, Rajat Arora, has seemingly given his all to give each and every character dozens of dialogues with punch and philosophy, in about equal measures. Ajay Devgan, in spotless whites, plays Sultaan Mirza, a smuggler with Robin Hood-ish qualities. Emraan Hashmi plays Shoaib, a small-time hustler who joins Sultaan and works his way up the ranks of his gang. Kangana Ranaut plays the celluloid queen Rehana and the object of Sultaan's affection. Prachi Desai is Mumtaz, Shoaib's fragile girlfriend. Both the ladies have little to do other than add glamour to this action film. Randeep Hooda makes a powerful comeback as ACP Agnel Wilson, who is the narrator of the entire saga.

Director Milan Luthria leaves no stone unturned in recreating a flamboyant and dramatic underworld of the 70s. Ajay and Emraan deliver top-notch performances. The background score compliments the swift pace of the film. The film's disclaimer that Sultaan doesn't resemble the late Haji Mastan in any way, works perfectly in reminding the audience about the obvious inspiration behind Sultaan, whereas Luthria leaves no doubt about Shoaib being the man we all know as Dawood.

As Mumbai Goes Rewind, an intriguing tale unfolds, and offers entertainment worth every penny you spend on that theatre ticket.

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