National Debates on Farmer Suicides: Live Broadcast of Farmer Suicides, Rallies and briefing by political leaders to nations

"A farmer hanged himself in front of 24 x 7 media in a political rally, while a state CM, national media TV and Print, police officials etc. had a decent watch of the process. Evening shows packaged with who should be responsible for the farmer live lost in front of everybody. An enquiry is being conducted and wittness gathered to prove that he committed suicide."

In the post independence India, this kind of incidents are not only shameful but criminal neglect by everybody. The ignorance and indifference of the leaders and political class is very hightned in this incident. The statements by hon. Home Minister and later by PM to condone the incidents may not be enough. The ownership of the people are taken over by them, have become masters to distribute the doles to the poor farmers. The systems have failed to respond in the natural disasters, whats the role of political class in realeasing the funds for the affected farmers. There was huge funds, and legal systems enacted to respond to the disasters, yet none of the state government reacted properly, the hypothetical assumption of the power by them raised concerns about the decisions to be taken by the political class.

The farmers who lost the crops must not be at the mercy of the political leaders, but the systems made to provided immediate relief have failed measirably, we are yet to get quick assessment despite the modern satellite technology to assess the damage. The numerable man power available at the disposal of the district governments could have been used to assess the losses and damages. Yet even after 45 days people have no idea how much compensation they can claim or get. The linkages of bank accounts, aadhar cards and other systems have also not helped in quick transfer of money /financial assistance. The issues are being rallied between the state and central government, who should act fast, why it takes months to assess.

While the nation watched the recent suicide of the farmer live 24 hours the pain of the citizen is very much in forefront. The politics of the national disasters must avoid the system to be enacted for the disaster management. We are so week that the political leaders take their own time and political situation to encash the dole transfer. We must not take these lightly, the world would look at us in peity.

I hope we must strengthen our systems to upgrade the disaster management in the manner as designed in the governance system. Empower the local bodies to take action, and provide necessary relief on time. 

Looking for Urban Form by Physical Planners

Urban form an outcome of utilization of urban space by the people resulting in distribution of density and infrastructure. A recent discussion on the sustainable urban form held at Ahmedabad by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and their partners SPA Delhi and CEPT Ahmedabad tried to showcase their physical planning talent. They emphasised on the physical density of space and infrastructure planning which considered to be important for the resulting urban form. The city urban form - a study initiated by the UK based reserach group through tried to present the thesis that urban form is resultant outcome of various factors, physical, social and economic, the national level institutes failed to conceptualise the studies. The analysis though seems to be undergoing the directions for such urban form studies are dominated by the physical urban planners. The cities and their form is not outcome of intellegent planning but is result of urban geographies, economy, sociology and behaviour of the people. The policy decisions are used to guide the plans but its people who choose to the manner they want to use their lands. The planning communities have failed to scientifically explain the present urban form rather jumps too fast on making the new plans and policy. The analysis for the present city forms were missing in the current studies at the national level, the content of the works intended to prepare the National urban form guidelines didnot have any scientifc basis except the physical interplay between the density which is an outcome of land utilization. The stress on the allowing or restricting the mixland use in the cities are discussed at length, but with little theoritical backing explainations were hard to give.

The cities in India have been focussing on the infrastructure plans in the city development plans which in any case cannot be regarded as authentic planning excercise. Its neither traditional nor looking for sustainable approach to planning, just become a funding tools for the state. The current applied sciences should intervene the planning process in order to save it self from the intellectual lethargy while studying the cities. The planning community have failed to explain the city form and directions with the scientific methods, rather they are good at explaining the policies by using the same methods. The structured approach to planning systems are missing and yet the decisions are taken too fast. Take for example the recent planning of Dholera SIR in Gujarat, where in the physical planners are going for 2 million plus cities, where in its expected to populated in coming years (100 years!!). This is within reach from Ahmedabad, a million plus city, how this would be feasible to relocate or expect huge migrant movement out of nothing. The physical planners have already beguin to plan for the people, wherein nobody exists and look for heavy investments by realtors. The claim of the planners in this context is huge masterplan indicating the role of state which has evidently emerged as real estate agent. The lack of people participation and information is resulting in utter chaos in planning system, some results are good, but most are expected to be poor thought for the future.

Mundra: Complex of Environmental Violations

Many would envy the speed with which M/s Adani and Company kept the state growth figures flying during last few years. Its fascinating to find the corporate utilizing 13000 ha of land although acquired and purchased through help, aspire to become a local lord in Mundra. A sting of violations of environmental laws makes it hoarding violations; lets take some sample;

(A) a dredging disposal pipeline has been laid in the inter tidal area carrying the dredged material to the landward side of the port to reclaim the land area on the West and

North port side and which pipeline has been obstructing the tidal flow due to which the mangroves stretches on the western and northern port side have been seriously affected and at several places the mangroves have dried up; and

(B) the creeks systems and the natural flow of seawater is being obstructed by reclamations along the creeks, with destruction of mangroves being observed at several stretches; and

(C) M/s Mundra Port & SEZ Limited have developed an airport the sign board at the site indicating “airport”, which is located close to the shore and it is noted that the clearance letter from Civil Aviation Department dated 30th October, 2008 provided by M/s Mundra Port & SEZ Limited interalia refers to development of a Mundra aerodrome while development of a aerodrome/airport requires prior environmental clearance under the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006; and

(D) a township named as “Samundra Township”, which has been accorded clearance under the EIA Notification, 2006 by Gujarat SEIAA on 20th February, 2010, is observed to be located in the Coastal Regulation Zone area of the creek and no clearance under the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991 has been obtained therefor; and

(E) a hospital named as “Sterling” has been constructed in the Coastal Regulation Zone area of the same creek thereby requiring a clearance under the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991, which clearance has not been obtained;

These string of violations and more as noticed by the MoEF asks for explanation and alternate mechanism from the violating partners. What would happen in next four weeks...there would not be an inch of recovery of environmental status in concern areas. At the best the corporates with the help from the state government might pay a lip service or penalty and get away...This is when more then 1000 such industrial zones are going to be developed in country. How does EIA takes a easy route to facilitate the large development with a blink of eye to enforcement agencies?

Climate Change: Blindfolded Indian Researchers

Across India the issue of the climate change has not moved beyond the rooms of babus preparing for the agenda and documents for various international summits across the world. The breaucrats and politicians are busy in holding the bull of climate change by its horn. It seems the NGOs, Corporates and Journoes are interested in climate change related negotiations in exchange with monitory benefits by 'capitalizing the climate change causes' i.e. Carbon markets and Green Technology. Though some of the national institutions have been contributed towards the Global climate studies we in India find diffcult to make the researchers understand the symentics of climate change. The universities and government departments have been organising lots of the seminar, workshops and debates on the climate change - co-terminus with the Environment, pollution, disaster and mitigation. All is right while dealing it as an individual subjects, but climate change research needs to look into the regional impact scenarios data in order to really work on the mitigation and adoption model. The state and district level agencies are still to get information on the scenarios in order to workout the change in development schemes, techniques and technologies for the their upcoming plans.

We have already started planning for the 12th five year plan and scenarios for the 2012-2017 and next 50 years should be incorporated in the prespective plans of the nation and state in order to generate documents and facts to add to the climate change issues. The research communities mainly the earth and social sciences stream needs to work together inorder to generate regional or state level scenario and prepare an effective mitigation plan. Why we are not able to wake up the researchers working in these areas in right direction? Are we as a researchers have become blindfolded by own attitudes...? At least start the change now!!

Solar Storm: Disaster Predicted in 2012-2013

A lot of news item recently concentrated on the 'End of World' theory of the various prophets, spiritual leaders and media groups. A bit of suspesion emerges whether these are all true or spam? Its better to have a serious look once. Yes! scientists at NASA, USA has been warning the governments for the serious implication of the Solar Storm predicted to be cyclic event to immensely affect the earth.

NASA recently warned of a collision between modern society and the upcoming solar maximum.
Approximately every 11 years the sun peaks in activity while dotted with sunspots that often eject solar flares with damaging radiation and particles into space. If hurled in the direction of the Earth, the planet endures or suffers consequences ranging from beautiful displays of the aurora as they shimmer in the night sky, to very severe Electromagnetic radiation to the point of knocking out electrical power grids. The later is of most great concern to NASA as they meet to discuss the potential devastation and to recommend new tools to forecast such events as we approach the new solar maximum in 2012.

From the NASA Science News
“The sun is waking up from a deep slumber, and in the next few years we expect to see much higher levels of solar activity. At the same time, our technological society has developed an unprecedented sensitivity to solar storms.”

What would be impact?
(a) Outer Space: Solar storm can damage the electronic equipments and satellites including the communication, navigation and exploratary objects in the outer space. This would be difficult to save incase of severe storm. This would have very negative impact on the transport and communication sector on the earth.
(b) Earth Surface: Severe heat and sudden surge of storm would damage on the electricity supply infrastructure on a large scale. Most the effect till coming few months would not be unknown. On going researches are focussing on for preparing the mitigation plan.

In India, we are yet to see any serious activity concerning this event predicted and varified from scientists in US and Europe. We need to have tie up with international space weather prediction program to have clear assessment of the situation. We need to assess the impact this can have on the human life and health.