Leaders for Tomorrow BLOGS!

Parul Gupta- Sustainable Development

2009-02-06T18:11:00.000-08:00

Ox·y·mo·ron is a noun, referring to a rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined. For example: deafening silence, mournful optimist, blank copy.

Some “experts” would want to add the phrase sustainable development to the above list of examples. Such critics of the concept of sustainable development also suggest that it should instead be termed as “sustainable de-growth”, since they believe that environment and development (or growth) are antithetical to each other; that is, environment degradation is the price that needs to be paid if development is to be achieved. Deteriorating environment is often linked with increasing economic activity, requiring deforestation, energy consumption etc. “Development” is usually held responsible for environmental damage, while environmentalists are accused of being “anti-development”! Even a popular economic concept, such as the “Environmental Kuznets’ Curve” suggests that environment degradation increases, with an initial rise in per-capita income, and later decreases with further development.

However, to view environment and development as antagonistic terms is to have a very narrow viewpoint. Once the perspective is broadened, development and environment can be seen as complementing each other.

Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but in the indefinite future. In other words, development that meets the needs of current generation without compromising the needs of future generations is termed as sustainable development (as defined by the Brundtland Commission). Thus, when development is viewed in terms of “quality of life” and not mere “numbers”, the complementarity between environment and development comes to the fore.

To refute the notion that environment degradation is a necessary condition for growth and development, I suggest two propositions, which assert that environment and development can, and should exist simultaneously.

Firstly, development can help conserve environment. Thus, both growth and environment conservation can be achieved together.

Constructive intervention can help enhance the quality of environment; and development facilitates constructive intervention. Thus, development can not be provided as an excuse to hamper environment. In fact, progress in the field of science and technology has given us the tools to protect the environment. Efficient electrical appliances, fuel-efficient vehicles, better methods of recycling and waste disposal, the concept of green architecture and many other such techniques are all a result of scientific advancements, which have been made possible due to investment in the field of technology. Undoubtedly, technology has made us lazy and seemingly insensitive towards nature and environment, but no one can deny that technology alone has opened up possibilities of adopting a greener lifestyle. It is, therefore, our choice: whether we wish to use technology to conserve or destroy the environment.

Secondly, environment degradation can ultimately lead to reversal of development. Thus, harming the environment to achieve “higher growth” is surely a risky prospect.

Without a clean and green environment, development has no meaning. The starkest example of this proposition would be a person who earns a 7-digit salary, but suffers from respiratory diseases due to air pollution and hence has to spend a huge portion of her/his income on medical expenses!

In addition, pollution and depletion of natural resources adversely affects livelihoods of all those who are directly dependent on the environment. Fishermen, cultivators, dairy farmers and many others are deeply affected by water pollution, soil contamination, acid rains, depletion of bio-diversity and other forms of pollution. Thus degradation of environment clearly affects employment and growth.

Moreover, noted economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen asserts that environmental plunder affects distributive justice, which is an important branch of development. Pollution is caused by the affluent classes (effluents from industries, vehicular pollution, wastage of resources etc.) but its ultimate effects are borne by the disadvantaged (scarce resources, contaminated water, poor air quality etc.). Sen strongly condemns this “disguised manslaughter”. This clearly highlights the fact that severe environment damage can retard rather than promote development, through its strong distribution effects.

These linkages unambiguously underline the complementarity between environment and development. Without doubt, one can’t exist without the other.

Surely, sustainable development is not an “out of reach” phenomenon. To achieve it, we just need some simple measures, common sense, practicality and sensitivity towards the environment. We need an integration of developmental and environmental concerns. Every society, at each level can contribute towards conserving the environment. The government can make intelligent policies and ensure strict implementation of the laws. In addition, a system of incentives and disincentives could be devised, aimed at protecting the environment. For instance, efficient appliances (CFLs etc) could be subsidized, while pollution causing vehicles (fuel-guzzling SUVs) could be taxed heavily. Educational institutions can also contribute by spreading awareness and internalizing the issue in young minds, with the help of NGOs. Enterprises can fulfil their corporate social responsibility by minimizing wastage in their offices, using efficient equipment and adopting environment-friendly production processes. At the individual level, simple steps like minimizing wastage of paper, water and electricity at homes, avoiding littering in public places and above all, being aware and conscious of environment issues can go a long way in repaying our debt towards the environment.

To conclude, I would yet again assert that sustainable development is, by no means, an oxymoron. Instead, it is a phrase that needs to be incorporated in our lives at each level. It is an ideology that should be the foundation of government policies, if we genuinely wish to leave behind a clean and green Earth for our future generations.

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The Author is a III yr B.A. Economics Honours student and part of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Aparna Bisht- New Avatar of Plastics

2009-02-06T17:10:00.000-08:00

Plastics have reigned our surroundings for more than a century now. From pens, slippers,drinking water bottles, cups, mugs, plates,toys to high end mobiles and aircraft components..They are light, inexpensive and can be moulded in more than a million ways. However they were not known to conduct electricity till date. As advancement grows by leaps and bounds these plastics are to act in an opposite manner as insulator.

Intense research has offered flexible, energy saving alternatives that could revolutionise industrial economics.A German research institute has devised a hybrid solution in a composite material that causes the cost effective plastic to conduct electricity and also is resilient like metals.And also it does not require any machinery to develop the components.

The new avatar of plastic can replace conventional plastic in automobile and aircraft manufacturing to a great extent.The headlamps housings on a car can be made more efficient and cost effective by the new conductive hybrid. Aircraft fuselage are partly made of Carbon fibre components that do not conduct electricity and a lightning stroke can have fatal consequences.A plastic metal hybrid coating would act as a safe discharge structure on such components. It will no longer be necessary to integrate metal circuit boards and the components will soon be able to be produced in a single work step,leading to reduction in product cost and the weight of the material will also be reduced drastically. Only time Will test the impact of the new hybrid plastic on our lives!

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The Author is a II yr college student and member of the Hansraj College Website Team of DevelopmentChannel.org

Kirthi Rao- Environmental Change

2009-02-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

While the indifferent have lived pretty happily till now, quite ignorant of the damage their apathy has lead to, it will no longer be possible. Part of the reason why common people ( let me define 'common' as people having access to basic education and a basic standard of living) have been able to ignore the environmental implications of their actions has been that they have been insulated from it. Lining one's home with wood when it wasn't really required, not bothering to relocate and rehabilitate cut trees, wasting water, avoiding pollution checks for one's vehicle, buying that shahtoosh shawl when the conservationists were crying themselves hoarse about the endangered species- none of these actions meant that your house would be hit by a tsunami, or your neighbourhood will become extra polluted or suddenly waterless or inhabitable. But, now very soon things will have to change.

I'm saying this because the nature has started retaliating. Of course we can develop newer technology to defend ourselves. But my point is that increasingly, it'll become a fighting race. I wonder if anyone has noticed the kind of smog we've experienced this winter. I agree that one always feels that the current situation is the worst ever, but this time many weather monitoring bodies like CSE (Centre for Science & Environment) agree with me and point out that the RSPM (respirable suspended particulate matter) levels seem to be much higher than they were three years back in the windless winter days. The cause of this is the increased vehicular pollution; the burning of dry leaves and waste in the winters, the continued clearing of trees in the Capital for the Commonwealth games. For instance visit the area near Gargi College, where a wooded area has been cleared ruthlessly, so much so that the road adjacent to it is carpeted with dust now. The list goes on.

What this has caused is amply clear. Respiratory problems have been on a rise, and the Delhiite (the story holds for other cities too) who has already suffered at the hands of ever-choked killer roads, now has the added disability of not being able to see clearly in the thick smog! I speak from personal experience. Travelling Noida to Delhi in the morning and back at night, to and from work is a necessity for my family and the horrors we (and our co-commuters) faced in the first few days of January must be shared. The visibility was as low as 25 metres sometimes and due to the added truck-traffic in these hours, the commute was indeed a trial by fog. Just imagine you are in your car on a usually busy road and all you see through your windscreen is white smoky layers of smog. We saw how unnervingly easy it was for a disastrous accident to happen and indeed many fatal collisions occurred. And this is just one instance of our lives being directly affected by the way we treat our environment.

Consider the Mumbai floods of 2005. It was not only the antiquated and poorly managed drainage system which was to blame, the steady degradation, reclamation and habitation of important mangrove areas and land-sea bridge areas in the Mahim creek was a major reason. What's pitiful is that very few people even spoke about it while they were losing their breath over criticising the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for the poor drainage infrastructure. This is alarming because this loss of the Mithi river and Mahim creek mangrove area had already reached a rate of 40% from 1995 to 2005; apathy will ensure that an even higher percent of the essential eco-drainage systems will be lost.

What is most important is that we speak to all we know about these issues, their causes and the need to put a stop to our ignorant plundering. And more importantly, put a stop to our plundering, careless, polluting ways!

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The Author is an executive member of the Website Team of DevelopmentChannel.org

Ekta Malhotra- Prevalence of Child Labour

2009-02-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

I happened to watch a documentary film titled “Children now”. It depicted the vulnerable condition of the children at their workplace. I was deeply touched to see Pyaari; a small girl aged nine, hiding herself to avoid the owners of the factory. She wanted to enjoy the fun and freedom which is the birth right of every child. It is true about all other working children.

They have to rise in the morning. They have to work day and night in most inhuman and unhygienic conditions. They have to work in dim light. They are hardly provided any nutrious food. They are physically tortured, and some times sexually abused. They are usually employed to work in homes, restrauants and factories.

According to UNICEF,there are an estimated 250 million children aged 5 to 14 in child labour worldwide, excluding child domestic labour. Though the government has passed laws, child labor continues and, whether we like it or not, it will continue. As long as there is want and poverty, people living below poverty line will continue to seek employment for their children to supplement their children to supplement their family income. We should rather try to improve their working conditions. It should be made mandatory not to employ children below 14 years.

There should be vigilance on the wages paid to them. A high-level committee should be constituted to deliberate on the issue of child labor.

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The author is an executive member of the webteam for www.developmentchannel.org

Rishabh Gulati- Treating The Malaise- Tackling Corruption in India

2009-02-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

Corruption, a pervasive putrescence used to describe a malaise in the human body, has a different but equally troubling impact on the body politic. An embedded system, of complex and necessary gratuities garnished with downright bribery, has permeated thickly into Indian public services, from the lowest rungs of officialdom to the highest echelons of political power.

Corruption has widespread impacts on social and economic development. Skimming funds from the public purse at every level and at every crossing within the chain of command results in only a fraction of government outlay reaching its intended beneficiaries. Necessary gratuities for the receipt or maintenance of public services like water, telephones and electricity, add to the cost of provision of basic amenities, especially to the poor. Systemic corruption has meant that officials do not process paperwork, issue orders, or accept tenders until a compulsory bribe has been paid. This not only grinds to a halt the efficiency of the governance process, but weighs the system heavily against those who do not have the financial muscle to pay bribes up front.

Unlike good governance, which only a few privileged citizens are able to benefit from, corruption is endemic to the lives of every Indian. From driving licenses to passports, from ration cards to even voter identification cards, greasing palms has become a way of life.

A few noble souls do try to stand up against the system. I recall a friend of mine attempting to pass his driving license test without bribing the transport official, despite humorous warnings from overlooking touts. It goes without saying that even as passing pedestrians were wont to praise his driving skills, he failed the test, not once but three times. Frustrated and with his revolutionary resolve come to naught, he found that a few hundred rupees later, the test did not have to be passed, indeed it did not even have to be taken. Delusion with the system begins imprinted on the license photographs of our young citizens as they reach the age of adult franchise.

Years later, trying to renew my passport, I met an officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-corruption Bureau, who was of distance acquaintance, but had happily offered to help me expedite the process. Being a man handed the task of fighting corruption, I was a bit surprised, even fearful of entrapment, when he told me that a few thousand rupees other than the official processing charge would be required for various other ‘fees’ inside. Upon handing him to sum and happy to have a spanking new passport in my hand, I could not help but put to him the irony of the situation. Pondering the question he answered very seriously that his department went after the large scamsters who swindled thousands of crores from the public purse, these petty ‘fees’ for underpaid employees could be overlooked as a matter of livelihood.

The frank and unabashed nature of the man brings to light the kinds of corruption in a country like India. At the rosy end of the spectrum is the shameless corruption of uncontrollable greed that plagues big government tenders, acquisitions and projects. Thousands of crores are siphoned off from the likes of infrastructure, armaments and even fodder. These are then either piled under the inglorious charpai of the otherwise dhoti wearing, buffalo rearing farmer or deposited into secretive Swiss bank accounts by smooth talking arms merchants sporting linen suits and plucky ties.

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The author is Assistant Editor, Development Channel

Lija John- The Dowry System

2009-01-27T15:41:00.000-08:00

Dowry is one of those social practices which no educated Indian would own up with pride, although many of us still adhere to this much deplorable practice. It is so deeply rooted in Indian culture, that sometimes one feels that there's going to be no way out - at least not for another century.

Even modern, well-educated families start saving up money for their daughter's dowry as soon as she is born so what can one expect from the uneducated masses, whose only form of education is tradition?

When demands for dowry are not met, the bride is subject to torture, and often even killed. Dowry deaths of a newly married bride are still regularly in the news. The reason many parents don't want to have daughters is because of the dowry they will have to shell out at her marriage, and the stress they go through due to never ending demands from her in-laws.

Dowry is an evil, evil system and all of us, at some level, condone it and even contribute to it.Often the boy’s parents don't demand dowry, but our culture is such that we feel we must give something to the in-laws. In such cases, give as much as you receive. When you go out of your way because you are the parents of the girl, you are contributing to this evil. A number of marriage-negotiations break down if there is no consensus between the bride's and groom's families.

That dowry is given as compensation to the groom's parents for the amount they have spent in educating and upbringing their son. These explanations may seem logical in the present day context, but they cannot explain how this practice originated.Instead of giving her dowry so everyone is nice to her at her new home, give her a great career, so they can't help but respect her. So if they treat her badly, she can walk out, as she is not dependent on them.

So they need her monthly contribution to the household expenses and dare not mess with her.Providing your daughter with a solid education, and encouraging her to pursue a career of her choice is the best dowry any parent can ever give their daughter.

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The Author is a I yr BA Programme student

Arushi Vats- Reloading Education

2009-01-27T12:36:00.000-08:00

In the super-busy life we lead, seeking the ever-so-perfect dream we don’t stop, because stopping is hazardous, the person next to you might just get a step ahead. And that would not do. The system says survival of the fittest. The cream (though I question the use of this term, so many people end up consuming milk daily, the cream is set aside for other uses or for making butter that is anyways available separately. But you can’t have cream replacing milk in your daily Bournvita, can you?) go to the best colleges, the milk is left to face the prospect of thinking of a future at an open university or a private university (if it can be afforded).

But we don't really stop and think (because stopping means losing) that this system doesn’t make logic. The brightest get the best, the weakest the worst. Shouldn’t it be the other way round? For a child who is brilliant a competent teacher/guide is essential but for the child who is mediocre, the need for a competent teacher/guide increases for the brilliant child has to just fine tune, the mediocre one has to work ten times harder to achieve the highest level he can because he has to rise from mediocre to brilliant. So the weakest student should get the best teacher and the brilliant student should get a good teacher, because he can make the best out of it. It’s a challenge to make someone who is already highly discouraged by the society to realize his full potential. A challenge that can be achieved by the best, trained, seasoned teachers of this country.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. What we have is, students scoring 95% getting to “choose” what they want to study at +2 level, getting the school of their choice, the best teachers and the model environment and the weakest student gets the residual school, a stream that they in all probability don’t want to study, teachers with least amount of training and expertise. What would an already discouraged student with a 60% do with an untrained teacher? Not fair!

This is so obvious, happening all over schools in India. I’m sure we all have friends that have experienced the same problems; probably some of us are a part of this ‘mediocre’ group that could have been brilliant but never became brilliant because everything that they needed was taken away as a price to be paid for mediocrity.

Can we open our minds and think how we can change this essential flaw in our system, so that students passing out from all schools and not just the brand schools have an equal stake at the good life that we are all running after? Let’s make the race fair.

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The Author is I yr BA Programme Student and a Member of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Komalkiran - Childhood Interrupted

2009-01-27T12:01:00.000-08:00

Everything around us tells us that we have stepped into the 21st century. Until you see a 10 year old bride on the TV screen. Around two months ago, this issue surfaced on one of the news channels: a young bride was holding the hand of her 16 year old husband in their wedding. Childhood interrupted and adulthood thrust on them long before they were ready for it.

Majority of the child marriages occur in West and East African and South Asian poverty stricken families. Over the next decade another 100 million girls will become child brides.

Legally the age of marriage is 18 for girls and 21 for boys but in rural areas, majority of the girls are married at a very young age. In Rajasthan alone, 82% of the girls are married by the age of 18, 15% of the girls in rural areas are married before the age of 13 and 15% percent of them go through their first pregnancy between the ages of 15 and 19.

Girls who become pregnant under the age of 18 are five times more likely to die in childbirth than women who give birth in their 20s. Since many girls often marry older men with more sexual experience, child brides face a higher risk of contracting HIV. Child marriage also endangers the mental health of a girl as a child bride experiences a higher incidence of domestic violence, marital abuse (including physical, sexual or psychological abuse) and abandonment.

Children are helpless because they are a group for whom decisions are taken by others.They are too young and innocent to understand all this. But to curb this problem of child marriage, parents and the adults have to change their mindsets. Task forces should be appointed by the Govt. or NGOs and each force should be sent to a different area where the people should be told about the above mentioned ill effects of child marriages. They can also show them documentaries and make them meet famous and successful women so that their thinking can be changed. Even we can contribute by educating our maids and servants regarding the after-effects of a child marriage. Steps should be taken to eradicate poverty at all levels because child marriage has its roots in poverty. No doubt this will involve huge sums of money but the future of our younger generation is at stake and what is at stake is much more costly than the funds required.

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The Author is an executive member of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Archana Nair- Begging for Solutions

2009-01-24T19:50:00.000-08:00

Our country is developing. We are driven to change the view of India as seen from the eyes of those dwelling elsewhere in the world. Thus, in the wake of the Common Wealth Games, we witness an overflow of metro lines and renovations of airports. We are also taking the animals away from the roads, working on maintaining cleanliness and doing much more.

From the stray dog on the streets to the participants of the Games, everybody has been thought of, with the exception of the beggars. For the purpose of our discussion, beggars are those who are found in public places asking for money or spare change.

That beggary needs to be banned remains undisputed, however no consensus has been attained on how to prevent it. A solution for the problem of begging is difficult to find because begging is not just an economic problem, it’s a social and psychological difficulty that is linked to law and order issues. Besides, there is a rising fear that begging has become an industry in nexus with the underworld

It is indeed a rather complex matter. There is this persisting tug of war, a dilemma, forming in my thoughts. Here is an attempt to put it into words. Imagine a man in rags asking for money at the traffic signal on the vast roads of Delhi. His body bears testimony to his unhygienic, unsafe and troubled life. Now, if you give don’t give him money, he will starve or get penalised for not collecting enough money, and if you do give him money, you add miles to the stride of the so-called industry. So what do we do?

Our generation knows that begging is bad and that it is to be abolished. Our plan of action is simple-avoid their existence and refuse to give them any money. But given their numbers, letting them starve is hardly a solution. In no attempt to glorify a beggar, one who lives not knowing whether there is a meal coming his way or not and yet does not kill himself, is doing no meagre task by living. It’s a battle for existence.

My stomach forms a tight knot when I see young ones naked on the streets wailing for their young mothers who are leaning on some pulled up car-window. Can I do anything? At the level of an individual, I think that it is important to give away in kind and not in cash. Also, remember that they are humans with dignity, offer a smile when you see them. They are not to be ignored, nobody who walks the planet, with whom you share space, is to be ignored.

It is a complex problem. But it that it is a problem is beyond deliberation. The law of the land is not going to bring about the required change in the situation. That is, putting beggars in juvenile homes or prison is not a good enough solution. Perhaps it is time for state bureaucracies, to join hands with voluntary organisations especially those run by youth and give them all the help and support they need. The purpose is to direct individual efforts in a productive manner and form a regional movement. If there is organisation and order, what NGOs are achieving today slowly, can be replicated widely.

Even while I say it, the abstract nature of this suggestion strikes me. I am also not unaware of the fact that begging is not all that easy to eradicate. However, we can not let a huge chunk of our population just call the roads their homes. It becomes the responsibility of each privileged person to do something for those who are challenged. From where I see it, our consolidated privileges due to discriminated exposure to opportunity and resources on the one hand; and the resultant unequal income distribution on the other hand, partly form the reasons why they are on the streets in the first place. But of course, the issue is bigger than that and the net of reasons must not trap our activity towards the cause of eradication of beggary (not merely the beggars).

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The Author is a I yr BA Journalism Honours student and an executive member of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Nidhi Mehta- Emergency Services in India

2009-01-24T17:42:00.000-08:00

I heard a crash and then a loud cry “Fire! Fire!” I was eight years old. The apartment in front of my house had caught fire. A pandemonium had broken out. The residents of the colony had come rushing to help. Buckets of water were brought forth. Within minutes, our quiet colony was struck with panic. But what left an indelible impression on my mind, was the site of a rusty fire engine crawling to the scene half an hour later. The delay could have cost someone’s life, but fortunately the heroic residents had already controlled the fire.

Almost everyone among us must have witnessed some incident or the other which bears testimony to India’s shameful emergency services. India recorded the largest number of road accidents in 2007. The crime rate is rapidly increasing and the threat of anti-social elements looms large. A large percentage of the ambulances do not even have oxygen cylinders. The current scenario calls for a dire need to revamp our emergency services, namely the police, fire services and emergency medical services.

So what can be done?
Firstly, a well functioning system needs to be established to tackle medical emergencies and disasters.Measures need to be taken to integrate the emergency services so that there are no delays by the fire and the police department to reach the site of the mishap. A positive development in this regard has been the conceptualisation of ‘108’ as the centralised emergency helpline by the Emergency Management and Research Institute.

Secondly, the emergency vans should be well equipped with life saving drugs, devices and trained paramedics. The Govt. also needs to tackle the lack of trained paramedics by setting up institutes for the same.

Ultimately, it is the quick action of the people around the victim that makes the difference between life and death during a disaster. I think it is imperative for the Government to incorporate a compulsory course on crisis management supplemented with practical demonstrations in schools across the country.

We as individuals first need to be aware about the basic first aid techniques. Once we have sufficient knowledge, we can create awareness by conducting workshops in schools and colleges. Several people and organisations have taken initiatives in this regard.

One story particularly caught my attention. Shook by a set of tragic events a group of 5 friends started a life support ambulance service called ‘1298 Dial for Ambulance’ in Mumbai in 2005. It has saved more than 50,000 lives in Mumbai. Supported by several corporate houses and NGO’s, 1298 has expanded its network, initiated first aid workshops as well as started a woman’s helpline. If more such people come forward it can completely change the face of India’s emergency services.

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The Author is a IIyr Economics Honours student and an Executive Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Ira Swasti- The Differently-abled…Not the Less-abled

2009-01-24T16:12:00.000-08:00

When you see a blind man crossing the street, what are the first thoughts that come to mind? It’s rather a flurry of emotions. A 5-minute long stare, followed by a pang of guilt or a feeling of injustice (by God), and a lot of pity. Exactly what a person with physical disability does not appreciate and does not require!

The word handicap is claimed to have evolved from “cap in hand” referring to the physically disabled’s need to subsist as beggars in the past. Many people take offence to the term, and hence I am going to use the word “differently-abled” in the rest of the blog.

Centuries back, the Greeks used to abandon their disabled children by putting them in wicker baskets and setting them afloat on a river. The Romans, put them in jars and left them on the road, exposed to die. Many believed that it was the wrath of the Gods or the possession of demons. We could perhaps dismiss theses brutalities as things of the past that happened in ancient times when survival was the order of the day.

But what of the 21st century? What with the latest medical technologies and increased social consciousness associated with.the disabled, the deaf, dumb, blind, wheel-chair bound, and people with other disabilities are still not a part of the main stream. Only, the jars have evolved from tangible glass ones to invisible boxes, isolated and separated from the ones that are different from them- the ones with the perfect five senses and perfectly functioning bodies (never mind a perfect mind or heart, they do not matter).

But, more than any kind of medical treatments, what the differently-abled persons want is to be treated with love, dignity and normalcy. Helping them gain independence is a step towards that, also jobs – one way of gaining financial independence. But not jobs of the nature of freak shows in circuses or announcers at railway station, being paid in peanuts and leading miserable lives. This is not only grossly undermining their potential but bruising their dignity and instilling in them the belief that they ARE less capable, less privileged than the others! A belief the world can certainly do without.India has 70 million disabled persons, 2% of which are educated and only 1% employed. The figures speak for themselves.

The Indian society is not disabled-friendly. Period. Not our buses, not our institutions, not our minds. We need to accept that the disabled are not less fortunate or less capable, not an abnormality. For, if a quadriplegic can climb the Everest (what many non-quadriplegics have not been able to)…anything else is a lesser feat!

So, the next time you see a physically disabled person, do not pity, do not cringe, do not behave any differently than you would in someone else’s presence. Why do only NGOs have to figure where the government does not show initiative or interest? Why can’t it be us to bring about a change? There’s an organization started by a wheelchair user called AccessAbility that seeks jobs for the disabled in the industry. We can help start more organizations like that.It would be great if each of us can visit institutions for the disabled, spend time with them, bring them out of this feeling of quarantine and make them believe that they can live life on their own terms, that they don’t need such institutions...or anyone else, but them to take care of themselves.

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The Author is a IIyr Economics Honours student and an Executive Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Srishti Gupta -I Have a Dream

2009-01-23T18:12:00.000-08:00

I have a dream for the Invisible Indians. The Invisible Indians who are starving every moment, who are committing suicides due to prolonged crisis in life, who are malnourished to the extent that they hardly look like humans and those who work day and night on a small piece of land and still fail to manage a livelihood. My concern is for those 41.6% of our nation's population, who according to World Bank are still earning less than $1.25. India is slated to be the fastest growing economy of Asia in the coming years but the despondent irony is that India is still home to the largest number of hungry in the world and 47% of its children are severely malnourished. And these invisible Indians are not just confined to the 6.5 lack villages of the country; they can easily be spotted in desolate nook and corners of growing cities too. I call them invisible because there is no one to address their problems.

It's high time to actually take some stern measures and make farming a lucrative option. The manifold schemes initiated by government should be implemented more sincerely and it should be made sure people actually get the benefits they ought to get. It's imperative to hone the primary education system because most of without undermining the importance of basic education, government should make a sincere effort to produce more efficient, rational and practical farmers.our farmers are illiterate and consequently not very rational. What I strongly feel is that without undermining the importance of basic education, government should make a sincere effort to produce more efficient, rational and practical farmers And this can be done by initiating special programs for them wherein they are guided to become farmers who are certainly smarter and more in tune with the latest technology. An institute in every district which provides a degree for specialization in farming or anything similar would actually help the situation. The course structure should be such that the students are given complete insight into how to improve the agricultural production, what kind of crops to be grown, nature of fertilizers to be used as per the texture of soil they work on and many other essential things. Except in a few states, mostly farmers aren’t aware of the schemes and policies being launched for them. They still take bank loans at an interest as high as 10-12% so there is an imperative need that awareness about various loan schemes, technologies and market policies that are favorable to them should be conveyed too. There are several similar programs running but they should be presented in a manner that precisely meets the requirements of the farmers. In villages, people generally don't send their wards to schools for myriads of reasons but a course like this is sure to attract many people and benefit them too. Government can also take help from corporate sectors and NGOs to execute these plans effectively. Serious attempts should be made to produce smart "professional" farmers who too earn lavishly and this will build a solid foundation for a highly productive, internationally competitive, and diversified agricultural sector too.

My dream is that the farmers of our country, who have been suffering endlessly, should now join the league those highly successful people. Let farming become a coveted and respected profession in the country and the Agricultural Sector, one of the most profitable sectors. This I am sure will solve many other problems too only then will India truly shine!!!

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The Author is a IIyr Maths Honours student and part of the Core Team of DevelopmentChannel.org

Parul Gupta- Paper Wastage: What We Can Do About It

2009-01-18T08:39:00.000-08:00

My exams concluded recently, and the whole process, apart from making me dizzy, led me to think about the issue which stares us in our face, yet gets unnoticed so easily--Paper Wastage.
All of us are aware that the ultimate source of paper is the forest. There is a direct correlation between the amount of paper used and the number of trees felled to obtain it. Although everyone talks a lot about “saving trees” and “deforestation”, most of us don’t think twice before wasting paper.

Paper is used everywhere-in schools, colleges, homes and offices-and very often, the wastage is much more than the usage. The reason for this is simply a careless and callous attitude-- we use the whole sheet of paper just to note down a shopping list; we use a crisp new sheet to print a small paragraph; we print notices on only one side of a sheet and don’t bother to use the other blank side-the list is endless.

To be specific, I’ll take the example of a very well-known MNC (whose mailing portal we all use), where one of my friends interned this summer. She was shocked to see the extent of wastage there- everyday, instructions to interns were given on printed sheets, which were later disposed of in the bin. The company has an active CSR wing and is doing a lot for the society, but in my opinion, by carelessly wasting so much paper, it is clearly abdicating its responsibility towards the environment.

Most unfortunate is the fact that we don’t even recognize the amount of waste we generate unnecessarily. I claim it’s unnecessary because it can be easily reduced. All we need, is to be a little more careful and sensitive-using the blank side of bills to note down shopping items; reusing envelopes by pasting a sticker on the address area; using one-side-used sheets for rough printouts; requesting our bills and bank statements to be e-mailed to us; recycling newspapers and magazines and so on. Returning to the example given above, the company could mail the directives to its interns, or post a single notice on the office information board to give out common instructions.

Essentially, we need to minimize waste by reusing & recycling (when reuse is not possible). I truly believe that these small steps can go a long way in conserving paper and hence saving our precious forests.
And to conclude on a lighter note, perhaps we could also ban exams, to reduce the wastage of paper!
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Monika Punia- Success by educating the rural, urban poor

2009-01-18T08:22:00.000-08:00

Though India has made progress in social sector, but our success story is still stagnant compared to what other contries have done. The United Nations Human Development Index ranks us 128th among 177 countries. Certainly not a flattering report on our achievement in the field of education and health.

Historically no country has developed without the benefits of mass education. Our growth rate can not be sustained without an educated population. No doubt our literacy rates have gone up over the years however the poor, especially the girl child continue to be highly deprived. Though towns comparatively have better access to education, urban poor are less fortunate in terms of quality of education and the opportunities they receive are still very less which reflects the large number of dropouts at the primary level higher education.

Inspite of large number of primary school, the number of secondary school as Planning Commission outlays have increased, the concern of our states have to translate into better health and education for the poor. However it is not mere outlays or pumping in money that will make the difference. We need to correct the major drawbacks of the existing system. First among them is the quality of our litteracy.

The drop out rates in our schools is appalling. In Delhi, only 50% clear their class 10 board exams. Experts point out that this is a direct outcome of our inefficient and joyless methods of teaching. The apathy and incompetence of large numbers of our teachers add to the problem. Recently media highlighted that 60% of the teachers in government schools ar not trained. In many of the rural areas many teachers do not turn up for work and are known to have taken up a second job.

Not investing in our youth can hamper our growth. Quality education is one of the potent ways to eradicate the inequity in our system. Let us create innovative partnership between government, civil society and corporates to improve the quality and reach of our education for the poor in villages an towns.

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Divya Agrawal- India and Vision 2020

2009-01-18T06:38:00.000-08:00

APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, a person who saw the dream of making our country developed among other developed nations by 2020 and went in the search of right path to do as much best he can to us. But the question arises-- can we realize and fulfill his dream in this scenario of unrest, insecurity, price rise and other internal as well as external problems?

The real India has always been said to be living in its villages. Despite modernization, globalization, and merging of the rural-urban gap, it is true that even now almost 60 percent of our population lives in villages. It is also true that part of this population is unable to fulfill the basic requirement of food, shelter and clothing. Living under the poverty line, these people live a life of minimum and struggle everyday to earn a decent meal for themselves. How can a nation even dream of becoming a developed nation till its people die of hunger and lack the basic resources for survival?

Terrorism is yet another menace that is hampering our country’s development. Of late, the number of terrorist attacks have risen up sharply and many cities have been affected by it. Innocent men and women have lost their lives. Corruption is so deeply rooted in our political system that our 'netas' have forgotten their duties, let we care for what they can do to help us to get rid of problems.

On the other hand, what India doesn’t realize is its strength. We have ample manpower and skilled labour apart from some of the most talented and highly educated professionals who can take the country to never imagined heights of success. But their skills and talent are being under utilized and there are not enough opportunities at the moment.

So to conclude we can say that there are many hurdles for India to become a developed nation till 2020. But who has seen future? Our highly capable defence bodies, strong economy, changing outlook, attempt to narrow down the financial inequality, equal opportunities to all, enlistment and empowerment of women, ability to master space programmes and fight deadly diseases are some of the notable achievements that differentiate India from other nations. These are the reasons that fuel the desire and make us believe that becoming a developed country by 2020 is possible.

There may be a day when things change for the better and we see India rising up to its challenges only to astonish the entire world.
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Tanuj- Bringing "Muskan" to All

2009-01-08T22:54:00.000-08:00

I happened to visit a drug de-addiction and rehabilitation center named Muskaan Foundation in Dwarka courtesy Leaders for Tomorrow, an NGO I'm a part of.Well, first let me tell you about some of the preceeding events that happened just before my visit there. I saw a drug addict throbbing in the mid of the road from an epileptic stroke... an old English-speaking man begging to get him an inhaler... my interpretation of the character of these people... Desperate,
Criminal-minded, Deceptive, Ignoble...

When I reached there, frankly speaking I wasn't impressed by the look of the place-- shabby walls, small rooms, and all. They exhibited good hospitality. We were introduced to the concept by Ms. Diva Pandey, the psychologist there. The lady didn't seem to be just doing all this like a job... It seemed it was her job, hobby, aim, goal... She was actually wholeheartedly dedicated to this foundation. Then, we were briefed by Mr. Hemant, a part of the council, dedicated to the de-addiction of the the concerned people. I was surprised to know that he himself had a record of 15 years of addiction. He had recovered completely some 6 years back. He was so happy to regain his life that he decided to help other sufferers like him. He gave us the examples of other people in the council who were all recovered 'patients'. The council consisted of many recovered patients since they would be knowing a lot about the psychology and emotions of the people who are now trying to overcome drug addiction.

After that, Dr. Bhushan arrived who told us about the medico-psychological factors related to the addicts. He told us how does this habit start. I was literally startled to know that children as small as six years old were addicted to something or the other and to what all they were addicted to in the beginning-- whitener, adhesives, Iodex, types of erasers and even to alcohol; which later on graduated to hardcore drugs, including oral ones and the injectibles too.

We then had a chat with two of the children who were recovering.. They were sweet innocent children after all, meandered directionless that's it! They were given a streamed direction here..
Now, it was the time to visit all the inmates, talk to them, play with them and just try to understand them. I always had a convention that all the addicts belong from the economically backward strata of the society. But this was only apparent. While hearing the introductions from them, i realised they belong from each and every corner of the society. Rich or poor, Hindu or Muslim, Sikh or Christian, Old or young, every realm of the society is infected with this problem. It didn't sink in for the first time, there were people from so good level-- NSD graduate, MBBS from London, Businessmen, Chef, Body-double in Bollywood, Call center trainee (he's a part of the council now). I really didn't expect people of this kind at this rehab. They all want to change, but just cant. It's biological, as well as psychological. I figured it out it's very very easy to fall into the trap of drugs, but its that much difficult to get out of it. You try to justify your need for drugs... justify your each and every deed... I remember, one of those justified it by saying.. "You have sex once, you are addicted to it.. Is sex bad?" Though the reasoning is ridiculous, but it gives you an insight to their mentality towards drugs.

Then we played games with them.. They are actually very nice people just treaded on the wrong path. I felt sympathetic whenever i saw any of the addicts lying on the road, but at the end of the visit my ideology has changed.. now i empathise with them.. and they need to be understood, not pitied upon. The visit ended, but the thought and the consequences are still very much within me, at the back of my eyes, somewhere in my mind, somewhere in my conscience.

The problem is that they were one of us only. I don't know how many of those people whom I call friends now, will be rechristened to addicts or Smackiyas. We have to ensure that not only us, but everyone around doesn't fall into the lure of this. I can assure you one thing, atleast I wouldn't, never!! Not even for the sake of trying it. Believe me, that's the first step of you becoming an addict.

Anoushaka Chandrashekhar- The Modern Indian Women

2009-01-06T23:27:00.000-08:00

I go to school. I go to college. I go to management institutes. I occupy the top positions in the corporate world. I am modern. I am independent and free. This I is nobody but the modern Indian woman. Or is it?

We all say that the times are changing. Has it really changed for women? No doubt there has been an improvement in the condition of women, overtime. There was a time when women were confined to their households, were illiterate and had no say in the decision making of the household. All this has definitely improved particularly in urban areas. But I still have my doubts about it. Even today when a woman gets married, she is expected to leave her home and go and stay with her husband’s family.

Are we talking about changing times? I don’t think so. I would like my husband to come and live with me after marriage. Why am I expected to make all the sacrifices? Why should I leave the house and the people with whom I have spent so many years of my life? Leave alone my husband and his family; will my own family be open to this idea? Is this so called “modern” society actually open to such an idea?

After marriage when I have kids, I will be expected to give up my career and look after them and bring them up. Another sacrifice! When will this society free me of sacrifices? A man will never be expected to give up his career and take care of his children. I study as much as a man put in the same efforts, get the same degree – but I am expected to give it all up. I can become a house wife but a man cannot become a house husband (at least 80% of the people will not be open to this idea). I do all this and the child is still known by the name of the father. The patriarchal Indian society never seems to change.

I am the modern woman living in this so called modern world. But when will people start becoming modern by their thinking and not just by their clothes? When will I be allowed to take my own decisions and do what I want to do rather than do what the society expects me to do? I spend my entire life in this modern world, being identified as someone’s daughter, someone’s wife and then someone’s mother. Through this entire journey I wonder where my identity lies? My identity of being a woman is lost somewhere between all these relationships and expectations.

All I want is some more freedom and a change in the way people perceive the roles of a man and a woman in society.

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The author is a IIyr Economics Honours student and a Core Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Dhanya Thomas- Time for self-introspection ?

2009-01-04T08:11:00.000-08:00

Indian media, which is considered to be the fourth pillar of the democracy and the watch dog of the government, has become more of a circus.
Various newspapers, periodicals and news channels which have to sustain themselves by earning profits are forced to give up the credibility, integrity and independence of the profession.

If we trace back to the history of Indian media, it started as a mission, when the visionaries used this medium to empower the masses and thereby to attain independence. In the post independent India, mission gave way to profession. And now, in this 21st century, it has become commercialization. Media being owned by the corporate companies are being totally driven by the profit motive. Most often it is caught in the trap of building circulation or surrendering to the tyranny of Television Rating Points. And the three Cs-Cinema, Cricket and Crime have become their success mantra.

In India there are channels especially dedicated to news, entertainment, lifestyle, fashion, religion and channels owned by political parties. But it is ironic that we do not have a channel for development. This is a dangerous phenomenon as it completely destroys the capacity of the media to intervene effectively in society.

Media can serve the society, be an effective partner in nation’s development if they realise that they are serving the citizens not the consumers. It can have a catalysing role in the development of India. Many a times journalists forget the fact that media is placed to bring about a change in the lives of people, especially the marginalized and by making the development process more inclusive of the concerns and needs the people, particularly the underprivileged.

One original purpose of journalism is to inform and educate the masses. Once they are educated, they can become more aware citizens who are capable of contributing to the nation building. But the truth is that our communication media have never assumed this crucial responsibility of defining, reviewing and its role with regard to social concerns and people’s problems.

The former Indian President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam observes: "The media must play a nation-building role because excellence in journalism vitalises the nation". Yes, it is the time for media to overcome the pressures of the market though success on this path is very difficult to achieve, but not impossible.

Angel Singha- Why are the handicapped missing in the 'Development Agenda'?

2008-12-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

We all talk, read, write, hear and walk. What about the ones who can't talk? Hear? See? Walk?

60 years since Independence, we say India is developing. Is it?

With 8% of the total population that is, 6,00,00,000 or even more who are still at the same place where they were 10 years back or even 30 years back. It doesn't make any difference. The 8% referred here is the disabled section of our Indian Society.

Disabled people. That is the blind, the immobile, the deaf & the mentally impaired. We are so busy and insensitive to these people and to the daily chores of our lives that we don't even realize that how do the deaf watch T.V. without even understanding what's going on? How do the blind have access to the computer, the internet which is the reliable source of knowledge with which all our doubts are just a click away, without actually seeing it? And that why aren't the mentally impaired given a chance to work, than be put in a hospital?

Many companies take in people only to fulfill 3% of the quota for the disability group. Most are rejected reason being they are somewhat an alien to them. No. They're not! They're humans!!!

Is it their fault that they're disabled? No. Right? Then answer this, why do they have to fight for their rights? Why do they have to ask the government to have broader doors and comfortable seats for the immobile, interpreters and sign language as an official language for the deaf, Indian accessible website for the visually impaired and a little hope for the mentally impaired? Is it that difficult?

How can then India, our country develop with 6,00,00,000 people helpless??!! Ever wondered how to talk to a hearing impaired person...their medium of communication is Sign Language. How do they study when the deaf school teachers themselves are not well-versed with it!!! How do we move on to being a developed country when a part of us are still in the dumps?! Give a thought to it. They should be provided all the necessities but instead they ASK for it.

Are we that insensitive? Have we forgotten that they are our family?

What happened to " we, Indians, are ONE"? Give a thought to it. That's all I need. That's all THEY need.

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The Author is a I yr BA Programme student and a part of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Divya Chanana- The Children of Alcohol Abuse

2008-12-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

It was Friday morning and I reached my college late that day. There I saw a group of my friends discussing something really smartly and the scene made me curious to know the topic of discussion. From there I got the inspiration and now take the opportunity to pen down my thoughts and views for the society to read and know. Instead of going for some usual topics for social issues like unemployment, poverty, female infanticide etc, I want to bring a really different story.

A few days back when I was walking back home from the college , somewhere on the road , I read a banner saying if 18 years is the age to vote then why can't the drinking age be brought down to 18? I know there has been a big debate upon it and although I was never interested in touching this issue again, still the impact such issues leave can't be ignored. In our country, India, where the majority struggles to earn a basic livelihood , we see another picture coming up where the male members of the family engross themselves in drinking alcohol without comprehending the impact it leaves over the children and the women in the same household.

On the other side , there's a woman, who is the mother of say four children. Every night she sees her husband returning home late, drunk, devoid of all consciousness and the scene itself makes her despair of her daily life. Still she doesn't complain , gives him food to eat and tries to feed her children and whatever is left over become her meal.

Next morning , with a hope and aspiration for a new day coming ahead , she gets upgoes to work in the neighbouring household as a maid servant and leaves her children back at home with the father , who upon awakening, starts bringing down his frustration on his own innocent children . Children remain crying , waiting for the mother to come and rescue them but when she comes, she herself becomes a victim of the situation , gets caught in the web and forcefully she is left with no option other than to hand over her earnings into the hands of the husband.

What is the crime\ fault of the wife or the children that they have to face this unending torture, throughout their lives. Why can't they get rid of a person who is of no use to them but just a big burden to be sustained ? Whatever may happen to this man later but today the time has been spoiled for the women and children. Even if she approaches the police, NGO, court will she be able to lead a satisfied , happy life , the life that every women aspires after her marriage. What about the kids? How will an illiterate women make a career for her four kids and what if all of them are girls?

This especially effects the children who faced with such an unhappy childhood are themselves unable to make happy families in the future. . It is pointless to demand from the Government for a comprehensive solution, it is we the young generation who can set ourselves as an example and help out all such children who are in need. Then only we can prove to be proper educated, matured and smart citizens of the country and in true senses a complete human on this Earth. We need to understand that everyone on this earth has the right to live his life to the fullest, enjoying every bit with hard work, sincerity, true commitments and lending a helping hand always for others.

With this I end my article hoping that it would ignite a spark in the readers heart to really understand and help those in need…………..

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The Author is a I yr BA Programme student and part of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Sharon Ann Philip- The Great Indian Quality Crunch

2008-12-08T11:10:00.001-08:00

It’s the mother of all paradoxes plaguing India’s corporate sector today . Our nation has 40 million unemployed people but still there’s a huge talent crunch which is making our knowledge pool look ‘less knowledgeable ‘ than it should be . The problem is immense skill shortage.

Let me first make you familiar with the facts . Our universities churn out 3.6 million graduates every year of whom only 0.9 million are employable . According to the India Science Report, science graduates form 63% of the unemployed graduates .73 million factory workers are required by 2015 , which is 50% more than current figures . Of the 4.5 lakh graduates produced by our 1, 400 engineering colleges ; only 40,000 encompass world class talent and not to forget , there will be a shortage of 500,000 knowledge workers by 2010 .

Having said that , graduate unemployment is on the rise because our university education does not meet employment objectives like language fluency and essential job skills to tackle a competitive environment . The elite of premier institutions like the IITs and IIMs are not enough .Thousands from lesser known institutes need to rise to the forefront and steer growth . The bottlenecks for the same are outdated curriculums in higher education, equally outdated infrastructure and a glaring need for well – qualified faculties .

Some of the solutions to bridge the gap could be increase of job oriented programmes . Companies or factories could seriously consider tie – ups with institutes or vocational educators to offer the required diploma / training . Financial incentives for colleges introducing vocational courses has been advocated by experts too . Universities can offer teachers increased remuneration or sponsor their plans for higher education. Quality should be made directly proportional to the work force at hand . We are a young nation so we can never afford to forget polishing these rough diamonds so that our nation can emerge as a powerhouse , well equipped for the future .

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The Author is I yr BA Programme Student and a Member of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Aishwarya Padmanabhan- 21st Century Paradigms: Resource Scarcity & Environment Degradation

2008-12-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

Two the most important and dormant problems of the country are scarcity of resources and increase in pollution. These issues although of great importance tend to be put on the back burner by the authorities.

Few in India can deny that India is facing an intense crisis of resources. There is intense competition for the nation's limited natural resources. Our land and water resources are being exploited to the hilt. The exploitation of our mineral resources is threatening our forests, nature reserves, and general ecology. Seventy percent of our energy resources need to be imported putting constant pressure on us to export more or face currency devaluation. Over use of resources is contributing to natural disasters occurring more frequently and with greater devastation. For many Indians, life is a big struggle just to put together the bare essentials for survival, and shortages of resources works most against the poor and underprivileged. Even as sections of India's middle-class struggle with scarcities - it is the poor and vulnerable sections of society who suffer most. It is true that better management of resources could reduce this problem - that states like Gujarat and Rajasthan have neglected traditional water-harvesting methods that could be vital to augment scarce water resources. Others have argued that if the Narmada project were to be completed in some acceptable form, it could alleviate such problems in the future. But even with appropriate development schemes and optimum utilization of scarce resources, it would be hard to argue, that on a per capita basis, India's natural resources are not becoming severely strained.

So far, these resources have been shared in a very unequal way. Some Indians have the luxury of taking long showers twice or thrice a day - even their pets are bathed daily, and their cars scrubbed from top to bottom. Other Indians are lucky if they get to bathe once a week. And many Indians are lucky just to have access to clean drinking water. If in the future, India were to become a more egalitarian nation, and attempt to share its water-resources in a fairer and more just way, it is evident that with projected population growth rates, it is unlikely that every Indian citizen will have access to a reasonable amount of water every day. The same would be true of other precious resources like land, energy and scarce minerals. The focus has thus over the past few years shifted to optimum and efficient utilization of resources so as to save the existing natural resources for the future generations.

India just like China too has serious problem with pollution. Unfortunately not only is the country's economy on a growing trend but also the country's pollution and mostly affected are rivers as they have almost become garbage dumps. About 80 % of urban waste in India ends up in rivers where it destroys river ecosystems and it also makes bodies of water unfit for human use, not to mention the fact that many river species populations are falling rapidly and if this trend continues these rivers could soon become dead rivers. Untreated sewage often ends up in rivers and testing of the water from the Ganges River near Varanasi showed that levels of fecal chloroform, a dangerous bacterium that comes from untreated sewage, were about 3,000 percent higher than what is considered safe for bathing. This is of course causing many illnesses. It also has to be said that India invested lots of money in clean-up efforts, especially in area of New Delhi, but that isn't enough considering the rapid growth of population in India and it hasn't resulted in any cleaner water. The worst fact is that water-borne diseases are India's leading cause of child mortalityAir is also polluted in India almost as much as in China and some experts believe that smog from India and China could even change weather patterns in North America. Even the famous Taj Mahal is becoming more and more yellow because of tremendous air pollution.India is already facing massive environmental damage and environment isn't the only victim of this story. Many deaths and diseases of human population are already caused as the result of air and water pollution and many more will follow unless something is done. But what can be done, what is the right solution? Hard to say, maybe to try lifting ecological conscience and awareness of the population, but that's very hard to achieve among rural and uneducated population. It's really now or never for the Indian government to come up with the plan to save the environment before it goes out of their reach.

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The Author is a I yr Journalism Honours student and part of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Mahima Dayal- The Truth of Development

2008-12-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

In the era of global economic interdependence, where international relations and technological break through are the issues of utmost importance we tend to forget the basic reality that haunts our country.

Imagine a scenario where over one quarter of the population of a country is oblivious of all the terms, and issues mentioned above. How can we move forth when most of the people are still unaware of their rights, rather what good would these rights be to those who don’t have any material possessions. My point of argument is very simple; in this rat race to survive we have forgotten that a huge gap has emerged between the rich and the poor. To top that, we brag to be the world’s largest democracy with a splendid list of rights bestowed to our citizens. It seems to be a great achievement. But who shall all this affect. Only those who have something to protect or safeguard, would value such rights. The concept of giving rights is a bourgeoisie concept. What happens to the have not’s in this country……..nothing becomes of them …what rights do they need while sleeping on the footpaths. What would a thief rob ‘them’ off!? Worse comes to worse a drunken rich kid might drive his\her car over them but beyond that what rights are they to loose? We live in a system that is made by the rich, of the rich and for the rich. It’s an eye wash.

The system teaches the poor to never stop aspiring… never to stop dreaming………………one day they also, could become like the king khan….who knows … maybe one day…………………….The system makes or forces us to believe in it, to the extent that we stop doubting it. It has been engrained in our minds that the system we live in is the best or the most acceptable. The truth is that not every ‘autowala’ becomes a famous actor and nor does every poor boy finally marry a rich spoilt girl as we have been told endlessly in Bollywood flicks.

I am not suggesting that the system is entirely at fault all I mean to say is that we live in a democracy ie; the rule by the majority, yet why is it that Ratan Tata has a direct hotline with the Prime Minister and I don’t?

My role ends the moment I caste my vote, I go back home and enjoy the holiday. What becomes of that one vote, one can never foretell.

Bottom-line is that we live in an intensely differentiated society, which surely does all the sweet talk about eradicating poverty and stuff from that genre but what I’d really like to know is how many of the people sitting out there making all those fancy policies really know or are aware of the grim reality….The reality that is shouting out loud. Only to go unheard…The truth …Our country cannot survive if we do not start working from the grass root level. The system has forgotten that the people of the country must be given the utmost importance. It is the people who have to be brought up to the level so that we could actually be potent enough to talk about issues such as space exploration, financial meltdown so on and so forth...

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The Author is I year BA Programme student and part of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Rohini Ram Mohan- Development & the Media

2008-12-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

Communication is a significant component in discourses on development. Daniel Lerner a renowned development theorist once observed that;”no modern society can function without an efficient mass media”. During the 1950’s Social theorists like him across political spectrums have believed that mass media can fasten and ease the process of development by increasing social mobility especially in developing countries like India. India which had chosen the path of industrialization, economic growth and self sufficiency in agriculture was confronted with the task of mobilizing masses, motivating farmers to adopt the new technologies, harnessing labour from various castes and classes, and for forging a national identity. It is not a mere coincidence that movies like Mother India , Do Bigha Zameen, Naya Daur and their depiction of callous money lenders ,landlords and problems of rural India had struck a chord amongst large masses. In a way cinema, radio and newspapers were extensively used to educate people about the rights to land and employment and problems of caste oppression, inform them about development policies and most importantly convey their grievances. Mass media became instrumental in undermining existing social structure and in appealing for a modern, cosmopolitan lifestyle.

However, the concept of development that had guided planners during the initial years of India’s independence came under severe criticism. So, did the role of mass media. Economists began asserting the need for a more participatory approach towards development that involved people from the poorest sections to participate in their own growth. Concerns for human development and not mere economic growth became overriding. This was accompanied by a complete revamp in the approach towards communication. Faults were identified in the content of the media messages, and in the method by which they were disseminated. Media messages had often tended to reach only the rural and urban elites while the poor did not receive messages intended to inform them. Access to cinema , radio and even T.V was unimaginable for the poor who could not afford a two-square meal a day. The mainstream media had been of very less use to them.

Not much has changed as we observe these tendencies even today. With entertainment and advertisement the emphasis of broadcast programming and newspaper reporting a growing disconnect has been observed between masses and the media. More than 512 media representatives were sent to the Lakme fashion week while only a handful of them reported on the farmer suicides in Vidharbha. Poverty is considered to be last on the agenda of mainstream newspapers in a nation of 260 million people below poverty line. Coverage of health issues is restricted to articles on yoga, obesity, and lifestyle related issues than on malnutrition, malaria, tuberculosis and the other diseases which take the life of thousands every year. These examples are just samples of the plethora of areas where the media has just turned a blind eye in a bid to serve more commercial interests.

The need of the hour is to make people conscious of the need for a strong emphasis on development communication. The mass media has to look behind the realm of profit making and serve as a mirror of reality. Not only should it be sensitive towards the requirements of the needy but also champion their cause with persistent campaigning for redressal of their grievances.

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The Author is a IIyr Journalism Honours student and part of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Shivon Dhawan- Voting to Change the System

2008-12-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

“Over 180 killed in Mumbai serial blasts”

In the wake of the recent blasts and terror strikes, it would only be human to develop, a feeling of deeper disgust, for the apparent “leaders” of the countries. The representatives, it seems, have suddenly been woken from their deep slumbers, as what has come to the attention of the nation is, the weak willed and inefficient “leaders”. The political classes’ inefficiency and aloofness, to both its responsibilities and duties has cost a lot of citizens like , you and me , maybe a friend , a cousin , a mother , a child or just someone , loved and cared for, someone cruelly taken away .

The outrage felt all over the country is not only against the terrorists but also the rot within the system. While the terror bloc maybe seen as the evil attacker, what cannot be ignored is the absolute failure of the political democratic system, not the government alone. Our country being the worlds largest democracy not only sees hurdles in the form of hostile neighbours, but now has to deal with a rotting bureaucratic and political machinery.

Perhaps the most alarming question on everybody’s mind is, “what can we do?”. With the common consensus coming to the sad fact, that no political party has been performing, no politician has any connect with the common public and that no matter how much we scream or protest , the situation is just not going to change on its own. However, the more disturbing developments are the radical ideas being suggested, such as, not paying taxes at all or the possibility of giving up the parliamentary system and coming under military rule. This is a worrisome turn of events.

Here lie the problems of the “others”. We have let our politicians alienate themselves from us. The politically sound, educated urban masses suddenly realise that the democracy they are supposed to be a part of, is not theirs at all. Be it the fact that simple needs of a human being, such as, the need for security are being ignored, leaves this class of Indians confused, angry and distort. Thus, is born the “other”, politicians. Someone who does not represent them, but governs them. .

However doesn’t a society deserve its own politicians? While we hold rallies urging each other not to pay taxes, do we realise that we are heading towards a much bigger problem? Do we realise that the system of democracy that we perceive as failing is the only weapon we have?

So what does a commoner do against the “others”? To think that we are weak or helpless is wrong. What we can do is simple .We bring the awaited change. We change them. We become a part of the process, to clean it, rather than to ignore and suffer. We need to eliminate the feeling of the other, and make the “others” a part of “us”. How? One simple word, vote. One of the most precious weapons, and a much ignored duty, is to vote. As a citizen of a democracy, it is the only way we can bring change. Changing not the machinery, but the rusted parts.

To say that we are lucky to be in a democracy is an understatement, we need to realise and appreciate the rights and freedoms given to us as Indians. Instead of doing that, we too conveniently forget our duty to vote, and then complain about the pathetic political machinery in our country. Thus, to concede defeat, to outer enemies or our own system failures is not an option, but defeating them through the democratic rights of a citizen is.

In the end, as Dorothy Thompson said,
“It is not the fact of liberty but the way in which liberty is exercised that ultimately determines whether liberty itself survives”

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The Author is I yr Journalism Honours student and Head of the Lady Sriram College Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Arpita De- Animal Testing: Think Twice Before Putting On that Lipstick

2008-12-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

Animal testing is one of the most cruel and inhuman practices which has continued to scar our world since the seventeenth century. It is estimated that over 50 to 100 million animals worldwide are used annually. The testing can include research such as genetics, developmental biology, behavioral studies, as well as applied research such as biomedical research, drug testing and toxicology tests, including cosmetics testing.

Rabbits are among the most frequent animals used for testing, since they have minimal tear flow as compared to other animals they are often used to test eye irritancy in products like shampoos, conditioners, and creams etc. these tests involve pouring the liquid over the eyes of the rabbit which causes it a lot of pain and can lead to ulceration, cloudiness or make it go blind. Patches are often shaved off the back of rabbits to make them more sensitive, the product is placed on these patches and covered with a gauze for four hours. Researchers then look for signs of redness, inflammation weeping or scabs. This is a method of testing skin irritation. Cats are most commonly used in neurological research which cause them great pain and distress. Dogs are widely used in biomedical research mainly as models for human diseases like cardiology, endocrinology and bone and joint studies. Animals are sometimes also made to eat things like lipsticks before they are rendered harmless. Half the animals are made so sick that they die. They may suffer symptoms such as abdominal pains and cramps, convulsions, vomiting (in some species), paralysis, diarrhea, breathing difficulties, bleeding ulcers and so on.

Recent Studies have shown that effects of chemicals on humans and animals are not the same. In fact their reaction may depend on many factors. Cosmetic testing is banned in countries like Belgium, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. By 2009 the European Union as a whole will ban cosmetic testing. Companies which do not use animals usually have a logo with a bunny in it. In India ‘people for the ethical treatment of animals’(PETA) have demanded a change in government policy on cosmetic tests on animals, stating that these are not just brutal but also results from them are not foolproof. PETA has also written to the Prime Minister, the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister and the Environment and Forests Minister among others to re-look at the policy on cosmetics tests on animals. It is only ethical and humane to discontinue use of products from companies that practice animal testing.

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The Author is I yr History Honours student and a member of the Webteam of DevelopmentChannel.org

Lija John- A Day in the life of an Urban Woman

2008-12-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

Eve teasing violates a woman's basic right to live in dignity. Will women forever remain targets and victims of eve teasing? Will their rescuers continue to be unwilling martyrs to a dead cause? Before these questions are addressed, one needs to explore and analyse why, irrespective of the dress they wear, or, their ages, their looks, their educational, professional and marital status, never mind the time or place, women in Delhi and elsewhere are being subjected to all kinds of harassment from obscene telephone calls, stalking, and last but not the least – eve-teasing.

It's the same story every day. You step on the street in the morning and jump out of your skin as a car hurtles towards you and swerves just before smashing you to a pulp. The driver laughs evilly and you're still cursing him under your breath as you pass a group of men standing at the corner, who burst into songs almost on cue. You pretend not to hear and get into an autorickshaw. (Let me not even start about the horrors of traveling in a bus in India and the daily fight against being groped.) The rickshaw driver adjusts his rear view mirror to get a better look at you, and you sit with your files and bag clutched close to your chest as you avoid eye contact with him through the journey. Two men on a scooter peek into the autorickshaw, decide they like what they see and follow you around for a few minutes staring lecherously and giggling excitedly till the autorickaw driver takes pity on you and waves them off.

At the 6:30 p.m. show you get 'completely unintentionally' jostled and felt up. Well, what did you expect? Just another day.

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The author is a BA Programme Iyr student.

Kartik Viswanath- What can I do?

2008-12-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

Not all, but many of us sometimes get this feeling in our gut that we need to do something with our life, that change must come within us and around us and because of us. I don’t know if you can identify with this, but if you can then you must know how painful such a feeling is. It might come because of somebody you meet, something you see happening around you, or maybe even just a very powerful movie.

And when this happens, the question we ask ourselves is simple…what can I do?

It’s the answer to that question that’s a bit tough.

I thought my first entry should talk about these very questions, the need to think about social issues, the need to create awareness and a concern about the problems faced by society. It’s only when we take the first step that the rest of the path will unveil itself to us.

Most of us live an insulated life, insulated from the pains as well as the joys in the lives of so many around us. As long as things in our life are going well, good food, good house, good bed, good friends, it takes a bit of an effort to pull out of our cocoon and take a look around to see what the guy next door has to deal with. Such behaviour is perhaps our choice, albeit on a sub-conscious level. The reason being, if we do happen to notice the hardship of another, we’ll then have to worry about him, thus ruining our perfectly good life. All this might sound cynical, but if it is, then that would mean things aren’t as bad as they seem, which is great since that’s what we all want in the end anyway, don’t we?

I’m afraid I don’t have any answers to these questions, and I don’t think any of us really do. Further, I confess that I myself am sometimes one such person, a person who does not want to know about another’s suffering, primarily because I fear it will ruin my sleep. It’s so much easier to just block it all out.

The Mumbai terror attacks had me in confused state of mind. On one hand, I felt sad and angry, helpless yet responsible, but on the other hand I felt like I really didn’t want to hear about all that anymore, that I just wanted to laugh some with my friends, eat some good food and watch some stupid Govinda flicks. The latter sounded so much easier, so much more something I’d like to do.

Working out these two opposing forces will require some thought.

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The Author is a II yr college student and head of the Sri Venkateshwara College Website Team of DevelopmentChannel.org

Nidhi Mehta- Liberating the Indian Woman

2008-12-04T11:55:00.000-08:00

I consider myself a woman of the Modern World. I have access to the best education. I have the freedom to express my opinion. There are a plethora of opportunities for me to choose from and no one can dictate my decisions. I am the master of my life.

But this Modern World is just a façade behind which lies a grim and bitter reality.

People say that womens emancipation has been long achieved but the truth is that women are still crippled by social attitudes and orthodoxy. For most women of our country, terms like “democracy” and “gender equality” are a farce.

The Indian Constitution grants women equal rights with men, but strong patriarchal traditions persist, with women’s lives shaped by customs that are centuries old. In most Indian families, a daughter is viewed as a liability, and she is conditioned to believe that she is inferior and subordinate to men.

Where women do not have the discretionary income to invest in their own or their children’s education, where girls’ education is considered frivolous, and where girls are relied on to contribute labour to the household, they miss this unparalleled opportunity to develop their minds and spirits.

Female infanticide, child marriages, poor health and maternal mortality, illiteracy, overwork, mistreatment and trafficking have demeaned the status of Indian women. Of the 15 million baby girls born in India each year, nearly 25 percent will not live to see their 15th birthday . India has the largest population of non-school-going working girls. Working conditions and environmental pollution further impairs their health. The smoke from household biomass stoves within a three-hour period is equivalent to smoking 20 packs of cigarettes. Legal loopholes are used to deny women inheritance rights.

Creating awareness about educating the girl child is a daunting task and a change cannot be brought about unless and until the society changes its outlook towards the fairer sex.

However, it can be achieved by implementing schemes which give incentives for educating girls, using the electronic and print media, community radios as well as organising street plays to spread the message. I feel that making women economically independent is the utmost priority. Though the Govt. has taken initiatives in this regard by launching scemes like Support for Training and Employment Program (STEP) , Balika Samriddhi Yojana (BSY), Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK), etc. but the Government needs to monitor their implementation . Women also need to have greater participation in the decision- making process of the country.

My views are best reflected in this quote by Emmeline Pankhurst-
We have to free half of the human race, the women, so that they can help to free the other half.

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The Author is a IIyr Economics Honours student and an Executive Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Ira Swasti- Where Have all the Women Gone?

2008-12-04T11:45:00.000-08:00

You might have noticed the men’s queue at the metro station go on and on till even outside the station, while the women’s line ends less than halfway through!

UN reports second the point and surprisingly….the child sex ratio (no of boys/100 girls, not the usual estimate of per 1000 boys) has increased since 1991! And you thought, education and increased awareness levels would have brought about a change in attitudes.

One of the main factors responsible since then is the development and easy accessibility of sex-selection techniques. So, it is out in the open, that if you know the sex of your child, the majority of India will go for a boy. Now, even though the government has made it a punishable offence to use these techniques, it is only a “don’t-do-this” way of telling a child, which never works. The technique is being used extensively in certain pockets of India (even if illegally).

So why do parents prefer a boy? We have the roots of the problem in the system of a patriarchal society….but then, why specific to India? - Societal upbringing and pressure….that considers a girl child a less fortunate. The financial burdens associated with her (the problem of dowry being closely linked with it)…to carry on the family name and to shoulder the responsibility of the household once the chief bread earner can do so no more. One of the newspapers aptly described the thinking of such families “Eliminate them (girl foetus) now instead of dealing with the problems of raising a girl”. The “cost” of bringing up a girl child is the same as bringing up a boy child, but it is considered a “wasted investment” as the “returns” go to the girl’s “new” family after marriage. Just like any other problem in the country, this one too is based on self-interest.

The government initiative in this regard was to provide Rs 1 lac to each family for a girl child’s education. It almost reeks of a financial deal finalized, we’ll give you money, you provide the country with a girl child!

These solutions are born out of fear (of punishment) or incentives (such as money) to bring about a change which can never lead to long-term success rates.

Well, in most of the Western countries, the trend is that the son or the daughter will leave their parents behind as they turn 18, in search of independence. And so, it doesn’t matter much whether you have a girl or a boy. But, I personally do not profess such a culture, and so we are back to square one.

The obvious solutions that come to mind are women empowerment and their economic independence. But, a survey by Action India of women in Delhi revealed that even highly educated women have resorted to as many as eight abortions to ensure that they only give birth to a son! Infact, the mother’s educational level was directly proportional to an unfavourable sex ratio!! To add to it, there is actually an increase in the sex ratio when we move from rural to urban areas. It’s often a thing to boast the number of sons you have among certain rich elites. So where lies the solution?

A good example set by people that we look up to (maybe a certain Kalam) can change things. We probably need to create an environment, a culture in the society where families feel as proud and fortunate to have a girl child as they are for a boy child. And for that, participation of women themselves in such a movement is imperative! The change has to be conscience driven. For how long can the government keep telling you not to kill your own child?!

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The Author is a IIyr Economics Honours student and an Executive Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Archana Nair- On Poor Progress

2008-12-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

Being a country of 1.13 billion people, it is no surprise that India has at least 3 of the world’s richest men, but that the very same figure is inclusive of the many that have no clue from where their next meal is to appear, is perhaps a matter of marvel for us.

If the World Bank’s estimate on poverty is to be held as a bench mark, India has 456 million people, 41.6% of its population, living below the new international poverty line of $1.25. This is no where close to the estimates of our Planning Commission which believes that the percentage of poor in this country is 26% to 27%. Of course that is because we hold a much lower poverty line in terms of our currency and calories.

Much has been debated and discussed about the measures of reducing poverty. This is in view of the high level of poverty in rural India, the income inequalities and the uneven wealth distribution in the country. However one wonders how much of the poverty alleviation programme is actually about the man on the streets who owns nothing and has no one. The government has done credible work by distributing basic commodities at controlled prices, by ensuring employment and by helping the poor attain self sufficiency. But is that satisfactory?

10% of statistical reduction in the poor takes half a century, that too in a country that is showing the brightest prospects of economic development. Given that independent India is a young country, both historically and demographically, given also that our political ideology is progressive, encouraging and dynamic and that ours is the land of thinkers and resources; It is hard to believe that the India that claims 8% growth and has opened her economy with great applause, has been able to accomplish precious little for the least advantaged.

Yet there is hope for a better tomorrow. Present times have seen a steep rise in the stress on education, employment and reservations in public lives. Literacy levels and quality of education are on a visible rise. Above all, there is awareness amongst the people of India.

The growth of voluntary organizations and Non Government Organization and the pressure felt by the administration will surely add polish to the armor we wear to battle poverty. That the vicious circle of poverty is never ending will perhaps be proved as a wrong assumption. If only the able lent so little as a smile to those who seek hope, then perhaps I-who proclaim poverty to be eradicable- shall no more be a reluctant optimist.

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The author is a Iyr Journalism Honours student and a Executive Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Sonali Vij- Dowry: When a Marriage becomes a Business Transaction

2008-12-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

We all often talk about being modern, wearing branded clothes, shopping in swanky malls, eating in expensive restaurants etc. but then why is it that we are not able to bring about a change in the way we think as well, why is modernity restricted to only materialistic things? In today’s time of Urbanization, Modernization, Globalization etc. certain social evils like dowry still exist in our society. Well, what started as the girl taking a part of her share in the family property after marriage voluntarily has now become an obligation and compulsion of sorts. Over the period of time dowry has become a widespread evil and it has now assumed menacing proportions but initially dowry was never really a menace and the idea behind it was also not bad.

Marriage is an auspicious ceremony where two individuals are all set to spend the rest of their lives together but it is sometimes considered to be a profitable business deal by the groom and his family. They expect this deal to yield them just about everything from gold, clothes, cars to large sums of cash. They also consider it to be “the opportunity” to extract whatever they can from the bride’s family so that they can ensure a comfortable and luxurious life for themselves. The worst part being that the transaction of dowry often does not end with the actual wedding ceremony as the bride’s family is expected to continue giving gifts. What the groom’s family doesn’t realize is the fact that sometimes by fulfilling all their demands leaves the bride’s family becomes indebted for life. I am not saying that we should totally do away with our traditions, customs and practices but when these practices become a curse we need to do away with them.

Today, the custom of dowry has become a curse in the Indian society. The middle class families are considered to be the worst sufferers of this menace. The brides often face the brunt if their families are unable to fulfill the demands kept forth by her in-laws. Most dowry deaths occur when the young woman, unable to bear the harassment and torture, commits suicide. Sometimes the woman is even killed by setting her on fire. There have also been cases where the brides have been poisoned, recently there was a dowry death reported where a bride of 20 days was killed. In 1995, the National Crime Bureau of the Government of India reported about 6,000 dowry deaths every year. A more recent police report stated that dowry deaths had risen by 170 percent in the decade to 1997. Dowry is not prevalent only in rural areas but in urban areas as well. In Delhi, a woman is burned to death almost every twelve hours. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are the two states where dowry deaths are most common. Every now and then we hear and read about dowry deaths but nothing much is being done in this regard. Most of the cases are not even reported. With a view to eradicate dowry from the Indian society, several laws have been passed but they haven’t been of much help. Someone really needs to take a stand and say that it’s wrong and it must not be practiced or at least they shouldn’t demand or accept it themselves. I must also mention here that few families do consider it as an evil and do not encourage it.

I strongly believe that it should be the wish of the daughter that should matter, whether she wishes to take something from her parents or not. The groom’s side must stay out of it, there should be no obligation or force involved. One of the major reasons for a girl to be still considered a liability and not an asset is because of this social evil and also in several cases it’s because of the fear of inability to give dowry that a male child is still favored over a female child.

Cultural practices such as dowry tend to subordinate women in Indian society and such practices should not be encouraged.

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The author is a IIyr Journalism Honours student and a Core Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Srishti Gupta- The System We All Love to Hate!

2008-12-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

When I look around me I feel the upcoming generation will be a socially conscious one. It’s been over one year of college and its an amazing feeling that almost everyone I come across seems to be involved in some socially responsible thing or the other. Citing the example of my own college, there are a few students helping the visually challenged people in the campus, some have taken up the responsibility to teach the under-privileged children or there is also a lot which goes to some village with an NGO regularly to provide any possible help to the poor villagers.

The crux is that even the most fashionable people studying in popular DU colleges not only think about social issues, in fact, they try to do their bit to improve the situation too. Its not about any single university or place. I have friends in various engineering and medical colleges who are associated with voluntary organizations and are doing considerably great things. Youth of the nation seems to be highly aware and motivated. These subtle things I feel have a profound message in them.

But the situation around sometimes defies even my positive anticipations. The country is going through a difficult phase where maladies like corruption, rampant violence etc. are proliferating and consequently prosperity is declining. Probably the reason is that, we feel strongly for things when we are young and not a part of the system that we love to despise and as we grow older, we seem to be swallowed up and become of part of the same system that troubled us in our youth. Perhaps this generation can break this cycle of inevitability.

The time lapse between wanting to change the system and becoming a part of the same is an important one. I am sure that people who constitute the present work force of our country must have had the fervor to change "things" around them in their youth. The fact that the situation is bad now proves a very vital point. We may desire to do great things in life but by the time we are experienced enough to make a difference, our priorities change. There are so many things like career, marriage, family and material goods that begin to become priorities and we prefer to somehow manage with a known evil, rather than enthusiastically attack it. There are many people who have a strong urge to do things in the just and right way but often stop themselves due to the oft-quoted practical constraints of life.

I guess there is a time in everyone's life when you feel very strongly for those little things around you and there is a desire to change things, change the system…But they say the "system changes you". Well, this need not always be the case. If you stick to your ideals, imbibe a social consciousness and are bolstered with determination and commitment, you’ll find that it IS possible to change the system, but sometimes you have to start by changing yourself.

And if my assessment of the current generation is accurate, a change is coming- and the socially conscious new generation will lead this change!

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The Author is a IIyr Maths Honours student and part of the Core Team of DevelopmentChannel.org

Parul Gupta- Environment (vs.?) Development

2008-12-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

Ecology and economics are closely related issues. Being a student of economics, I’ve studied that inclusive development is not possible without adequate emphasis on environmental protection. Development and environment need to be seen as complementary, not antagonistic terms. After all, if there is no Earth left, where will development take place?!

Today, when the world is facing the harmful consequences of global warming and depletion of resources, environment conservation has become a topic of global significance, not just an issue with local importance. The matter is of paramount relevance in a developing economy like ours, as environment degradation drastically offsets improvements achieved by economic prosperity, apart from having serious implications for distributive justice.

In my view, the shortcomings are in the design of the policies regarding environment. Although the issue has gained more importance in today’s grave scenario, it is still a neglected sector, with excessive emphasis on ‘growth’ in terms of numbers, without focusing on ‘development’ in terms of quality. Improper implementation of policies, coupled with indifferent attitudes of authorities has accentuated the ineffectiveness of environment strategy in India. This has led to a host of problems like mounting pressures on depleting resources and poor waste management resulting in deplorable conditions and health hazards. Thus it is imperative to frame environment policy with holistic considerations of health, sanitation and overall development of the populace. The following things must be done:

More awareness & sensitivity towards the environment is the key to environmental conservation. A possible measure for this would be to inculcate awareness among students.

Providing infrastructure for waste management, water harvesting and paper recycling in schools and colleges can go a long way in sowing the seeds of environment consciousness in young minds.

Concurrently, it is also crucial for the government and policy makers to ‘walk the talk’ by adopting water harvesting & waste management and using efficient energy sources in government offices, in addition to having laws that reinforce other initiatives; for example, to make a ‘Say no to crackers’ drive by students successful, the government can play an important role to reduce consumption of crackers, possibly by higher taxes.

Thus, positive encouragement for judicious use (concessional rates of solar equipment and efficient appliances) and negative incentives for misuse of resources (higher taxes for inefficient cars and high energy consuming buildings) should be provided.

Apart from this, at the micro level, each one of us can contribute towards the betterment of the environment, simply by living by the principle of “REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE”. Really, it does not take much time or effort to be judicious about the usage of precious resources like electricity, water and paper. Small steps do have a profound impact-and the sooner we realize this, the better it will be for our Earth and our future generations.

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The author is a Final Year student from Delhi University and the Knowledge Centre Coordinator of DevelopmentChannel.org

Anoushaka Chandrashekhar- The Educated Rickshaw Puller

2008-12-02T11:56:00.000-08:00

In a technology driven world of the most populous metropolitan city of India, where urbanization is at its prime, the sight of a primitive caravan being pulled by a weary tired man is certainly surprising but not uncommon.

Cycle rickshaws were introduced in Delhi way back in 1940. Their number has increased phenomenally in the last couple of decades. Rickshaws can be seen in large numbers in the National Capital Region – from the roads of Chandini Chowk to the University campus. In the absence of any alternative mode of transport for short distances, the rickshaws emerged as a vital public service. But the rickshaw pullers still have to bear the brunt of low wages and sub-human conditions of living. They migrate to urban areas in search of a better livelihood only to face urban misery in replacement of rural poverty. In addition they face many other problems. The police as well as the commuters abuse them physically and verbally. The policemen harass them, sometimes damaging their rickshaws and they end up paying for the damages.

Since most rickshaw pullers do not own the rickshaws they pull, they have to pay a part of their daily earnings to the owners. Here too they are exploited. They also suffer from a lot of health problems as the job involves a lot of physical work and is particularly difficult for the older persons. Most rickshaw pullers said that they are physically exhausted at the end of the day and they have no energy left to do anything else. The rickshaw pullers earn a very low wage which is not sufficient to even afford their basic minimum necessities. They can hardly afford two meals a day.

These people also have aspirations in life. They want their children to study and do well in life. None of them want their children to be rickshaw pullers. They do long for a better livelihood. A lot of the rickshaw pullers are from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Their families are based there and they have to earn in order to support them.

It would come as surprise to many people that some of the rickshaw pullers are graduates, and still they have not got a better job than pulling rickshaws. Manoj, a differently abled rickshaw puller says, “What can I do? Maybe it is this (his lack of nervous coordination) which is preventing me from moving ahead in life”. Overwhelmed with emotion he continues “though I have completed a six month certificate course in chair making and shoe polishing as well as typing, I am continuously being turned down by various employers”. The plight of this young man seems never-ending despite having the acquired the requisite skills.

The government’s attitude towards them has also not been particularly supportive. The government has used archaic laws to treat people working in this sector as though they are criminals and used the full might of the state to harass, fleece and hound them through bizarre regulations.

So the next time you climb onto a rickshaw, think what it feels like to be driving one all day.
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The author is a IIyr Economics Honours student and a Core Team Member of DevelopmentChannel.org

Rishabh Gulati - Lost in Transmission: The Politics of India's Electricity Crisis

2008-12-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

In his Independence Day address on 15th August, 2008, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the nation that to eliminate poverty in India, an annual economic growth rate of 10% had to be achieved and sustained. In the early 1990s, this would have seemed a difficult and perhaps downright fanciful vision, but India has been witnessing an economic boom in recent years. GDP growth for the last 4 years has averaged 9%, peaking at 9.6% in 2006-07, just shy of the visionary mark of 10%.

While fiscal policy and economic reforms continue to be hotly debated, the biggest threat to rapid industrialization and development in India is a lack of power. Power cuts, blackouts and load shedding have been a constant problem in the day to day functioning of business and enterprise. The Maharashtra government this year announced load shedding of up to 16 hours a day in the small scale industrial areas of the state during the peak summer months. India faces a perennial electricity shortage of 7% and a peak time shortage of 11%.

The facts portray a discomforting picture. While economic liberalization and private enterprise have brought us to the threshold of achieving 10% growth, we cannot cross this economic Rubicon if industry is to be starved of power supply.

Similarly, electricity consumption is, no longer a requisite of industrialization alone, it has attracted developmental and aspirational virtues as India has modernized over the decades. It is hard to address to an urban audience how ‘electricity’ could be something to aspire to, but in rural India, electrification is a privilege. Almost 1/3rd of rural India continues to subsist without connections to the national grid. With electricity lies the key to a more comfortable lifestyle with televisions, refrigerators and even air conditioning- that most of the urban conglomerations take for granted. Lack of electrical supply inhibits development by forcing farmers to use expensive diesel fuel to power irrigation pumps and provide lighting.

Due to its developmental and aspirational connections, electricity has become a political tool. Governments at state and centre boast of their achievements in connecting villages to the national grid. This pseudo-electrification, like many other gimmicks utilized in election rallies, is a developmental red-herring. Laying electrical cables to a village without planning for a commensurate increase in power production is a waste of time and copper. How do you distribute electricity if you have none to distribute in the first place?

Politics, however, does not require logical consistencies. Political schemes to provide farmers with ‘free’ electricity during election times is another favoured practice. True to the saying, anything that is free has no value, ‘free’ power leads to rampant wastage and stretches the national grid literally to the ‘tripping’ point. Farmers in turn get the ultimate in free power, no power at all.

Similarly, political compulsions cause urban politicians to turn a blind eye to rampant pilferage of electricity in urban shanties and unauthorized and unplanned colonies. Almost 40% of electricity in the capital New Delhi is lost due to pilferage. This results in increased bills for those who do pay for their share, which has doubtful moral legacies.

Just like the beauty of the Vedas is often lost in translation, so the beauty of economic growth in India is being lost in transmission.

Shoddy and unplanned electricity theft not only strains the electricity mains, but provides a hazard to life and property. Any layman walking down city alleys amidst the mass of convoluted, dangling, exposed wires amongst rickety wooden housing, past oil drums and gas cylinders can only look to the heavens to answer why more short circuit fires, indeed explosions, do not happen. As a child I recall nightly fireworks at the local electricity transformer with a fondness only a child unaware of the dangers can have.

Electricity, in essence, is a key fuel to power economic growth. In addition, as I have pointed out, it has important developmental virtues and aspirational overtones. Then it seems absurdly shocking why electric power generation has been so woefully neglected for decades.

Once more we shall blame our pet peeve, politicians. While politics has compounded problems in electricity supply, it has sought no solution in electricity production. When faced with a shortage of electricity, the government of Uttar Pradesh will simply draw more from the national grid. Haryana will do the same, blame it on Punjab which will blame it on poor rainfall and therefore fall in hydropower generation. Delhi, having hardly any power generation capacity of its own will blame all of the above and twiddle its thumbs while proclaiming great success at achieving nothing. Passing the buck as a survival tactic is fine, but we shall soon play this passing-the-parcel game in darkness, with a flute as musical accompaniment.

What then, is the solution?

Firstly, you need a grand vision of power production in India. It must plan for added power generation for the next 20-30 years, not quick fixes that are readily falling behind the curve. Happily, while the National Electricity Policy of 2005 does contain the usual bombast of ‘power for all by 2012’, it goes into further detail of adding 1 lakh megawatts of power production in less than one decade. This should almost double India’s electricity production to a grand total of over 2.25 lakh megawatts. Even this might not be enough, but it’s a good start.

Secondly, large scale re-vamping of the national grid must be done to upgrade infrastructure and harmonize load distribution. By improving efficiency alone, end-user electricity supply could be improved by as much as 10%.

Thirdly, electric loss due to pilferage must be tackled with a political backbone hitherto missing in Indian politicians since the heroism of the independence struggle. Reducing pilferage not only makes electricity consumption safer, but reduces the cost to all the users which is a long-term political advantage.

Fourthly, environmental and social considerations should be included in the policy process from the beginning, not as cobbled together after-thoughts. India has one of the world’s largest coal reserves and producing thermal electricity is nominally cheaper, almost half the cost per unit when compared to nuclear and wind generation. The cost would, however, attain parity if environmental impacts were computed into project costs. Similarly, displacement of people which has stalled many hydro-power projects such as the expansion of the Narmada dam, must be taken into consideration before, and not after, the project is commissioned. Social campaigners and environmentalists, must therefore be included at the policy making stage to help reduce the societal displacement, instead of dragging them away belatedly from dharna’s on Parliament Street.

Lastly, while private enterprise has been recently instituted in both power generation and distribution, the government’s responsibility is to generate competition to lower prices and not hold private companies to ransom for political compulsions to neithers benefit.
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The author is Assistant Editor, Development Channel