July 2013 issue

July 2013 Issue

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The recent Uttarakhand tragedy, where thousands of people lost their lives after a cloudburst at Kedarnath led to landslides and flash floods in this eco-sensitive region, has sparked off a debate if the disaster was a natural calamity or man-made? While the centre and state administration claim that it was only a natural disaster, environmentalists have blamed the unplanned development of roads, hotels, hydropower projects and mining in the region for this colossal devastation. Even if the cloudburst was a natural calamity, there is no denying that haphazard growth in the region and plundering of hills aggravated the magnitude of the tragedy. The calamity once again brings into focus the scant respect shown to nature by humans. Does development have to be at the cost of nature? How far can humans exploit nature for their own greed? Nature can bear the brunt to only a certain extent and when it cannot endure further, it revolts and that is exactly what happened at Uttarakhand.

It is our primal duty to conserve nature and take care of our mountains, hills, rivers and forests, so that the human race continues to survive. Similarly, we need to preserve our heritage monuments that reflect our culture. The July 2013 issue of One India One People, ‘Conserve…or Perish’ highlights the importance of conserving our natural resources, whether it is water, biodiversity, soil, wildlife or our monuments.

Kanchi Kohli

In the lead article, ‘The greed that is killing biodiversity,’ Kanchi Kohli observes that today, people’s lives are increasingly becoming far removed from biodiversity and with the pressures on biodiversity increasing manifold, the very future of our ecosystems and species is deeply threatened.

The writer works and writes on environment, forest, and biodiversity governance issues. In her writing, she seeks to explore the interface between industrialisation and its impacts on both local communities and ecosystems.

Dr. Arvind Kumar

In ‘Every drop counts!,’ Dr. Arvind Kumar writes that water conservation entails harnessing of the available water resources for the best beneficial use with all the technological and policy measures at command. Reduce, recycle and reuse should be our mantra to conserve water, he says.

The writer is the President of India Water Foundation, a non-profit organisation established to create public awareness at national level in India and sub-regional level in Asia, regarding water and its impact on human health, economic growth and environmental sustainability. He is a renowned water activist, having provided new impetus to the water movement in India by disseminating knowledge on water-related issues with specific emphasis on Right to Water, Water Rights for Socially Excluded, Inter-Sectoral Convergence in Water Sector and Regional Water Diplomacy etc. He has also published over 200 research articles in recent years on national, regional and international issues in reputed journals.

Bittu Sahgal

Extinction of species is the barometer of a crisis that will ultimately impact on the economy and the viability of the Indian nation. In ‘Withering wildlife,’ noted environmentalist Bittu Sahgal rues that we, as a nation, do not have any national preparedness to tackle the imminent ecological crisis that looms large.

The writer is the Editor of Sanctuary magazine. His work today revolves around saving the tigers and the forests of India.

Dr. Anupam Ghosh

In ‘Marine conservation at sea,’ Dr. Anupam Ghosh, Chief Scientist of Asian Marine Conservation Association (AMCA), says that the role of marine conservation in mitigating climate change due to global warming is significant, as the marine environment shelters the largest ecosystem on our planet earth known as the marine ecosystem.

Dr. Ghosh has served as an adviser to late Prime Minister, Chandrasekhar Singh in forming the “Task Force” for combating Oil Spill pollution problem during the Gulf War in 1991.

Dr. A. K. Tiwari

The pace of soil degradation has greatly increased in recent times due to burgeoning population and the enhanced means of exploitation of natural resources. In ‘Saving the soil,’ Dr. A.K. Tiwari and Dr. Sharmistha Pal, note that soil and water conservation measures have become more relevant to combat the challenges of climate change and sustain the agriculture production.

Dr. Tiwari is Principal Scientist & Head at Central Soil & Water Conservation Research & Training Institute (CSWCRTI) Research Centre, Chandigarh. He has vast and varied experience of research in the field of hydrology, soil and water conservation, water harvesting and watershed management. He has more than 150 publications to his credit including research papers, book chapters, bulletins, reports and excerpts in proceedings of national and international conferences.

Dr. Sharmistha Pal

Dr. Sharmistha Pal is a Scientist (Soil Chemistry and Fertility) at the Centre. She is a recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including Young Scientist Award from Indian Science Congress Association and Jawaharlal Nehru Award from Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

It is our collective responsibility to conserve and maintain our heritage monuments and sites. India has an adequate pool of expertise, infrastructure and stringent framework of laws to successfully execute heritage conservation projects. In ‘Conserving national heritage is preserving our culture,’ Anil Noronha writes that the problem is in implementation, social awareness, people’s participation and ownership, political will and funding.

The writer is a practicing architect based in Mumbai. He has also been prolific in filing RTI applications as a tool to demand accountability from the administration in his concern for social and civic issues - particularly in the department of cooperation and housing societies.

Leena Mehendale

In ‘Energy auditing India for sustainable development,’ Leena Mehendale says that energy audit is imperative to energy conservation programmes and is a vital link in the entire energy management chain, which in turn can guide and control energy use so as to yield maximum possible output per unit of energy.

The author, presently Member CAT Mumbai in the rank of High Court Judge, is an accomplished administrator, teacher, thinker and writer. She has travelled over 400 out of 650 districts in India and is proficient in many Indian languages. As an administrator she has worked in various departments which include education, women, children, industries, petroleum, agriculture, and health.

Some of her service highlights are economic rehabilitation of Devdasis, making TV and radio serials for energy conservation, designing, training and framing policies for Yashada (Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration) and promoting Indian languages on computers. Presently, she is actively pursuing revival of Sanskrit language. She has given over 1000 lectures, authored 25 books on diverse subjects and over 600 articles, in Marathi, Hindi and English.

Piroj Wadia

In ‘The Celluloid Man,’ Piroj Wadia, veteran film journalist, pays tribute to the legendary film archivist P. K. Nair to whom goes the credit of making us cineastes aware of restoration and preservation of our cinematic heritage.

 Md. Masarrath Ali Khan

ces.In ‘Know India Better,’ we feature the Lake City, Udaipur, whose mystique, magic, aura and ambience have always defied exposition and therein lies its true charm, beauty and enchantment. Md. Masarrath Ali Khan, freelance travel writer, takes us on a journey of the royal city of charming lakes and magnificent pala

Shubha Benurwar

In 'Face to Face', Anuradha Kalhan, Lecturer, Dept of Economics, Jai Hind College, Mumbai, spoke to Shubha Benurwar, one of the CDOs (Community Development Officers), who is closely associated with the implementation of the 1997 scheme called Swaran Jayanthi Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) in Mumbai. Shubha spoke about the various aspects of the scheme and its success stories. 

Shubha Benurwar

There is so much for India to be happy at the recent developments in Pakistan and to look forward for better bilateral relations between the two countries. In ‘A new step for Pakistan, a new hope for India,’ Dr. P. M. Kamath asks if Nawaz Sharif will be able to go ahead with his plans. The writer, formerly Professor of Politics, Mumbai University, is currently Hon. Director, VPM’s Centre for International Studies (Regd.,) and Adjunct Professor, Department of Geopolitics & International Relations, Manipal University, Manipal.

B. Ramesh Babu

Even as we continue with our policy of improving our trade and economic relations at

the bilateral level and also cooperate with China, as far as possible on key global issues dividing the North and the South, we should have no illusions on the border dispute. In ‘Dealing with the Dragon,’ B. Ramesh Babu opines that it should be made clear to China that all bets are off as far as the border issue is concerned.

The writer is a specialist in International Relations. He is currently the Scholar in Residence, Foundation for Democratic Reforms, Hyderabad. He was formerly the Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Professor of Civics and Politics, University of Mumbai.

Dr. Devendra Kothari

July 11 is observed as the World Population Day. With 1.27 billion people and still growing, India is getting dangerously overcrowded. In ‘Galloping population, a huge concern,’ Dr. Devendra Kothari highlights the population concerns faced by India. He feels that the population and related issues have not been given due importance in the development debate of India.

The writer, a Population and Development Analyst, is currently associated with the Forum for Population Action - an advocacy group on population and development, as its Hon. Secretary. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR), Jaipur. Dr. Kothari was appointed as a Chairperson of the National Committee to review the implementation of the family welfare programme by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India (2000). He blogs on Population and Development, to increase awareness about issues that directly impact population growth and sustainable development at Kotharionindia.blogspot.com.

Vandita Morarka

In ‘Youth Voice,’ Vandita Morarka discusses the merits and demerits of reservation.  How long should we continue with reservations, asks Vandita, an aspiring lawyer.

 In ‘Great Indians,’ we feature Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar, the Dhrupad maestro (1932-2013); the profile is authored by Amarendra Dhaneshwar, a classical singer, and also a freelance journalist and cultural activist.

Rituparno Ghosh, the legendary film-maker (1963-2013); the profile is authored by Shoma A. Chatterjee, a freelance journalist, film scholar and author.

Captain Radhakrishnan Harshan AC, a source of inspiration

(1980-2007); profiled by Brigadier Suresh Chandra Sharma (retd).

And also read our regular columns and other features. To book a copy, email to oiopfoundation@gmai.com / oiop@vsnl.net or call Nagesh Bangera, OIOP Subscription-in-charge at 022- 2353 44 00.

We look forward to your feedback.

June

There are umpteen government welfare schemes that come with promises and hopes for the poor and marginalsised sections of the society. While the objectives of these schemes are well intended most of these fail to achieve the desired goals because of faulty implementation and poor monitoring. Lack of awareness among beneficiaries, financial laxity and above all corruption, are the other reasons for the failure. OIOP’s June 2013 issue ‘What ails Government schemes’ analyses some of the schemes, points out the lacunae and suggests measures for improvement.

In the lead article ‘What ails Government schemes’, Leena Mehendale does an incisive analysis on why government schemes go awry and tells us how loopholes can be plugged in the initial stages itself to achieve the desired goals.

Mehendale, presently Member CAT Mumbai in the rank of High Court Judge, is an accomplished administrator, teacher, thinker and writer. She has travelled over 400 out of 650 districts in India and is proficient in many Indian languages. As an administrator she has worked in various departments which include education, women, children, industries, petroleum, agriculture, and health. Some of her service highlights are economic rehabilitation of Devdasis, making TV and radio serials for energy conservation, designing, training and framing policies for Yashada (Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration) and promoting Indian languages on computers. Presently, she is actively pursuing revival of Sanskrit language. She has given over 1000 lectures, authored 25 books on diverse subjects and over 600 articles, in Marathi, Hindi and English.

In ‘Fair prices, unfair practices’, Dr. Sunil B. Bhosale and Pralhad N. Kamble recommend measures to streamline the PDS system, clouded with corruption and malpractices, so that subsidised food and essential commodities reach the poor. Dr. Sunil B. Bhosale is Faculty, Research Associate, CSSEIP, Gokhale Institute of Economics & Politics, Pune. Mr. Pralhad N. Kamble is Assistant Professor, Dept. of Economics, Shri.  S.H. Kelkar College, Devgad, Dist- Sindhudurg, Maharashtra.

In ‘How dependable is Aadhar?’, Prof. Rajanish Dass and Neha Khatri take a critical look at the much debated UIDAI scheme. The promises made by UIDAI are tall but if it fails to address the plethora of concerns, doubts and questions that have been raised again and again, how much can we rely on it, they ask.

Prof. Dass is former professor, IIM, Ahmedabad, currently working as the founder President of a global Management Consulting and Executive Education initiative, Catallyst Constellations. He is engaged as an independent advisor and think tank in various areas impacting policy making at central and state government(s) in India as well as co-alignment of strategy and IT for numerous private sector, public sector and not for profit organisations. Neha Khatri, a post graduate in Management, works in the research field in Catallyst Constellations. Her primary research interests lie in social and development programmes for the people, outsourcing relationships and various policy initiatives of the government.

In ‘Good intent, lackadaisical implementation’, Dr. Nidhi Mishra observes that the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme in India (IGNOAPS), though aimed at providing financial security to the destitute aged living below poverty line fails to achieve its goal because of lackadaisical implementation.

The writer is working at Tata Institute of Social Sciences for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Ageing project in India.

‘A house for the homeless’ anayalses the performance of the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) designed to provide a roof over the heads for India’s marginalised sections. IAY is far from achieving its targets because of delays in fund release and the slow pace of construction. Availability of land, sub standard quality of the houses and selection of beneficiaries are other areas of concern, writes Avani Kapur.

The writer works at the Accountability Initiative (AI), Centre for Policy Research as a Senior Research and Programme Analyst. (The author is grateful to Ms. Saamia Ibrahim for her research assistance)

In ‘The fight against malnutrition’, Dipa Sinha talks about the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which has been an arsenal in fighting malnutrition in India. The proposed reforms in the scheme are expected to further reduce the rate of malnutrition, or so we hope.

The writer is a public health and food rights researcher and activist. She is involved with the Right to Food Campaign and Working Group for Children Under Six (of the Right to Food Campaign and Jan Swasthya Abhiyan). She has also worked with the Office of the Commissioners to the Supreme Court on the Right to Food.

In ‘Know India Better’, we feature ‘Terracotta Art of Bishnupur’. Bishnupur in West Bengal is a beautiful temple town housing many unique terracotta temples. There are stone temples too which remind visitors of the glorious history of the place that was once ruled by the Malla kings. Bishnupur is also famous for handicrafts, terracotta artifacts and exquisitely crafted Baluchari sarees. Text and photos are by Rangan Dutta. A mathematics teacher by profession, Dutta is a travel enthusiast.

In ‘Face to Face’, Devinder Sharma a distinguished food and trade policy analyst talks to One India One People about the faulty policies of the government and mismanagement on the food front that are responsible for the agrarian crisis. He dubs the proposed ‘Food Security Bill’ as “Old wine in a new bottle”, and suggests measures to revive India`s agriculture.

Sharma is a trained agricultural scientist who quit active journalism to research on policy issues concerning sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and intellectual property rights, environment and development, food security and poverty, biotechnology and hunger, and the implications of the free trade paradigm for developing countries and has authored four books. The popular Indian weekly magazine The Week in its issue dated Aug 16, 2009 listed Sharma among the 25 Most Valuable Indians, calling him ‘Green Chomsky”. Sharma is associated with numerous national and international organisations, civil society groups and farmers’ organisations.  

Veteran actor Pran was honoured with the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke Award for Lifetime Achievement in May 2013. In the article ‘… and, above all, Pran’, National award-winning film historian, scriptwriter and documentary filmmaker Sanjit Narwekar pays tribute to the iconic bad man of Indian cinema.

In the article ‘Mother tongue, an endangered language’, Shoma A. Chatterjee fears that the mother tongue will soon disappear from our lives as the English language becomes a preferred language of communication.

The writer is a freelance journalist, film scholar and author. She has authored 17 published titles and won the National Award for Best Writing on Cinema twice.

In ‘Youth Voice’, Anuja Gopalan, a fresh law graduate pens her thoughts on the equality of sexes. “When has seeking equality of sexes become an option?”, asks Anuja, who deeply cares for civil rights and gender equality. She enjoys research and analysis and hopes to make a fulfilling career as an academician. 

June 26 is observed as “The International Day against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking”. In ‘Drug abuse: A ticking time bomb’, Johnson J. Edayaranmula notes that although drug abuse in India has reached alarming proportions, there is no real will to deal with the menace.   The writer is Director, Alcohol & Drug Information Centre (ADIC) – India (since 1989). He is also the Executive Director of Indian Centre for Alcohol Studies (INCAS) and also the Advisory Member of Expert Committees on Adolescent Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Road Safety, etc., of the Government of India.

In ‘Great Indians’,we feature three different three personalities from different fields: 

Anutai Wagh, a pioneer in basic education (1910-1992);

Major General Eustace D’Souza PVSM, Once a soldier always a soldier; (1921-2013) and  

Asghar Ali Engineer, Crusader for Peace and Justice (1939-2013).

And also read our regular columns and other features. To book a copy, email to oiopfoundation@gmai.com / oiop@vsnl.net or call Nagesh Bangera, OIOP Subscription-in-charge at 022- 2353 44 00.

We look forward to your feedback.

May 2013 issue

UNLEASHING THE YOUTH POWER

India is currently experiencing a demographic dividend with almost 60% of its population being under the age of 35. It is expected that, the average age of an Indian will be 29 years in year 2020, as compared to 37 years for China and 48 years for Japan. But is India doing enough to reap the benefits of this dividend? How do we empower our youth? How can we channelise their energies to participate in nation building? How can we empower our youth and unleash their potential? 

Empowering teenagers and youth is important because it affords them an opportunity to establish their ability and competence. Youth empowerment is not just creating employment opportunities but it is more about inclusion of youth in the national mainstream. A flawless education system, inclusive employment opportunities and opportunities in governance are some of the ways that youth empowerment can be brought about. OIOP May 2013 issue ‘Unleashing the youth power’ discusses various ways of empowering youth and harnessing their talent.

In ‘Moulding leaders of tomorrow’, Jehangir B. Gai, a consumer activist and winner of the Govt. of India’s National Youth Award for Consumer Protection, says that the youth should be allowed to participate meaningfully in a democratic set up, and given responsible positions where they can take India forward and make it a power to reckon with.

In ‘Unleashing youth power’, Kshitij Bansal, the Founding President of International Policy Analysis Network (IPAN), says that youth empowerment is not just creating employment opportunities but it is about structural and institutional inclusion of youth in the national mainstream. Kshitij is attempting to provide a platform for youth to engage in core public policy analysis through IPAN.

In ‘An idea whose time has come’, Srijan Pal Singh, an author, columnist and expert in Sustainable Development, says that empowered youth is an idea whose time has come. While schemes and policies are necessary for bringing about transformation, what is more important is a philosophical change of elevating the youth to fairer opportunities and greater responsibilities, writes Srijan has worked with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam towards the evolution of the development system of PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) and has co-authored the bestseller on poverty alleviation – Target 3 Billion. He has an MBA from IIMA, where he was the student President and was awarded the Gold Medal for the best All Rounder student.

‘The youth is what we make them’, says Tushar A. Gandhi, a social activist, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and the Managing Trustee of Mahatma Gandhi Foundation in Mumbai, who opines that the rising instances of youth involved in criminal activities raise the alarming spectre of a decline in morality and ethics in society. But can we blame the youth, he asks because they become what they see around them.

In ‘Blueprint for a flawless education system’, Parth Shah, who is with School Choice Campaign of the Centre for Civil Society, New Delhi, opines that a competent and inclusive education system can produce empowered youth. He feels RTE can make this possible provided the state changes its role from controller to facilitator, from producer to financier and from inspector to informer.

In ‘Skilling youth the inclusive way’, Meera Shenoy, a member of National Council on Skill development, Office of the Advisor to the Prime Minister on skilling, emphasises that India will be able to reap its demographic dividend only if it fulfils its goal of skilling its 500 million plus youth in an inclusive way. Meera is also Senior Advisor, UNDP, for skilling and employment. She is Founder of Youth4Jobs, which focuses on helping companies hire an inclusive workforce. She was awarded the NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller award for being a role model individual for increasing employment opportunities for the disabled.

In ‘Youth in governance, but how?’, Anil Bairwal and Ruchika Singh opine that participation of youth in governance can force politicians to take substantive steps in the right direction and make our political system more accountable and inclusive. Bairwal is National Coordinator, Association for Democratic Reforms and Singh is a consultant with Association for Democratic Reforms.

In ‘Youth has to be understood, not victimised’, Dr. Varsha Rajan Berry and Nasreen Contractor say that youth caught in the throes of conflict and violence must be seen as potential actors and leaders in peace building, as they are the future, and hence must be engaged with to build the foundations of society based on just peace.

Dr. Berry is a professional with 14 years of experience in the field of research, activism and network building in the area of peace, democracy and human rights. She is currently associated with South Asians for Human Rights, Women’s Research and action Group and the India-Pakistan people’s movement for peace and democracy. Contractor is an educationist and peace activist and is a professional with experience of work with community groups, NGOs and international networks for the past 30 years. 

In ‘Raising a better India’, Cauvery Bhalla, a spiritual trainer and chief archivist at Chinmaya Mission, advocates a practical, easy to follow 10 + 1 plan that parents can use to inspire their children and mould them to be responsible citizens of tomorrow.

In ‘Youth for a social change’, OIOP presents views of few young men and women who are actually striving to make a difference in society through their work.

“Stand up for what you believe in,” says Chitranshu Tewari, current Indian Youth

Advisor to UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). A literature student at the Delhi University, Chitranshu has won several awards like several awards like Action For Nature Young Eco Hero, British Council Global Changemaker and World Summit Youth Award for his organisation, Green Brigade (www.greenbrigade.net).

“We hope to spur the youth into action,” say Rhea Tibrewala and Malvika Bhatia, both working with ‘Know Your Vote’, an organisation which aims to create long term and sustainable change in the mindset of India’s youth by increasing political awareness.

“Give youth the freedom to choose,” is what Raj Janagam believes, if youth in India have to be empowered. Raj is Founder of UnLtd Hyderabad (currently in beta phase, website: http://unltdhyderabad.org/) which is a social incubator being set-up to support social entrepreneurs across Andhra Pradesh. His primary interests are social entrepreneurship and politics which he believes can bring the much needed change in our country.

 

“Young minds have begun to explore creative solutions benefitting the community,” observes Shanmuga Priya. T, Manager – Programmes & Communications, BREADS Bangalore, an organisation working with vulnerable children and marginalised youth in Karnataka and Kerala.

Indian Cinema celebrates 100 years on 3 May 2013. In ‘Parsi pioneers of Indian cinema’, veteran film journalist Piroj Wadia, writes on the outstanding contribution of three Parsi filmmakers - Ardeshir Irani, J J Madan and Sohrab Modi to Indian cinema.

May 31 is the ‘World No Tobacco Day’ to draw attention to the widespread menace of tobacco abuse and its adverse effects on health. Hemant Goswami highlights the ill effects of tobacco and advocates its ban for a healthier India.  Goswami is a public health activist associated with Burning Brain Society and Tobacco Gree India Coalition.

In ‘Know India Better’, we feature ‘Hyderabad – City of Love’. Hyderabad, the city of pearls, displays the charming panorama of the past alongside its modern institutions. Anuradha Goyal takes a stroll around its old monuments, museums, lakes and parks, tastes its famous cuisine and is amazed to see how erstwhile royalty and culture still looms large over the city’s landscape. The writer is a leading travel blogger and her travel tales can be read at http://anuradhagoyal.blogspot.com.

In ‘Face to Face’, Jayanthi Mahalingam, a freelance editor and writer from Mumbai, interviews Rashmi Misra, Founder-Chairperson of VIDYA, a Delhi-based NGO, which provides holistic, integrated education to thousands of underprivileged children, women and youth.

The turning point in Misra’s life came 27 years ago, when she noticed five little girls playing near a dirty nullah near her house and she asked them why they were not in school. Their reply, that it was only boys who went to school, not girls, galvanised her into starting an informal learning centre in her garden.

In ‘Great Indians’, we profile Sarkhel (Admiral) Kanhoji Angre, The sailor with strategic vision (1669-1729);

 

Balshastri Jambhekar, The Father of Modern Maharashtra (1812-1846) and

 

Ganesh Pyne, Master of Modern Art (1937-2013).

And also read our regular columns and other features. To book a copy, email to oiopfoundation@gmai.com / oiop@vsnl.net or call Nagesh Bangera, OIOP Subscription-in-charge at 022- 2353 44 00.

We look forward to your feedback.