SORRY, I HELPED A THIEF! (PART-II)

We landed at New Delhi airport. It was late September. There was a sense of joy for the Indians. The Canadians were looking forward for exotica. None of them have visited India earlier.

Some expected India to be as exotic as described in Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book. After a brief stay in New Delhi we headed south to Kerala. We took a train and due to prevailing flood, we took a circuitous route through one of the oldest mountain ranges in India, the Aravallis and the Western Ghats.

After three days on the train, we finally reached our destination. We again headed to three places with our individual groups. Our group went to a village called Kadampanad in Pathanamthitta district.

We never expected such a reception on our arrival. There was the entire village waiting. Elaborately decorated Temple Elephants, even the press waited for us. Flowers were showered. We were spellbound by this reception.

Me and Pat was put in a family, which incidentally had the son George graduating in Theology. We attended Church service on the first Sunday. But our coordinators excused us from future attendance as the service was in Malayalam language, which me and Pat couldn't understand.

In fact, in India there are thousands of languages. A guy from the north would not understand languages in the South. Similarly, with the case of East and West.  Some small States have multiple languages, with people from one corner not understanding what the guy from the other corner is saying.

Me pat and another Indian, Arun were paired up. Arun's counterpart was kicked out of the programme. We tried our best to have him in the programme, but in vain.

We were assigned to work in a brick kiln. Man! We only managed to break the entire machinery the second day into our job. The owner said we needn't work further and allowed us to loiter around. That we did.

Kerala is beautiful situated on the Arabian Sea. Lush greenery and dotted with coconut trees and backwaters. Here  the group didn't have the luxury of hang out in the evenings like in Canada. So we met occasionally.

However, we were asked to volunteer in building an Ayurveda Hospital in the village. Ayurveda is an ancient medical system from India.  So each morning we were picked up in an army truck from our host family's home from different parts of the village.

The Hospital was to be part of the Gandhi Ashram. So Canadians and Indians together hauled dirt, carried bricks to help build the Hospital. It was tiring, but overall satisfying.

In between, our only recreation was to go to a small town called Adoor. Even in October-November the temperature hovered pleasantly between 28-30 degree Celsius.

In the meantime, the Canadians got used to eating with their hands, without spoons and forks and need I say water in toilet. Our lunch was  packed and consisted of Rice, Fish, Meat and Coconut chutney (pickle) wrapped in banana leaves. We usually ate our launch inside the Rubber plantation.

In Kerela we usually drank locally-made lemonade mixed with soda. But, sadly, the Canadians were "advised" not to as they might fall sick. Some of them loved a Mango   cold drink called Frooti.

Here too we went to a camp. It was Theology College. The three storied building was almost empty, eerie and situated inside a Coconut plantation.

One night everyone thought of playing Planchet dead into the night. I didn't like the idea.

We switched off the lights in one of the floors and with just a candle and "called the spirits." My hands shivered and the coin moved. They proclaimed excitedly that it was the ghost of one who was murdered. 

It was enough for me. I left and rushed downstairs to the room to sleep, only to realize I was alone in the entire floor. I rushed back to Planchet, the ghost seemed far comforting.

We also went to several community programme, like the community marriage in the village. In these marriages several grooms and brides are married off the same day and there is a massive feast for the village with contribution from everyone. Makes economic sense.

 

Days went by and Christmas arrived. The Canadians wanted it to be grand and so we started practicing to sing carols. We spent hours in the evenings learning carols like Jingle Bells, Santa is coming to Town, Deck the Halls...

On Christmas we went to the Church and there was a lottery event and I won the first prize. It was a big cake. Did I say that I won a lottery in Canada too? The host family there bought a ticket in my name and I won the first prize. Well I won a TV, but split the prize with the host family who took a CD player, me and Pat a Walkman each.

Well, the carol singing was a disaster. The Canadians were fuming at us, as we Indians forgot the lyrics sang without tempo or beat. But we apologized and things got to normal again.

The village life was easy. There was life at every corner. Lizards, snakes, yes King Cobra, beetles, bugs you name it. The walk to the Gandhi Ashram was a pleasure with the tree canopy and the balmy weather.

After three months, we bid adieu to our host families and headed back to New Delhi. In New Delhi at the end of the programme the Canadians wanted to do some shopping and we were asked to assist our individual counterparts.

This is here I feel I learnt the most. Me and Pat headed to Connaught Place. Pat sought for a cotton shirt. I was with him. Pat asked: “How much?" The shopkeeper in his broken English seeing a foreigner said: "Rs. 1000...very good quality."

I saw the shirt, it was of good quality, but should not have cost more than Rs. 500. The shopkeeper seeing the foreigner doubled the price. Pat looked at me and  I said immediately: "it is of good quality"   

For Pat it was a good bargain and he bought it together with my assurance.

In the evening at the International Youth Centre, were we were putting up, we Indians got together and were discussing about the shopping. My friend Sushant, who is now in the Indian Army, asked what me and Pat bought. I told him about the shirt.

In fact, Sushant's counterpart bought a similar shirt from the same place we bought.  "How much you guys paid," he asked. I told him Rs. 1000. Sushant asked why I didn’t bargain, because he had got the shirt for his counterpart for Rs. 500.

"Come on it was an Indian who was getting the money. The money is coming to India from outside. So what if he took Rs. 500 more. I helped an Indian and India," I justified to Sushant, while everyone was sitting.

Sushant: " You didn't help an Indian or India. You helped a Thief."

From that day till now, those were one of the most valuable learning experiences of my life. I was ashamed at that time, even now. 

I feel that we cannot take sides based on our Nationality, Race, Community, Religion, Language, Colour, but take sides for what is right. Whatever is wrong has to be said, irrespective of whom we stand to hurt.  No  country is looking for Jingoism from its citizen. A sense of patriotism would  do fine. 

I should have bargained. I should have said to the shopkeeper don't cheat your guest. I owe Pat Rs. 500, but more than that I owe an apology to  every right thinking individual  - because I foolishly helped a thief. 

SORRY, I HELPED A THIEF!

I was in a student exchange programme to Canada years back. We were 21 from India and joined an equal number of students from Canada at Toronto. Both sides, initially, were fueled with a ferocious sense of competitiveness, mutual distrust and culture shock.

Indian: “You wipe your arse with paper…we wash with water. How unhygienic, smelly arse!” Canadian retorts: “You guys have lice in your hair…everyone’s head must be checked.”

Indians (implicitly): “Indians got through to this programme after some grueling tests and interviews, orientation programmes conducted by the National Cadet Corps.

The Canadians did that by selling T-shirts of Canada World Youth to fund themselves for the programme!  Well that’s how highly we rate you – glorified salespersons.”

But apart from being ‘glorified salespersons,’ the Canadians were superb mind-readers.  So there was always this cold-war.

This cold war was on in a small town called Starthroy, some 110 kms from Toronto. We were provided a host family to stay for three months. Me and my Canadian counterpart, Pat stayed with a Pastor’s family. Similarly, others were paired and allotted host families.

The entire group was split into three groups and sent to three different towns. The other two groups stayed at a town called Blenheim and Amherstburg, in Ontario Province.  

Initially, we Indians due to these 'misunderstanding' gelled among ourselves in the evenings, the Canadians did likewise. We were so different in all conceivable ways, we thought.

Moreover, the Indians had strict instructions not to smoke, drink or drive. The Canadians did not have any of these restrictions. So we smoked inside toilets and fanned out the smoke through the small toilet vents frantically.

Smoked behind bushes, while swatting bugs and all the while cursing our counterparts.  The Canadians smoked luxuriously  – we despised this preferential treatment.  But hey! We were from two different countries with different culture, lifestyle, rules and toilet habits.

But over the weeks and months, we were able to literally keep the toilet paper and water behind. All the lice jumped into the Niagara. Started to appreciate the qualities and hard work of salespersons.

So one unimportant hot summer evening we decided to hit the bar together with chilled beer. We played pool, danced and almost got ourselves killed by a much-tattooed fugitive.

He thought we took his picture in the bar. These revelry and adventure brought us very close. From there on we got-together every evening in each other’s host family’s home after our volunteer work.

We occasionally partied hard. One evening the neighbours called in the police. We were partying with blazing music late into the night in one of the host family’s house. They were on a vacation to the Bahamas (I guess.)  

On a different note, we had over the weekends Educational Activity Days, which further bonded us. Each pair was given a particular subject, which was planned to make these interesting, fun and educative of course.

These activities helped us Indians to learn about Canada and Canadians. On Sundays attended Church in the morning and evening with the host family. It was a totally new experience for me, the sermon, the hymns, everything. 

We occasionally went to far-off places with the host family. These escapades were lovely and we met the extended families of our host. Played baseball, which I felt was lot like cricket. Lunched outside and made the best out of Canadian summer.

One of the best experiences of the programme was when me and Pat went to an Amish community. My host family took us there. 

I never knew such a world existed. We stayed in the community the whole day  with an Amish family. The whole place was unreal. The houses painted black, even the church.

Saw the Amish men ploughing fields with horses. We saw them riding the buggy. It transformed me to a different era, a different life. It was not me any longer. I wanted to be an Amish.      

I never knew that there exist such communities that would not use modern technology. Community living exactly the way people lived thousands of years back.

On many nights I thought of throwing away my passport and running away to the Amish community. Grow a beard, wear hat and take the horses to the fields.  

Anyway, mid-way through the programme the entire group went to stay in a camp. We stayed at the camp called Kee-mo-kee for a couple of days .

The log cabins. The entry into the wood in the night with just a flashlight telling ghost stories. Sleeping in the field just watching the stars in pitch darkness. These were awesome experiences.

After three months of such bonhomie, fun and adventure we packed our Dunhills and Du Mauriers and lot of love and memories. We landed in New Delhi  for the next lag of the programme.  (To be continued) 

WATERWAYS TO CONNECT BRAHMAPUTRA-GANGES AND OTHER RIVERS

India would connect 101 Rivers through inland waterways, including Ganges and Brahmaputra, after passing a landmark legislation in the parliament this session.

Union Road transport and highways, Nitin Jairam Gadkari today said the legislation would be placed in the Parliament which would transform the inland waterways system in the country like never before.

Gadkari announced the move after dedicating two vital highways to the north east region at a function at Umroi, some 25 km from the State Capital.

In his announcement Gadkari said that in China the inland waterways transportation makes up to 47 percent of the total transport available and in European countries the same is 44 percent.

Sadly, he said, the inland waterways transportation in Indian is just 3 percent. “We would ask the State Governments to have a stake of 26 percent in development of the waterways in the new Bill that would be placed in the Parliament… the rest the centre would bear the cost,” the Minster said.

Under the new Bill Assam would be one of the biggest beneficiaries as Brahmaputra, Ganges and three other major Rivers across the country would be developed in building infrastructure that would give a hand in enhancing communication in the landlocked region.

Gadkari said that out of the three modes of transport (road, railways and waterways, developing waterways is the top priority of the BJP-led NDA Government. “Developing waterways is the top priority of the Government,” he said.

 He further added that in Guwahati a National Highway Road Development Corporation would be established after stating that developing communication network is his Government’s top priority as the region has been historically cut off from the rest of the Nation.

 The Minster further announced that local contractors would be given priority in terms of funds and technical support in building road networks in the region and then up road projects.

Moreover, the Union Minister said that a whooping Rs 15,000 crore would be invested in the region to develop communication network by the Government. The Government has also decided to build roads using cement instead of Bitumen, the Minster said.

Meanwhile, Gadkari dedicated the Shillong Bypass (NH-6) and the Umiam-Jorabat four-lane highway to the Nation. The 47 km-long Umiam-Jorabat four lane highways connects NH-40 and NH-44 that leads to Mizoram and Tripura, bypassing the Shillong.

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed in Hospital

Former MP and joint secretary general of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Salahuddin Ahmed is in Meghalaya police’s custody for illegal entry into India and a case under Foreigners’ Act registered here in the State Capital today.

Additional Director General of Police, SK Jain told the Assam Tribune that Ahmed was found in a “disoriented state” and had no documents on him when he was found.

He said a case has been registered under the Foreigners’ Act, 1946 as he had no documents to prove his citizenship. “We will not say he has been arrested, but definitely he is under our custody,” Jain said when asked.

The additional director general of police said the case is being looked into from “various dimensions” and appropriate steps are being taken to handle this sensitive case.

In fact, Ahmed was first seen loitering suspiciously in Golf links area in the State Capital on Monday and was alerted by the local residents after which he was taken into custody. The police interrogated him and he admitted that he is a Bangladesh citizen and was a former MP.

However, when the police found him a bit disoriented he was referred to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), but the institute confirmed he was mentally sound. He is now lodged at the Shillong Civil hospital earmarked for under trail prisoners.

For the past two months Ahmed went missing from Dhaka and his whereabouts were not known with speculation that he was arrested by the plainclothes men in Dhaka.

Ahmed’s wife Hasina Ahmed ran an extensive campaign and even sought Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s assistance to locate him. There BNP held numerous hartals in Dhaka to help locate Ahmed.

Meanwhile, Ahmed who spoke to some media persons here alleged he was kidnapped from Utarra area in Dhaka on March 10. Ahmed said he doesn’t recall how he came to Shillong and landed in the hospital.

On the other hand, police official said that Ahmed’s case has been intimated to the Central Government for further action after verifying his credentials from the Bangladesh embassy. However, many are tight-lipped about the duration Ahmed was staying in the State Capital or when he entered into the country.

The arrest of Ahmed in the country has once again exposed the gaping holes in India’s security network. Questions are being raised how and when Ahmed sneaked into the country hoodwinking the vast security apparatus deployed all along the 443-km International border with Meghalaya shares with Bangladesh. 

INDIA'S ANCIENT SCIENTIFIC FEAT CAME AT A PRICE!

There is a greater emphasis and debate about India’s ancient scientific achievement these days, overlooking the modern India burdened by expensive scientific imports.

Union Minister for Science and Technology, Harsh Vardhan was recently quizzed if the budget allocation of the past, towards Research and Development (R&D,) had anything to do with India’s scientific feat - if considered for the sake of a discussion that India was once a superpower in science and technology.

 

Vardhan does seem to think so and said that India was one of the top economies of the world from 1AD till the advent of British rule. India’s contribution, Vardhan said, at one point of time towards the global economy was about 30 percent. He believes that with such resources at stake the allocation for scientific development could have been significant.

Now, when it comes to modern India – which is of primary concern to many – the India allots a paltry 0.88 percent of its total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) towards R&D.

USA, China, UK, Japan, Germany, France, Russia and other larger economies than India allocates more from its GDP towards R&D than New Delhi.

For instance, US allotted 2.79, China   1.98, Japan 3.35, UK 1.72, France 2.26, Germany 2.92, Russia 1.12 (per cent) of their total GDP towards R&D in 2014, according to World Bank data.

On the other hand economies like South Korea, Israel and Chinese Taipei spend 4.35, 3.93 3.6 per cent respectively of their total GDP towards R&D, to cite some examples. These are some of the countries that could be termed as pioneers in science and technology in the present age and are inventing major technologies.

Vardhan said the budget allocation towards R&D in India cannot be increased in a matter of days. He, however, added that the “Make in India” is a good initiative and would help R&D.

He further pointed out that India is one of the five Nations – US, China, Canada and Japan - of the world which would be building the world’s largest telescope.

“We would be contributing Rs. 1300 crore towards the project, but that would be in kind in the form of technologies and software,” the Minister said.

The Minister, moreover, lashed out at his critics saying these days it has become “fashionable to criticize” those who speak about India’s glorious past.

He said, much before the western world, India was far advanced in medical science and other fields of scientific knowledge. He said Indian physicians inoculated people for small pox much before Edward Jenner.

But realistically, what India needs more than reflection on its past, is injection of funds and patronage towards R&D as such "ancient India scientific feats " could not have come without a price.

BRING OUT IDEAS-TECHNOLOGIES NOT MERE JOURNALS: HARSH VARDHAN TO RESEARCHERS

Union Minister for Science and Technology, Harsh Vardhan said India urgently needs new ideas and technologies, not  mere research journals.

The Minister added that researchers must start developing these new ideas and technologies, instead of merely showing published journals as their contributions towards the society.

Citing an example of his recent visit to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat in Assam, the minister said he asked the researchers what the Institution developed in terms of technologies and ideas in its 30 years of history - he was only handed 100s of published journals instead.

“I asked the researchers at Jorhat what are the breaking news from the Institute in terms of new ideas and technologies, to which they showed me the journals that have been published by the Institute,” the Minister said while speaking as the Chief Guest at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institution of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in Shillong the State Capital of Meghalaya in India's northeast.

Vardhan said, journals are “theoretical” in nature and have little value in terms of benefit for the society, unless the theories are implementable on the ground and changes people’s lives.

Urging the researchers to start “thinking out of the box” rather than going through their “routine and casual” regime, Vardhan added, 60 years have gone by due to such casual attitude.

“This has to change. There must be a re-orientation of our thinking in terms of research. There has to be breaking news. India must begin by identifying its priorities and then build and also create a pool of entrepreneurs,” he said.

Vardhan said India has a great advantage over other countries be it its ancient past with scientific advancements or the present demographic dividends. He said the demographic dividend of India gives the country “great hope” and therefore urged the young people to think and work differently in a deviation from the past 60 years.

 

Asked about budget allocation towards Research and Development in India, Vardhan said that this area would always be a concern. “There is always a constraint,” but at the same time added that increase in budget allocation “cannot be done in a day.”

The Minister, however, said that the Make In India is a great initiative of the Government to boost R&D and at the same time help in the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and the overall economy.

MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA (MCI) DEAD HORSE ON A PACEMAKER

Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan today said the Medical Council of India (MCI) needs reform and there must be more transparency in terms of its functioning.

Vardhan, who was earlier the Union Health Minister and is also a medical practitioner, said that the MCI has the “potential to function better.”

“The MCI could have functioned better. I too feel that the MCI has to be more transparent in terms of its functioning,” Vardhan said.

The Minister was responding to questions posed by journalists after the Director of North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institution of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), AH Ahangar launched a scathing attack against the MCI calling it a “sick Institution” during his address in the presence of the Union Minister.

Ahangar said the MCI is the “road block” for medical education and research for the country and said the “sick institution” must be urgently reformed for the sake of medical education and research.

“The MCI is the biggest roadblock for medical education in India. It is a dead horse on a pacemaker. Unfortunately the monitor showing picks doesn’t mean the Institution is alive,” Ahangar said.

He said the MCI “must be taken care of” which in turn would help medical education and research in India. “If MCI is taken care of than medical education in India would be much better and India would not only be able to take care of itself but would also be able to export manpower to the rest of the world by 2050,” he added.

MEGHALAYA WITHDRAWS FERTLISER SUBSIDY

With an eye on brand-building and market Meghalaya as an organic food producing State, the State government has withdrawn the chemical fertilizer subsidy to farmers, thus raising serious livelihood questions.

Although there is a growing demand for organically-farmed food globally for health and environment benefits, however, the decision of the government to withdraw the subsidy altogether has left the farming community in the lurch dependent on conventional methods of farming.

Recently, farmers from different parts of the State staged a rally in the State Capital pleading the government to continue with the subsidy. But, the government said it would not retract its decision.

P Khargonkor, Principal Secretary, Agriculture Department, while stressing the health benefits of organically-farmed food, said chemical fertilizers and pesticides are available in the open market for those willing to buy them.

“The farmers can buy the chemical fertilizers and pesticides from the open market, but the government would not provide the subsidy,” Khargongkor stressed.

However, the affected farmers are questioning why the government did not give a window period to make the transition from chemical to bio-fertilizers. Another important question raised is that if the government is in no mood to give such a breather, why does it not give some sort of subsidy on bio-fertilizers to the farmers, which would have worked as an incentive.

Meghalaya is an agrarian economy, but the State is not self-sufficient in food-grains and vegetables and much of these produces are imported from the neighbouring State of Assam and elsewhere, which uses conventional method of farming and the respective governments providing subsidy on fertilisers.

It may be noted here that although those who have taken to organic farming are getting better cost on their produce, but then it is a niche market produce. Organic farms need more land as the yield is low compared to conventional method of farming. The verdict is not out yet on the viability of organic farms over conventional method of farming.

This means that Meghalaya, which is not self-sufficient in agriculture produce, would produce even lesser and with other States like Assam not taking up organic farming in the near future, the State residents would have to partake more of food produced by conventional farming methods.

What is ironic is that local farmers would now have to sell their produce at a higher price with locally sourced chemical fertilizers and pesticides from the open market.

On the other hand, prices of such imports would remain the same because of continued subsidy offered to farmers in different State of India.

The Mission Organic was launched by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma this year. “The new policy of the State government aims to build the ‘Organic Meghalaya’ brand producing organic certified food and products...,” the Agriculture Department says. But the question is, at what cost?

Brahmaputra Board now history

The Brahmaputra Board (BB) has been consigned to the pages of history today with the central government stating it has outlived its mandate and would “reincarnate” with a new nomenclature and concept.

After holding the last meeting of the board here at the State Capital Union Minister for Water Resources, Uma Bharti said, the BB would now have a new name “within a week or two” and the entire functioning and mandate would be changed.

“I can declare with a firm conviction that today is the last meeting of the Brahmaputra Board. The next meeting will be held under a new name and concept. It would reincarnate with a new name and concept in which the views of every state will be incorporated. We would decide on the new name within a week or two,” she said at the sidelines of the 8^th meeting of the board here at the State Convention centre.

The Union Minister added the board has outlived its mandate.  The Board which was established in 1980 and was not performing to the expectation of the people and therefore it would be overhauled.

“When the board was formed the aspirations from it was different so was the technology. We would now take suggestions from all stakeholders how to revamp the board and make it more effective with the present day aspirations of the people,” Bharti said.

One of the important roles of the board would be to take care of the flood and erosion caused by the River Brahmaputra annually – an aspect the BB has not been able to tackle effectively.

On the other hand Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has suggested that a Brahmaputra River Basin Management project be established on the tributaries of the River, which would benefit most of the Northeastern States. The Union Minister has already hinted that she has taken a liking for the proposal of the Meghalaya Chief Minister.

On cleaning of the River Brahmaputra, she said, that since the Ganga and the Brahmaputra have the same source of origin and cleaning work on the Ganga has begun, the Ganga cleaning project would have its impact on the River Brahmaputra.

“River Brahmaputra is the elder brother of Ganga and has its origin at Mansarovar so the Ganga cleaning project would have its impact on it. Nonetheless, the Ganga cleaning model would be replicated on different Rivers of the country,” she informed.

Meanwhile, speaking about the controversy over building of dams in the region, she said that the water resources ministry was not against building of dams, but the ecology of the River and the people’s sentiments have to be taken care of while implementing the projects.

“The technical aspect of dam building must be safe in such a way that the ecology is not disturbed and kills Rivers. Moreover, the sentiments of the people must also be taken care of while building the dams and this, I have been told, is being looked into by the Ministry of Power,” Bharti said.