The disillusioned Politicos!

The Disillusioned Politics!

As an average citizen I do not have much predisposition in politics or political disputes cum deliberations. Nonetheless, during my growing periods, especially in the pre-independence era, when our elders in the family & their friends used to deliberate, sometimes hotly on the conflicting ideologies’ of tall leaders of the then Indian National Congress Party, such as Gandhiji’s nonviolence policy as compared to Nataji Shubhas Chandra Bose’s clarion call, after the formation of INA, “You give me blood, I will give you independence”!                                                                                        
The most hotly debated topic used to be almost on  our every elders’ leaps, during those days when the then Muslim League Leader, Mr Jinnah’s clarion call for creation of a separate Muslim majority nation, naming it “Pakistan”, curving out of the undivided India! Despite Gandhiji’s concerted efforts to circumvent the partition of India but it failed finally and the country was divided into two nations Pakistan & India!                    
Our generation were too young in those days, to understand fully the nuances cum complicities of then political issues & the Radio/Newspapers reporting and the follow-up passionately debated & deliberated, by our elders during those days.                                                                    

In retrospection, at my present evening years, when I revisit our bygone days I recall, even though sometimes emotionally charged during the political rivalries between both the ruling & their opponents parties as well the follow-up discourses & deliberations between them & the media reporting, certainly much civility & rationality used to be preserved as compared to the present days’ provocative and sometimes indecent gesticulations have become the order of the day!

The recent Gujarat election & the following class divisive aggravations, engineered by some anti- government factions, in expressing their rights which resulted into sudden spurts of  sporadic socio-political unrest cum loss of lives & proprieties  in the Maharashtra state. These political innuendos have become the testimonies of the current disillusioned  politics prevailing in our country! Thus, it reminds me of, a famous Antonio Grimace’s quote, ‘The challenge of modernity is to live without illusion and without becoming disillusioned!’          

The Haze!

During the recent past, Northern India had to batter under the smog menace, arising out of the   age- old practices of burning seasonal wheat/rice straws, following harvesting stacked in the fields. Moreover, usual prevailing dusty conditions coupled with emitting vehicular smokes, culminate into hazy environment, especially in the winter months!

Every year, the media is as usual abuzz during this time, in presenting the citizens’ plights as well the environmental cum human health hazards. The question of accountability whenever comes up, as usual, the political bekereeings take place in  passing the bucks to each other and a permanent solution to recurrence of seasonal haze problems remain a far cry. Be that what it may, the common citizens are eventually made to suffer! 

The Haze problems reach its ebb with the affected states, clustered around. The governments’ apparatus wake up to deal with the issue, nonetheless, as the seasonal problems recede,  concerned states machinery get into usual  slender mode waiting till the seasonal haze problem resurfaces! This lacadishial attitudes in arriving at a permanent solution is not only untenable but it is high time, the policy makers should evolve a proper policy to arrive at permanent solution to the seasonal haze problems. Moreover extending the additional financial benefits to the farmers who had gone through financial distress!

 It is highly regrettable, despite proven technological solutions are available globally as well, in India, the permanent remedial measures to eradicate or minimise the seasonal haze problems always remain unresolved! The state governments can enforce prohibidary order stopping the straw burning which is not tenable in the absence of alternate measure made available to the farmers for timely disposal of the stacked straws. This called for appropriate technological support to convert the paddy straw waste into the renewable value added feed by enhance palatability cum nutritional enrichments of the stacked straws.

In several countries the paddy straws waste are being converted into value added products by deploying proven technological practices for up-gradation of the straw for production of the supplementary cattle feed besides its usages in the production of the other useable handcrafts. The straw is used also in making of the different Hindu Goddess idols, during the festival seasons, in India. Needless to state that the waste straws could provide additional financial benefits to the struggling farmers, in India, instead it becoming a liability to them!    

To arrive at a permanent solution to the seasonal Haze problems, in northern India, instead of d squabbling over the issue between the state & centre governments, a permanent policy initiative is the need of the hour! I may suggest that the issue being environmental, it may be brought under the ongoing ‘Swachha Bharat’ programme by providing additional funds under the centrally sponsored programme for the affected states.

My blog ends with following quote: “Will without Power is incomplete and power without will is dangerous & when will & will power are present implementation becomes easy!!” Harris Sairaman