Reason No.1: The useless pitches used in the IPL matches

This is the main reason for which the IPL should be banned. In India, the tradition has been that every pitch has to be made a feather bed or a slow turner. This means that the bowlers have no option but to leak runs at a large rate. No wonder, we have a scenario where our fast bowlers in India are becoming a rare commodity. The pitches encourage run making at such a ferocious rate that even a slog that is devoid of any technique goes for a six. The CEOs, the rich team owners and the broadcasters have ensured that eyeballs are captured in large numbers. By the preparation of such pitches, one can ensure a run feast, which reduces a contest to shambles.

Reason No.2: The elimination of national and resurgence of regionalism

There is a dangerous trend developing here which may have an impact in the future. People will passionately chant “RCB! RCB! RCB”, “CSK! CSK! CSK” or “Delhi! Delhi! Delhi”. The passion for India as a whole will fade away as regional sentiments dominate people’s choices. At a time when there are fascists like the MNS and the Shiv Sena who claim Maharashtra is only for Maharashtrians, this sets a very dangerous precedent.

Reason No.3: The lack of transparency

Another reason why it should be banned outright. No one knows where the money is coming from. Other than the occasional hullabaloo that the media will create, no one will ever know the money trail. Such obscene amount of money is spent on hyped up players, Kieron Pollard, being a prime example, one wonders as to how can people have so much cash. The other most important thing in this is that the money is not being used to upgrade the infrastructure in cricket. It is never going to be used in pitch up gradation, stadium revamping and consumer facilities. This money is going back to the owners in some way or the other and thus IPL is an organization that is a glamorized gambling den, where all the clients get their money back in some form or the other.

Reason No.4: Overkill of skills

The prime reason why the Indian cricket team has lost in two consecutive T20 World Cups is because of overkill of skills. If a particular team has been playing T20s only for a large number of months, implementation of skills on a larger scale becomes difficult to implement. India, Pakistan and South Africa play the largest number of T20s,  thus their performances deteriorate over a period of time. In 2007, this concept was fresh and teams had a different approach to the game. Thanks to the overkill done by the ICC and IPL, the approach is totally stale.

Reason No. 5: Importance of Money increases

Tom Cruise, in one of his films, says ‘Show me the Money, Show me the Money’. Now, a player will be judged according to the price tag that is attached to him. Players like Saurabh Tiwary will perform only in the IPL to ensure that he gets a place in the Indian team. Thus, the IPL legitimizes a shortcut to success. During the IPL, Dhoni siad that if the franchisees pay a certain amount of money, one has to perform. What can be inferred from this? Money power will dilute the passion to play for the country. A player would have scored a duck and given away lots of runs, but at the end of the day, he will want his money.

There are a whole host of reasons as to why this crony capitalist league should be banned. However, people have gotten blinded to this consumerist garbage in such a way that any kind of criticism amounts to sacrilege. People have been blinded by the slam bang of cricket in such a way that they do not give a damn about test cricket or ODI cricket. I will be taunted as a cranky guy, ultra-leftist, the Taliban of sport, but the truth is always hard to digest. It is about time that the IPL is banned, and with the thought of playing 94 matches next year over 7 weeks, Indian cricket is in the doldrums if that happens.

Two very important issues have cropped up in these six months. One has been IPLgate and the other one has been the emotional attyachar of the Indian cricket team in the wake of the poor performance in the World T-20. Now, to add to this confusion, you have match-fixing allegations against Pakistan during their disastrous trip to Australia. However, the main question here is regarding the future of Indian Cricket.

The situation could not have been bleak or dire. Today, we all boast about how we have become the No.1 side in Test Cricket or the No.2 ODI side. So, who cares if we do not do well in the World T20s. All these are worthy achievements indeed, but now they are on very shaky grounds. The shaky ground has been provided by the IPL and there seems to be no stopping this.

What has the IPL given for Cricket as such? In absolute fairness, absolutely NOTHING! A sport that should be played like a sport is now being turned into an absolute corporate creation. The cricket that has been played in the IPLs only suits the high-flying CEOs and of the beleaguered ‘fans’ who think that this is entertainment personified. The kind of cricket that has been played does nothing for future generations to enhance their skills. It is like a Nasha, you get addicted to it and perform for the moment. When the players realize that their form and technique is going for a toss, it is too late to reverse it.

Yuvraj Singh is the classic example. Looking at his performances for the national side over the past couple of months, he just looks disinterested. He is the star of the IPL parties but he was not a star during the recent IPL or in the World T20. Now, his place is seriously under threat and he has only himself to blame for this.

Coming to the IPL, you had a certain Mr. Saurabh Tiwary who said that the IPL platform is the only way by which a player can get into the national side because he will be noticed. All the media attention is towards the IPL and thus any small contribution by a player gets noticed. The IPL has given players an illusion that this is the rainbow at the end of which there is a whole pot of gold. However, legends like Dravid, Kumble, Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman had to do the hard strides in Ranji and domestic cricket to be where they are.

A noted columnist on cricinfo.com, Rahul Bhattacharya, had said that the league exists for the sake of the league itself.  These glitzy leagues do not enhace performance on a global scale. Take the example of the English Premier Football League. It has the highest brand value and it is followed religiously by millions in Asia, but the England team is yet to win a World Cup for nearly 44 years.

Indian Cricket is going through a rough patch. Although, it may sound alarmist in tone, but one cannot deny the fact that serious introspection is needed in India if we are to achieve Australia like domination in the coming years.

Some people, most notably Sharada Ugra and Gaurav Kalra have stated in their respective interviews and blogs that the big bosses in the IPL deliberately decided not to bid for the Pakistani players. The media itself was vehement that this is a conspiracy by messrs Modi and co. The franchisees itself were too timid to do anything about it, thus cloaking all this in the garb of lack of choice.

Now, all this is fine. But, are we looking at the broader picture? Harsha Bhogle stated that this is the sign of the times and we cannot separate politics from sports. 26/11 still lingers on in the hearts of many Indians. Whose opinion must we count? The media blabbermouth, or a reasonable expert like Harsha Bhogle? The answer could possibly be somewhere in the middle.

Yes, that oft quoted statement, because one’s opinion will be different from the others. But, however, one needs to question the system of franchisees and player choice and selection.

Firstly, the IPL is held every year. The more it is held, the more poorer it becomes. This season would be the pits, if the matches go otherwise. However, right now there are only 8 franchisees. Would it not be better if you have almost double the number of franchisees? Instead of 8, why don’t you go for 16? It could be argued that the quality may suffer. However, if you want the IPL to be pan-India, it has to be broader. Take teams from the north- east, more teams from the east and more teams from the West, that would give it a thorough all round representation.

Teams can be made from Gujarat (as was in the case in the ICL), Orissa, Bihar-Jharkhand,  from the east (right now there is only one), J&K and UP from the north, the northeast will include at least two teams from Assam and if possible any other state which is deemed fit to complete with proportion to player perfromance, finance and infrastructure.

If the franchisee system is broadened, then you will not have these problems. More players can be bid for and a larger basket, set. This will not only give local players of India the international exposure, but this would go a little in helping their confidence on the grander stage.

Why do I say the IPL can go only a little way, because i am still not convinced that the IPL is world class in quality. Whichever country and its players have participated in the IPL, the national team fails to do well in the World T-20. Take Pakistan. Their players were not part of IPL-2, yet the national team won the T-20 in 2009. The Pakistani players should consider it a blessing that they are not part of this extravaganza, as their potential would have burnt out, in the lead up to the World T-20 in the Caribbean this year.

As far as non selection goes, I am the last one to make a decision. But, going by form of the past and present, it may be a silver lining. Kamran Akmal was sloppy in Australia, and his sloppiness cost Pakistan the crucial second test when they had Australia on the mat in Sydney. Umar is aggressive, but he is throwing away fast starts too quickly, while Shahid Afridi is Mr. Unpredictable, fires in one and misfires in another.

Mohamad Aamer has got potential, but he must be careful not to be burdened by the heavy schedule. On another note, Afridi was at the bottom of the run scorers in IPL-1, thus he did not have a good experience with the Deccan chargers.

One thing that this ‘high profile’ auction has shown. The IPL is run by a bunch of jokers at the top as well as by beautiful nitwits. This makes cricket a circus, not deemed worthy of quality. Hiring one star wonders at a large price, and ensuring that the other players are alienated is what this system thrives on. Quality of cricket will go down if the IPL persists, because believe me, under this system, we cannot create match winners, and that is also the sign of the times.

I am a citizen of India. I have only come to know what happened to you 19 years earlier just recently. From the period when you underwent hell and till circa 2010, we have known nothing about you and about the incident. Till 18 years and 11 months ago, there was absolutely no mention of you. This is all due to public negligence, media sensationalism and also the lack of technology for this information to reach the mass public. We are only reminded of your innocent face on television, but we as citizens have remained quiet for 19 years.

Firstly, I hope you understand that when a authority of power indulges in such crude behavior, we in India become helpless. Inspite of repeated appeals from your best friend, we are seeing the person come out smiling and with bail. It infuriates me too, because, if I as an ordinary man indulge in the same behavior, the police would have subjected me to third degree tortures and the whole society would have ostracized me.

However, there seems to be outrage in your case, but still there are some influential sections that remain silent and are allowing it to drift this away from the conscience of the public. Ruchika, I have always wanted to ask, why do we always fall silent and helpless? Why cannot we realize that we need to set a precedent and do something which no one has ever done before.

I only wish that there are more people like Aradhna. In a country of one billion, she is waging a lonely battle with indirect support from thousands. Why in our country do we like to romanticize the underdog, when we have everything which does not give us the tag of an underdog? Ruchika, what should be done? It is times like this when you should not have committed suicide, however, I can understand your reason.

We, as a society, are too hypocritical morally to do anything about such instances like your case. We wholeheartedly condemn the personality or we condemn the wrongdoer only after sometime. Our situation is like a typical Bollywood Masala flick. The villain commits a crime like molestation or rape, the girl is ostracized by the society and her family is abused, the girl ultimately takes it upon herself that she has let the family down and she commits suicide. Why did you follow the stereotype?

There are discussions galore, and the media continues to disect the facts to the bare minimum, which furthur confuses us. We needed your testimony now, Ruchika, but unfortunately, society has claimed one more victim.

What have we done? What will we do? I guess, if nothing worls out, Ruchika, you are completely free to heap abuse upon us. What a sadistic thing to say. Afterall, you are dead and are now peacefully up there, so what use is the scorn heaped by a soul? At the end of the day, we can only say Sorry, Ruchika. really, Really, Sorry

The idea of the Idea Mobile phone ad is that without trees, there can be no life. But, without trees, there can never be any paper as well. Have Media houses, industrial outlets and ordinary people identified that without trees, you will just not have paper to work on. It is at this time that technology and convenience work on each other and come up with some out of the box solution.

The Ad goes on to say that Graduation certificates, Boarding passes, Stenos at the court proceedings, Newspapers, orders, bills can all go mobile. If one goes mobile, then paper is saved. This is a simple but an out of the box solution. Can we all even think on those lines? Well, the unfortunate answer to that is NO.

Because once we want to think about that, two obstacles among the many predominantly stand out. One is the utility of technology in a country which might still be coming to grips with it. The second is obviously the cost factor. Mobile subscribers will charge a high amount if they will offer services like epaper facility. The amount might not look high, but in the long run, people may be deterred into using mobile services for everything.

Have we all realized the calamity that can come upon us? For everything to be on record so that future generations can look at their history, there may not be any material for recording it. Paper will end, so what are you left with? Absolutely nothing. The main aim of technology is to change people’s mindset and come up with ideas that help the environment. This kind of mobile phone ad is indeed heartwarming, but once again the Indian public, under the shroud of cynicism, will ensure that it becomes unpractical.

Green enthusiasts all over India will want to run this ad over and over again, because, as I have said earlier, summits like Copenhagen will only stall the movement rather than enable it. We, as alert green citizens of this country, must take the plunge and ensure that this ambition of Idea is pushed through, even if other networks pry on greed and competition to divert their focus.

The term ‘What an Idea’ Sirji’ will become relevant for citizens in real life if a green initiative is indeed pushed through. Till then, citizens can only comfort themselves with ads. But, somewhere, sometime, we need to realize that Green is the only way

Who in their mind will want to change a system that offers people pleasure and comfort over everything else? Who will want to change a system where-in money making and status is the order of the day? Who in their mind will want to change a system where dignity of labour is not paramount and due to its flexible nature, anybody can make money anywhere and anytime? The Green way is an alternative way to Capitalism and Industrialism. So, the question needs to be asked, will any society or elected representative propose going green knowing he faces these obstacles mentioned above?

Will he also confront the challenge head on of trying to revamp the existing system so thoroughly and comprehensively that people may have to shell out a lot in the short term but less in the long run? Can any person overhaul the existing derelict system and make a green system that can be the envy of the world? The social and ideological challenges are enormous, and I will focus this in each field.

Regarding Agriculture, I have proposed the use of Vetiver or Khus Grass for better soil and mositure improvement. It is a truly green solution. But, will farmers abandon their rush for cash in order to go green? The existing farmer sucide and debt circle finds its roots in the lack of green technology used. Farmers are not even educated to an extent that now, the climate variation has reached unpredictable proportions. Farmers still depend on the monsoon, and we all now realize that the unpredictability and intensity of the monsoon will increase in variability as every year passes by.

The problem goes beyond the fact that farmers have no time for education and to even adopt green technologies. The debt circle is so vicious that our annadattas are forced to use harsh chemicals and fertilizers for enhanced growth and also they borrow lots of money either for seeds, family stability, fertilizers and in some unfortunate circumstances alcohol and pleasure.

Every farmer in India will have to be thaught about climatology and farm technology under the guidance of the government. There has to be a grassroot government representative at each and every taluka and village of each state in India to save our farmers. The teaching will also have to be extended to the school curriculum after a certain standard in school. Encouragement to be farmers of the land has to be ingrained from school level itself.

The existing number of farmers in every taluka, district and state in India will have to be trained by the government, absolutely free of costs. Under the several agriculture programs that may exist under the government, use these programs for comprehensive training of farmers with regards to soil characteristics and climate characteristics. The government also has to create a one point contact between the farmers and the government, so that the middlemen are all eliminated. The costs that farmers pay to middlemen in the form of delivery and other taxes will have to be eliminated. The government has to keep one or at the most two taxation points for farmers. It could be either vehicle Tax only or it could be Road Tax+ Octroi Tax at the starting point.

A comprehensive education of farmers and the making of a one point contact system between government and farmers will ensure that there are no bottlenecks. The one point contact can be a department for food procurement which is the statutory body for food security and food procurement. The creation of a smooth delivery and dispensation system is the key to green system. Will Farmers and government do the needful in order to save the future?

The same system applies for cities. The green construction of cities has been proposed by several government and private organizations, but no one is willing to invest time and heartbreak to resolve the whole situation. Can the government make it madatory that a one year moratorium be issued where railways and roadways stop fucntioning totally? This time will be utilized by government issuing a labour force of unprecedented proportion in India. Out of 1.1 billion people in the country, ensure that most of the 70% Indians who are fit to work are involved in revamping the whole road and rail system on a 24 hour round the clock shift basis.

This will be a pioneering job seen nowhere in the world. It will involve mobilization of the largest population pool in the country second only to China. The task is enourmous and one which needs the most flexible and paramount pay grade system. Keep an umbrella pay for the shifts alloted and pay them to the hour. This will have to involve a chain of command decided by co-operation from both taluka,district, state and national. It will be a co-ordination effort of legendary proportions. But, this would unite the people of India in trying to work something. The existing system of contractors has to be appointed by representatives of all taluka, district, state and national. Thus, there will be 30 national representatives who are at the top. Under these 30 national heads, there would be the number of state heads. Under these state heads are the district heads. Under the District heads, will be the taluka heads. These people would choose the proportion and number of people that would work in the revamping of village, city and national roads.

Franklin Roosevelt, in his 100 day session of Congress, during the Great Depression, if there are holes to be dug, we shall employ a lot of people to dig the holes. A similar situation is beckoning. This massive overhauling will create jobs for most of the population, and the pay scale will be uniform, as all people will do work which will overlap with the others. There will be a welfare and medical supervisor at each level of District and Taluka, the number designed according to proportion in the state, which will look after their welfare. The welfare board will ensure that all payments are recieved on time and that they are not exploited by the contracters. They will also ensure that no person works for more than 8 hours.

The model for city building revamping begins with the look at the 1820s style of building. These buildings have hig arches and the distance between ceiling and floor is such that air circulation flows through easily at all times. The air flow must be clean air, meaning that a comprehensive green cover must be present and that no garbage is accumalated on the roads. The model should be followed by construction people at all times, be it private or government. The revamping of the system will be torturous, but it has to be done now, otherwise it would be too late. Going back to nature is the only way forward.

However, all this is fine, but it needs a change in mindset. It needs to overcome the ideology of pleasure, money and rampant destruction of nature for individual status has to be overcome. Michael Jackson can sing what have we done in his earth song, but we all know that we have only destoyed nature.

The next part focuses on the hopelessness of summits like Copenhagen and how the time has come now to revamp our way of thinking for a better future, even if the short term may sound difficult. It would also touch upon other items that have been left out in the previous 4 parts. The final part gives a key summing up of all the points in the form of a keynote address.

We all know the fact that India is on its way of committing hydrological suicide. Either, we do not take care of our water resources through absolute negligence or we ensure that we pollute it to such an extent that we render it into a big overflowing sewer. New Delhi’s Yamuna river is a classic case of a river being converted into a gutter. The plight of the Ganga and other rivers is such that pollution will render the river absolutely useless, either for spiritual purposes and other basic uses. With climate change ensuring that rivers have to go undergo cyclical periods of drought and flooding, it is about time that we ensure the safety of rivers.

The main problem confronting the rivers of Indis is also the political ramnifications. The Kaveri issue, is something that makes us wonder of what prompts politics over a necessary item like Water. If such a river is flowing through states naturally, then it is upto states to ensure that it is utilized properly. There has to be an independent Water Ministry that is autonomous. This ministry must sign in writing from all the states in the Union of India that no state shall ever have the right to impede water sharing in other states. Dams and other constructions are great but only if it does not impede water supply on the other end. A thorough and easy system of water utilization and sharing must be given by the Water ministry to ensure that states adher to its rational demand and it has the backing of the highest instituitions of the law.

Now, confronting the pollution to rivers, it is but obvious that people are responsible. We, the people, consider rivers to be the personal dumping ground, either spiritually or in everyday life. A law must be passed, making dumping by people or by industries punishable. Enforcing authorities like a Water police, backed by the environment ministry and sanctioned by the highest court of law, must be put in place in all rivers of the country to ensure people and industries stop polluting the rivers through dumping garbage or hazardous industrial materials. Any person or body found guilty is liable to jail time for a period deemed right by the Water Police.

After that, a massive government and private sponsored river cleanliness campaign has to be initiated. There are already plans for the Yamuna. Plans have been outlined as to how they would want to clean it. Ambitious and heartrendering, it is a big space of time. No one can blame the government for asking too much time on the Yamuna, because it has been polluted beyond recognition. This is the time that citizens, being encouraged by both government and private organizations must volunteer, and if not lawfully, conscripted to fight the menace of pollution. All people who volunteer to clean up the rivers of the country must be paid by the hour, and the funding must come from both government and private pooling, with a reasonable timeline.

Barricades must be constructed on both sides of the river, by planting ample number of trees. Large dustbins with sealed covers must be present seperated by one kilometer for any garbage to be thrown in. If there is space, a clean river would be an ideal spot for a picnic. The middle of the river is not the starting point. The source is also important. Many news channels here in India have focused on how the sources of the river have been affected by pollution, wanton construction and neglect. The barricades must be reinforced by demolishing any house within a 5 kilometer radius, which can be used for tree planting or other green activities, in the form of garden constructions.

If one starts at the source, only then can the middle be reinfroced and the end achieved. A natural progression is essential when cleaning the rivers. The same principle applies to the lakes. In India, we face the problem of polluting and neglecting lakes more than rivers. The first step towards hydrological suicide will be avoided if the lakes in cities and towns are saved. The same principle applies. Ensure that the de-silting of the source lake rivulets is undertaken on urgent priority. The feeding sources must be thoroughly cleaned, dug up for depth and width, ensuring that throwing garbage in the feeding source is a gross offense and punishable strictly by law and also demoslishing construction along the path of the source upto a radius of 2.5 to 5 kilometers.

Agriculture is another thing which needs serious reforms. The basic thing that has been observed is farmers go for the cash rather than common sense. In a drought hit area like Bundelkhand, farmers sometimes sow wheat because it fetches more cash. In a perennial drought area like Bundelkhand, growing wheat is just illogical because it needs large quantities of water. By shifting to groundnut, which needs 90% less water, farmers can at least survive and not fall in debt. The debt factor has been the only reason why farmers have committed suicide in the past decade or so. We have just not given due credence to our original ‘annadattas’. Remember, if the farmer dies, we can very well bury our source of food.

Farmers have to till according to the climate and the land, not for the cash. A massive micro-financing project has to be announced which will be headed by Public-Private partnerships. Micro-financing is coming up in a large way in India, and it is but logical to ensure it reaches farmers across all stratas, all crop growers and everybody who is associated with this labour. Use green technology to fight off soil erosion and lack of moisture. Usher in the Vetiver Revolution or Khus revolution. Farmers have heard about Khus, but are still unable to use it for their purposes.

Scientific research has shown that Vetiver has the power to keep moisture content of the soil alive even during drought. It binfs the soil and ensures that soil erosion never takes place. It needs the minimal of maintenance, it is cheap and it is also a cheap mode of preservation. This plant can thrive in all climates and areas of diverse topographies, thus it is an Indian plant made for India. Government and private players must encourage the use of Vetiver, so that Indian agriculture can be saved. If Agriculture needs a revolution, it needs a Vetiver Revolution.

The next and final concluding part will focus on the need for revamping the sewage and storm drain system, the alternative energy scenario and also the need for people to go green from within and not depend on summits.

From the roads to the modes of transport, comes another far more challenging aspect to improving city life. The factor of green buildings, improving personal and social hygiene and ensuring that items of pollutants are junked into waste yards for the rest of their lives. Now, this section will focus on personal hygiene, revamping the whole drainage system and also the current building infrastructure, which is only partly green.

We, in India, are guilty of not having an ingrained social hygenic system. Wherever we find an empty place, we go off to pee even in the most urgent circumstances. There is no system of public toilets on the highways or in key strategic towns during travel. If there are toilets, they are absolutely filthy and people have to literally drag on to pee in them. The furthur instances of lack of personal hygiene is spitting pan, tobacco and spit anywhere on the road. There is urgency to just fling garbage on the road, rather than waiting for a garbage bin.

People are just too impatient to put it in the garbage bins. People also do not think twice before spitting on the roads, unaware that the surrounding could be polluted. People have studied this in college or school, yet they do it, and without any regret. What can be done for eliminating this?

First, teach and enforce a very strict hygiene and cleanliness regime. Make the laws harsh for everyone or anyone who is guilty of polluting the street either with garbage or with spit. Harsh in the form of heavy fine or serving jail time for a time. Ensure that Garbage bins are at a distance of one kilometer, so that people don’t have to be impatient to junk the trash. Ensure that the municipal council regularly upgrades these bins so that they do not overflow on an hourly basis. If no one does it on an hourly basis, he or she looses their pay for that one hour.

Ensure that all garbage collected is safely deposited away from human habitation. This does not mean that create a landfill outside the city for garbage to accumalate. Ensure that recycle factories are setup in the aim of recycling the garbage and once again re-using them. Ensure a thorough assembly line recycling system where every item is recycled and its toxicity is reduced and also its shelf life is enhanced.

Harsh and severe fitness regime is essential for us because only after that will we understand the true nature of how easy it is to dirty and how hard it is to clean. Public workers in charge of cleaning the streets must be given a full time professional status. They have to be paid like professionals, and ensure that municipal corporations pay their healthcare, education of their children as well guaranteed insurance. This has to be re-inforced by authorities who are clean and have thorough knowledge of enforcement of worker’s right. By this, I mean, the person has to be responsible to ensure that all workers get their dues and extra incentives. This could lead to enhancement in the ward officer’s duties and powers.

Now, for the city’s buildings. All this while, we have seen the eruption of buildings. Buildings that have been cramped, shanty towns that look despicable and unfit for human living, have all dotted the landscape ever since cities sprang up. No one has even bothered to understand that the green cover has been absolutely reduced to rubble and that if not done anything now, then future generations cannot reverse the trend.

The first thing is to ensure that buildings all over the city are made green, and that needs complete overhaul. In the old buildings of the 1800′s or 1850′s the distance between the ceiling and the floor is such that fresh air circulates in the house at all times. During summers, the house is not at all hot and the fans are only kept at a bare minimum to ensure the level of air circulation. If every building in every city of India is built in this pattern, then we would have revolutionized the Green Building scenario.

Make laws in consturction which state that all homes must have a certain distance between the ceiling and the floor, in consultation with scientists and environmentalists, to ensure air circulation is clean and maintained at all time. Ensure that every building in cities has at least a minimum of 20 floors. The reason being that cities in population will not have to cope with problems of congestion. The heights should be judged according to the proportion of population in the particular area. The key factor in all this is no building must be so tall as to obstruct the natural air flow. For example, do not create two buildings which face other, leading to a blockage in air circulation from any other end.

Multiple storey green buildings is something new to India and it is also a unique solution to the problem of housing. By increasing the number of houses with respect to the proportion of population in certain areas, one can create a lot of free space in the city. This green space can be utilized for trees to be planted as well as to gardens. This will create a lot of fresh air and also make people bearable to heat. For Air circulation to come into the house naturally, glass must not be used in the construction. The main function of glass is to trap heat during winters for warmth, not trapping heat during summer.

The elimination of glass will go a long away in eliminating the use of CFC items like Air conditioners. People can rely on fans because there is good clean air flowing in the house because the height is correct for air to circulate and no heat is penetrating the ceiling easily. The ceilings have to be equipped with material that does not allow heat to permeate through the roof.

The shanty towns have to be modelled around Israeli style Kibbutz’s or settlements. These shanty towns will have individual huts spread over empty spaces within the city. The size of the area will again be proportionate to the population living there. The reason for the shanties to be organized like the ISraeli Kibbutz is that the construction in the kibbutz is green from the construction itself. Each family would be provided kibbutz huts which will have all the basic amenities like kitchen, seperate bathroom, halls and bedrooms.

The Indian style Kibbutz has to be such that every family, who is registered, have to be provided individual houses. It is upto the responsibility of the government as well as the local administration to fund and subsidize their houses unless and until a steady source of income does not come. The houses will have to be beautiful, with the distance between huts and the floor large enough for clean air flow in each house. The space will also be such that there is equal air distribution in all the houses, such will be the distance between individual houses in the area. There will be a space for gardens and trees along every path, so that people do not have to face the summer heat and also rains and cold. These houses could see the introduction of the courtyard and verandah for plants and individual usage.

The next part will see the advantages of going green, with the simple pre-condition of opening up our minds for better living. This will examine the future and futility of climate summits and also summing up the gist in the next part before this.

Now, unfortunately, if you want to save something, you have to look at the cost. How tragic, that something which needs saving is curtailed by the cost factor. Practical but at the same time impractical. We are rushing towards ecological suicide, the proof being inconsistent climate changes and extremes in climate behavior. The suicide has been hastened by consumerism at the highest level. The main concern for policy makers all over the world is how to keep our capitalist economies floating above the danger mark at all cost rather than keeping human beings above the danger mark.

Countries in the west are opening up to the possibility of revamping their systems in order to preserve the environment. Are we in India ready to accept the fact that we have to totally reorganize the system to ensure that we preserve our environment? Are we ready to accept a change in lifestyle for the sake of environment? By this, people foresaking their cars for bicycles, people putting on fans instead of Air Conditioners even in the peak of summer? Ensuring that we do not concretize roads and plant trees on a scale unimagined in the modern world?

There are two reasons for this. Number one: The absolute congestion in cities has absolutely destroyed the Green Infrastructure and Number two: the construction in cities has deteriorated to a point where ecological degradation has accelerated.

What can be done to tackle problem number one? The problem we are facing is increased travel by cars and bikes, leading to congestion, depletion of petrol and unbreathable air. The problem is furthur compunded by an absence of a Public Transport system in the heartland of India. Buses if they run, are either too slow or are very less in frequency. In some cities, the size of buses are too small leading to congestion. There are other factors like poor motivational skills among employees because of lack of pay and dignity.

The solution is simple, but a little complex. The reason why it is so complex is because of the costs and because of the mindset to be open to change.

The solution is in cycles and car pooling. The city limits have to be commuted on cycles only. These cycles will have to be bought by the people themselves from registered cycle shops by the government. These will be on use in city limits and one or two adjoining areas as defined by the municipal corporation. There will be seperate lanes for Buses and Trucks, as they are public transport and trucks carry certain items which have to be transported to business centers.

The transport commute ratio will be 80:20. 80% of the population will be cylces, while the remaining 20 will be on transport like Buses, Trucks, Ambulances, Fire Engines and Police vehicles. This will help essential services to be right on time in the case of emergencies. The cycles can be of all types, mostly family cycles ranging upto 3, 6 or 9. Each family of each town and city will have to register with the municipal offices. The municipal offices on the other hand will have to be transparent and they will have to accurately note down each data with no preferences or under the table dealings. Officers in the Municipal office will have to confirm and validate the number of members in the family. It can only be through this process that a system can be built which is transparent and friendly to people. The cycles will have distance indicators indicating the number of kilometers they have travelled

Private players can ensure that each and every kilometer which they cycle can be cashed in by the family for any future benefits in clean and healthy living. This can be through cash benefits which needs to be saved in order for use in all fields like education, housecare, healthcare and food security. The private company will have to partner the local municipal councils and legislatives if they have to give the benefits to the people. The private company, in consultation with the municipal authorities have to have water-tight and flexible method of evaluation and grading for the benefits to reach the people. The parameters have to be crystal clear and understandable to the people.

The dual benefits of health, exercise along with easing of congestion has to be backed up by proper road mechanisms. A seperate lane on both the up and the down lines have to be built for buses, ambulances, police vehicles for their operation only. All roads in the country have to be four lane on both up and down streams. Three of the lanes will be for cycles only and one of the lanes for the four wheelers only. There will be no motorized two wheelers on any of the roads.

Car pooling is another solution. All Cars of the citizens will be housed in  buildings, on the outskirts of the city, which has multiple levels of Car parking. Each citizen is entrusted a Car Park number and key, which will serve as his personal car park. A monthly maintenace will have to be paid. The Car Pool buildings will be built in strategic areas on the outskirts of the city which are convinient in all four directions. These cars can be used for travel in the highways only, both in national and state level. The highways will have to undergo a system where the down and up streams are made into eight lanes and the quality is absolutely top class. For people to reach the car pool buildings, they will have to cycle and their cycles can be parked there instead.

This involves a lot of planning and change in mindset. However, this can be the start of a green movement in our cities and villages, so that a small step can be taken in changing our mindset and also in saving our environment. As I type this, talks in Copenhagen have collapsed. It is now upto the people and not summits and wealthy nations. The next part will deal with the city building infrastructure

Firstly, my congratulations to the American President for getting the nobel peace prize. I do not want to talk about the circumstances, but an award is an award. However, today, I do not want to focus on this prize, but I want to get your attention on a tragedy that has gone un-noticed for the last 25 years. A tragedy that continues to poison our water, soil and air. I have also taken the effort to write to the PM because it happened in India. Only during its anniversary, do we see  glimpses of what really happened. I am talking about the Bhopal Gas tragedy, a tragedy that has been labelled as the ‘Worst Corporate Disaster of the 20th century’.

I am writing a letter, because I feel a letter establishes better inter-personal communication than any other form of communication. Now, it is through a blog that I have to write the letter as a sign of modernity. I hope this is read by you.

Dear Mr President, You rode on the platform of change and ushered in an era of optimism in a nation darkened by your predecessors failures. Now, one year on, it is your call whether you want to adher to change. The thing is, that change is a concept used like an ultimate political masterstroke. It is rhetorical to basic convention yet this is what people yearn.

Sir, a corporate disaster like this in a foreign country tests your commitment to change. A man who commits murder is given hard time in prison for a certain span of time. A corporation who has murdered an estimated 15000 is allowed to operate freely and conduct business unscrupulously on Wall Street. Is it not time that you and we change this? Why should the law change for the common man and for the corporation. The reason I have written this letter to you is because the company in question is Dow Chemicals and they are responsible for this disaster.

Now, Mr PM of India, you are one of the most honest and forthright PMs our country has had. I know that you are burdened by other hassles and issues, but this is something that cannot be ignored. Mr PM, our government was also hand in gloves with Union Carbide and allowed the people responsible an easy way out. The compensation agreed upon is a measly 25000 Rs  or $400. Is this not a mockery when you consider that future generations continue to die before their time and are having to relieve the nightmare?

The people in the affected area still live there because they have nowhere to go. They still drink the poisoned water and still breath the poisoned air. Mr PM, I, a resident in the affluent middle class, could not survive for 20 minutes. I wonder how could you have survived but these people are forced to survive. The government apathy is also promoted by citizens not caring. The Bhopal Gas tragedy has with great difficulty acquired a Pan-Bhopal outlook, but it is just ignored in greater India. The lack of a Pan-India consensus in the quest for what is right has been the main stumbling block in trying to get a fair deal.

I am writing this letter to two forthright, honest individuals who do care. Have you, Mr President and Mr PM, realized that because of ineffectiveness, standard modes of protest like candlelight vigils, violent protests and demonstrations have acquired an air of irrelevancy? Do you realize that petitions and letters just do not work because the judiciary and the executive are all too weighed down by their own created procedures and bottlenecks.

Dear Mr President and Mr PM, I, as a citizen, went to that candlelight vigil on the 2nd of December, and it hurt me that all were so irrelevant. Whispers and murmurs already circulated that this is the tradition everyday and nothing will happen. They will forget and once again on the 26th anniversary, they will come with empty hope, empty action and empty ideas for change. Do you both realize that your lack of vision and lack of hearing has made people’s sufferings so irrelevant? If you do consider it, then the whole system acts like a bottleneck to prevent any action from being taken.

The modern age is called Apocalypse for a different reason I feel. It is in this age that people become indifferent towards fellow suffering and slowly but surely, the lack of morals, cynicism and indifference sets in. Mr US President and PM of India, we are now treading dangerous waters where protests, vigils and demonstrations, which are signs of social and individual expression are doomed to be framed anti-social by the media and irrelevant by all sections of society.

Can both of you and the people around me give the power to dream? Can I dream of that day when Dow Chemicals is bought to book and pledges universal and free healthcare to the city of Bhopal for a lifetime? My main motto is do not punish one person, punish the organization for its silence and manipulation. Can you both give me the power to dream that? Can I dream of the time when the area that was once a disaster site be transformed into a beautiful garden, where the water is absolutely clean and the air is absolutely pure to breath? Can I dream of that day when both Dow and Union Carbide officials do something for the citizens affected either in the form of education funding for the families and also employment oppurtunities for people affected who cannot get a job otherwise?

Looking at today’s times, people around me with scoff and say ‘Dream on’. However, when a tragedy is reduced to tokenism, you have no other alternative to put forth your grievances. I hope that you, Mr President and Mr PM, instill a hope of idealism and optimism, because the world of today is devoid of it. Please do not allow another idealist to become prejudiced and cynical.

Yours,

A Cynical yet cautiously optimistic Citizen of India.