Uncertainty
2 months ago
Gokulashtami is celebrated in most parts of India with a lot of passion and more so in Mumbai. The Maximum City always overdoes itself and sets new benchmarks.
One does not mind raising the bar higher in productive matters. We Mumbaikars seem to have taken the first part of this literally and raised the bar, so to speak, for the "makhan chors".
Announcing rich cash prizes, the "matki" was tied much higher. This required taller human pyramids with higher possibility of them crashing down with serious consequences.
The number of injuries have gone up exponentially and there are atleast four participants who shall never walk again. When the dust settles, will these "generous" donors also look after those crippled. I doubt it.
Time to call for celebrations with responsibility. Hope next year safety measures are adopted atleast voluntarily.
I was saddened to read this news report yesterday-
When Sitaram and Ramabai had their fourth child, a girl, they did not even want to think of a name for her and started calling her Nakoshi.That’s Marathi for the ‘unwanted one’.
A random survey conducted by the Satara district health department showed 222 girls named Nakoshi in the 0-16 age group.
Hearteningly, there have been efforts to change this distressing mindset of the parents of discriminating against daughters.
The district administration has a programme to educate the parents and to persuade them to rename the girls.
Dr Sudha Kankaria, who is associated with the project, says,“We are also asking couples to take eighth pheras instead of the traditional seven pheras during their wedding ceremony. The eight phera will be an oath they will not discriminate between a boy and a girl.”
When Sitaram and Ramabai had their fourth child, a girl, they did not even want to think of a name for her and started calling her Nakoshi.That’s Marathi for the ‘unwanted one’.
A random survey conducted by the Satara district health department showed 222 girls named Nakoshi in the 0-16 age group.
Hearteningly, there have been efforts to change this distressing mindset of the parents of discriminating against daughters.
The district administration has a programme to educate the parents and to persuade them to rename the girls.
Dr Sudha Kankaria, who is associated with the project, says,“We are also asking couples to take eighth pheras instead of the traditional seven pheras during their wedding ceremony. The eight phera will be an oath they will not discriminate between a boy and a girl.”
India is the birthplace of chaos. Anything that can go smoothly will get derailed and finish with a lot of chaos as an accompaniment.
.
Our festivals are a chaos, our faith is chaotic, our life flow is a chaos. Infact, chaos has become an unique Indian trademark.
When chaos is our very nature then why do we pretend to prefer order. Why do we fear chaos or use every opportunity to bemoan chaos.
I believe that we should stop fighting chaos and dive headlong into it. Let us embrace chaos and allow it to permeate every cell in our earthly vehicles, our bodies.
For, life was born out of chaos, and it is a miracle that order of cosmic proportions is maintained as part of chaos.
The next time we see or read about chaos, move on with a smile and say...."That is Life".
.
Our festivals are a chaos, our faith is chaotic, our life flow is a chaos. Infact, chaos has become an unique Indian trademark.
When chaos is our very nature then why do we pretend to prefer order. Why do we fear chaos or use every opportunity to bemoan chaos.
I believe that we should stop fighting chaos and dive headlong into it. Let us embrace chaos and allow it to permeate every cell in our earthly vehicles, our bodies.
For, life was born out of chaos, and it is a miracle that order of cosmic proportions is maintained as part of chaos.
The next time we see or read about chaos, move on with a smile and say...."That is Life".
CWG OC is facing a 'cash crunch' apparently. Yes, you read that right.
Minister Jaipal Reddy, who heads a GOM in charge of managing the Games has written to the Army on August 11, asking that it waive its 11 crore bill. Effectively the Army will have to dip into the Defence Fund. Even medical professionals about 400 of them will not be paid.
Reason?
They are serving the nation and therefore should not expect to be paid, say the members of the CWG OC. If they are serving the nation, what then, Mr Kalmadi, are those who are being paid -- those who are paying themselves – doing?
Veteran athletes like Milkha Singh are livid at the way things have panned out.
CWG. A once proud dream dreamt by every Indian that has been made a mockery of.
Minister Jaipal Reddy, who heads a GOM in charge of managing the Games has written to the Army on August 11, asking that it waive its 11 crore bill. Effectively the Army will have to dip into the Defence Fund. Even medical professionals about 400 of them will not be paid.
Reason?
They are serving the nation and therefore should not expect to be paid, say the members of the CWG OC. If they are serving the nation, what then, Mr Kalmadi, are those who are being paid -- those who are paying themselves – doing?
Veteran athletes like Milkha Singh are livid at the way things have panned out.
CWG. A once proud dream dreamt by every Indian that has been made a mockery of.
And you thought judges sat in judgement over crimes !
Seven judges of the Andhra Pradesh State Subordinate Judiciary, were suspended by the High Court for mass copying during their LL. M exams at the Kakatiya University at Warangal. These worthies were Senior Civil judges , district judges and a few advocates who were doing this course through the distance education facility.
The authorities were tipped off about this and caught them red handed.
The judges’ answer sheets and "printed notes" have been seized and won't be evaluated.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice, Mr Nisar Ahmad Kakru, needs to be applauded for immediate action.
Just curious. How many more ? And these guys sat in judgement over thieves and cheaters ?
Will they frame the suspension order and hang it in each courtroom to deter others ?
Seven judges of the Andhra Pradesh State Subordinate Judiciary, were suspended by the High Court for mass copying during their LL. M exams at the Kakatiya University at Warangal. These worthies were Senior Civil judges , district judges and a few advocates who were doing this course through the distance education facility.
The authorities were tipped off about this and caught them red handed.
The judges’ answer sheets and "printed notes" have been seized and won't be evaluated.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice, Mr Nisar Ahmad Kakru, needs to be applauded for immediate action.
Just curious. How many more ? And these guys sat in judgement over thieves and cheaters ?
Will they frame the suspension order and hang it in each courtroom to deter others ?
For the past 28 years, Karsanbhai Patel has been teaching the children of his village to swim. There is no swimming pool in the village, just a lake. The water is not very clean, and there are no changing rooms.
But this doesn't stop the children, nor their dedicated teacher. The swimming lessons continue even in winter when the water is chilly.
Sometimes Karsanbhai gets small donations from well-wishers, and he uses the money to buy swimming equipment for the children.
Despite the hardships, over 200 children from the village have participated at the state level and 45 have made it to the nationals.
Something to ponder on- particularly in the present times, when, with each passing day, the morning newspaper is filled with more and more controversies regarding the Commonwealth Games.
But this doesn't stop the children, nor their dedicated teacher. The swimming lessons continue even in winter when the water is chilly.
Sometimes Karsanbhai gets small donations from well-wishers, and he uses the money to buy swimming equipment for the children.
Despite the hardships, over 200 children from the village have participated at the state level and 45 have made it to the nationals.
Something to ponder on- particularly in the present times, when, with each passing day, the morning newspaper is filled with more and more controversies regarding the Commonwealth Games.
Sagar, MP: Over 300 tonnes of explosives sent from a govt-owned factory in Dholpur loaded in 61 trucks, have gone missing in Madhya Pradesh. Ganesh Explosives's licence, the company which was to receive the explosives, had expired in March itself.
How do they allow the Govt. Agency to send such a huge load of explosives without any sort of security? Why can't they send in 5 or ten trucks with a gap in-between?
In 2008, detonators used in the blasts in Surat were also made in the same Dholpur factory.
Where have they landed now, in the hands of Mao'ists or Kashmir terrorists? This incident is happening inside India to hurt our own people.
Tomorrow is our Independence Day!
How do they allow the Govt. Agency to send such a huge load of explosives without any sort of security? Why can't they send in 5 or ten trucks with a gap in-between?
In 2008, detonators used in the blasts in Surat were also made in the same Dholpur factory.
Where have they landed now, in the hands of Mao'ists or Kashmir terrorists? This incident is happening inside India to hurt our own people.
Tomorrow is our Independence Day!
Mumbai has been in limelight for wrong reasons. First the malaria epidemic and now two large ships colliding and spilling oil and cargo in the seas around us. Apart from pollution, this has exposed a dangerous chink in our armour.
With MSC Chitra listing dangerously, containers could not defy gravity and they clogged a critical waterway for five days. The oil spill damaged beaches till about a 100kms away and destroyed large tracts of mangroves. All marine food will be viewed with suspicion for times to come.
It almost brought Mumbai to its knees. A lot of petroleum products come to Mumbai by the sea-route. Supplies were low and had the water channel remained blocked for a week more, we would have been in deep trouble. Officials deny this but surely we are exposed and vulnerable to devious forces and they now know this gap.
CWG corruption allegations are at it's peak.
Does any one need more backup?
pic courtesy times now service
The Commonwealth Games people defend their outrageous expenditures, accuse media, and explain buying 100 roles of toilet paper for Rs 3750, @37.50 each. No explanation forthcoming for crores spent and immediate payments made by the Chairman's special order, , so someone running with a baton in front of Buckingham palace, does it in style.
In the meanwhile, NGO's entrusted with rounding up and housing the cows and bulls on Delhi's roads, stopped doing that because the authorities stopped paying them, citing a money "crunch". Rs 25 per animal. MCD gives Rs 20, the state , 5.
Depends on who was crunching the money.
This is how "low" we have sunk.
In the meanwhile, NGO's entrusted with rounding up and housing the cows and bulls on Delhi's roads, stopped doing that because the authorities stopped paying them, citing a money "crunch". Rs 25 per animal. MCD gives Rs 20, the state , 5.
Depends on who was crunching the money.
This is how "low" we have sunk.
The Delhi Traffic Police have started a Facebook page which has become immensely popular.
Delhi residents enthusiastically post photos there, photos of people on motorcycles without helmets, cars stopped in crosswalks, drivers on cell phones, drivers in the middle of illegal turns.
In two months, Delhi Traffic police have issued 665 tickets, tracking down violators by the license plate numbers caught in the photos.
The police are aware that people might use the site to settle old scores and that photos could be manipulated. However Delhi’s joint commissioner of traffic, Satyendra Garg says 'drivers can contest the tickets if they feel they were wrongly issued'.
He also says “We advise while you are driving not to take a photo of a fellow driver who is breaking traffic laws. Using a cell phone camera while driving is in itself a violation.”
Delhi residents enthusiastically post photos there, photos of people on motorcycles without helmets, cars stopped in crosswalks, drivers on cell phones, drivers in the middle of illegal turns.
In two months, Delhi Traffic police have issued 665 tickets, tracking down violators by the license plate numbers caught in the photos.
The police are aware that people might use the site to settle old scores and that photos could be manipulated. However Delhi’s joint commissioner of traffic, Satyendra Garg says 'drivers can contest the tickets if they feel they were wrongly issued'.
He also says “We advise while you are driving not to take a photo of a fellow driver who is breaking traffic laws. Using a cell phone camera while driving is in itself a violation.”
The CommonWealth Games 2010 in Delhi, are a lesson in "How people never learn". Headed by Politicians for the sole purpose of doling out contracts, and forming committees , one would have expected the Delhi Police to be an integral part there. But NO.
43 lakh flower pots have been bought for 30 crores, for the sole purpose of beautification of the Games venues. The Delhi police have now written objecting to their placement as a security risk. 50 lakh plants are on order, with 8 lakh plants from Vizag and Dehradun, at a cost of 135 crore.
The Delhi administration says these will now be placed below flyovers. Artificial sunlight providers must be licking lips in anticipation.
Incidentally , is Jyoti Singh of Bihar Congress in Delhi ? Or has she been banned by the CWG Organizing commitee ?
43 lakh flower pots have been bought for 30 crores, for the sole purpose of beautification of the Games venues. The Delhi police have now written objecting to their placement as a security risk. 50 lakh plants are on order, with 8 lakh plants from Vizag and Dehradun, at a cost of 135 crore.
The Delhi administration says these will now be placed below flyovers. Artificial sunlight providers must be licking lips in anticipation.
Incidentally , is Jyoti Singh of Bihar Congress in Delhi ? Or has she been banned by the CWG Organizing commitee ?
Under the Janani Suraksha Yojana in Bihar, every woman who gives birth , is granted Rs 1000/-. In direct defiance of the laws on nature, 298 women in Bihar, claim to have given birth to 2 to 5 children within 60 days. The CAG of Bihar has highlighted this after noting that 6.6 lakhs were paid to these 298 women. with the districts of Bhagalpur, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Kishanganj and Nalanda leading the scam.
Incentives were paid 2 to 5 times in 60 days to these women by the officials. While lactating mothers suffered, out of 470,307 new mothers, 97,146 were not provided cash incentives for want of funds. Also, payment of Rs.25.19 crore to 1.8 lakh beneficiaries were made after a delay ranging between eight and 732 days.
Cow fodder payment is quick. Others can go to hell.
Incentives were paid 2 to 5 times in 60 days to these women by the officials. While lactating mothers suffered, out of 470,307 new mothers, 97,146 were not provided cash incentives for want of funds. Also, payment of Rs.25.19 crore to 1.8 lakh beneficiaries were made after a delay ranging between eight and 732 days.
Cow fodder payment is quick. Others can go to hell.
Panchayat elections in over 580 villages in Pune district are to be held this week. Many of the candidates are facing unexpected problems due to the unfamiliar and sometimes hilarious election symbols allotted to them.
“One of the candidates in our village is a wrestler and the symbol he’s got is that of a baby’s frock. He finds it really difficult to promote something so contradictory to his image and personality,” says Sachin Kamthe, who is also contesting.
"One of the leaders has been appealing to the masses to use a pair of scissors to cut his opponent to size as the opponent’s symbol is a pair of scissors." says Ashok Bajare of Peth.
Candidates complain that some symbols - such as cake, battery, bread and piano - don’t connect with the villagers.
The Election Commission has declined to change the symbols.
“One of the candidates in our village is a wrestler and the symbol he’s got is that of a baby’s frock. He finds it really difficult to promote something so contradictory to his image and personality,” says Sachin Kamthe, who is also contesting.
"One of the leaders has been appealing to the masses to use a pair of scissors to cut his opponent to size as the opponent’s symbol is a pair of scissors." says Ashok Bajare of Peth.
Candidates complain that some symbols - such as cake, battery, bread and piano - don’t connect with the villagers.
The Election Commission has declined to change the symbols.
With the Commonwealth Games coming up, naturally there will be talk about medals , or, the lack of them. Already the emphasis is on how the Games village is better than Beijing's.
And of course Sania and Saina.
If the Chairman and heads of various games looked around they would find so many "hidden" talents in sports, say, as in shot put.
They create a Sports Authority and then act stingy with resources or misuse them. Athletes from rural areas and the hinterland go through immense trouble because of lack of infrastructure and facilities, while there is a blatant disregard for how budgeted funds are being actually utilised.
Here's a new source. Already with infrastructure, political power, and money.
Shot put comes to mind...
Watch this .
And of course Sania and Saina.
If the Chairman and heads of various games looked around they would find so many "hidden" talents in sports, say, as in shot put.
They create a Sports Authority and then act stingy with resources or misuse them. Athletes from rural areas and the hinterland go through immense trouble because of lack of infrastructure and facilities, while there is a blatant disregard for how budgeted funds are being actually utilised.
Here's a new source. Already with infrastructure, political power, and money.
Shot put comes to mind...
Watch this .
Last month, India was admitted as the 34th member of The Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The FATF is an inter-governmental organisation founded in 1989 by the G7 concerned with developing policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
The FATF has identified fund transfers from foreign Non Profit Organisations (NPOs), counterfeiting of currency, drug trafficking and extortion as "major sources for terrorist financing" in India.
Most NPOs (what we generally call NGOs) in India are subject to limited or no monitoring and supervision.
Several laws have been formulated in recent years, to monitor and counter terror funds and money laundering. However, there have been no money laundering convictions under these laws till date.
The FATF report commented upon the misplaced confidence of Indian officials regarding the low risk of NPOs being used as conduits for terrorist financing.
Misplaced confidence or wilful blindness?
The FATF has identified fund transfers from foreign Non Profit Organisations (NPOs), counterfeiting of currency, drug trafficking and extortion as "major sources for terrorist financing" in India.
Most NPOs (what we generally call NGOs) in India are subject to limited or no monitoring and supervision.
Several laws have been formulated in recent years, to monitor and counter terror funds and money laundering. However, there have been no money laundering convictions under these laws till date.
The FATF report commented upon the misplaced confidence of Indian officials regarding the low risk of NPOs being used as conduits for terrorist financing.
Misplaced confidence or wilful blindness?
I admit that I do not follow the game as much as I follow, say, Football, despite the fact that I used to play daily with my friends, long ago. I do not even know who the World’s best are - except one.
There was a time when I did regret that Mr.Padukone’s beautiful daughter chose Bollywood over her father’s profession. But then, all is well that is progressing well, and we have a champion on our soil.
We have seen other shooting stars appear and fizzle out, and at each appearance, we pray that it does not vanish. Something tells me this one will stay. At the top.
Though the fact that the news found a place in the Sports page only was dampening, I still feel happy and proud that Saina has made it to World No.2 spot.
There was a time when I did regret that Mr.Padukone’s beautiful daughter chose Bollywood over her father’s profession. But then, all is well that is progressing well, and we have a champion on our soil.
We have seen other shooting stars appear and fizzle out, and at each appearance, we pray that it does not vanish. Something tells me this one will stay. At the top.
Though the fact that the news found a place in the Sports page only was dampening, I still feel happy and proud that Saina has made it to World No.2 spot.
Sometime in the year 2005.
Some of us may remember a gentleman by the name..KULDEEP SINGH.
Some may call him a hero.
Some may have forgotten him.
Some may have decided not to remember him.
Some of us may want to know who he is.
Well he is the same DTC driver who saved lives of more than 50Delhi citizens in oct 2005.
This brave man threw the bomb out of the bus.
He has lost his eyesight, lost fingers of his right hand, hearing impaired. He needs support to walk.
What was he promised is not important. He has no money for treatment. All he has is assurances from CM Ms Dixit, assurances from DTC Only thing he did not have was money to pay his medical bills.
Who cares.
If it was a case involving a political opportunity, a number of NGOs would have jumped into score points.
For political class, it is time to wake up.
KULDEEP SINGH is still waiting and has not seen his son who was born immediately after the incident.
He is still waiting and hoping he will one day see his son.
Some of us may remember a gentleman by the name..KULDEEP SINGH.
Some may call him a hero.
Some may have forgotten him.
Some may have decided not to remember him.
Some of us may want to know who he is.
Well he is the same DTC driver who saved lives of more than 50Delhi citizens in oct 2005.
This brave man threw the bomb out of the bus.
He has lost his eyesight, lost fingers of his right hand, hearing impaired. He needs support to walk.
What was he promised is not important. He has no money for treatment. All he has is assurances from CM Ms Dixit, assurances from DTC Only thing he did not have was money to pay his medical bills.
Who cares.
If it was a case involving a political opportunity, a number of NGOs would have jumped into score points.
For political class, it is time to wake up.
KULDEEP SINGH is still waiting and has not seen his son who was born immediately after the incident.
He is still waiting and hoping he will one day see his son.
Ajit Balaji Joshi, then Additional Deputy Commissioner in Jhajjar Dist., Haryana, set up the first bhatta shala (brick-kiln-school) in December, 2006. Since then 359 such bhatta shalas have been set up in Haryana.
The brick kiln workers in Jhajjar and Sonepat districts of Haryana come from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in December and stay for six months. So these seasonal schools- set up so that the children of these workers do not miss out on an education- run for six months every year.
Initially, schools in several states refused to accept the certificates that the bhatta shalas issued. But they are now accepted by the home states of the children, and they continue their studies when they go back home for the rest of the year.
In 2008, Ajit Joshi received the Distinguished Service Award from former President APJ Abdul Kalam for his work on the bhatta shalas.
The brick kiln workers in Jhajjar and Sonepat districts of Haryana come from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in December and stay for six months. So these seasonal schools- set up so that the children of these workers do not miss out on an education- run for six months every year.
Initially, schools in several states refused to accept the certificates that the bhatta shalas issued. But they are now accepted by the home states of the children, and they continue their studies when they go back home for the rest of the year.
In 2008, Ajit Joshi received the Distinguished Service Award from former President APJ Abdul Kalam for his work on the bhatta shalas.
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