Life without power

Everyone knows the condition of electricity in Tamil Nadu for the past 3 years. There may be 1001 reasons from the Government side for this, but at the end of the day the public only suffering.   Let us not have a blame game, it is a waste of time. 

My view is different.  Last week I was in Chennai for a few days.  They are getting only 2 hours power cut for a day.   I have seen the city in the evenings there, they enjoy 100% power, every Marriage Hall is highly illuminated, name boards are glittering, all the cinema halls are functioning without any problem, 100% street lights are on, the company hoardings are shining in the night, throughout.

Really I could not digest this scenario, because I am hailing from a small town, Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu, could see the worst power situation in and around small towns like ours.  We don’t know when we get power and when the power goes off in our day to day life.   No one can do any work with a plan as at any time the power would go off.   We live in dark.  No one bothers to give power to the people.  Whenever they wish, the EB people give power to us.  But, they have fixed a date, if we don’t pay the EB bill on that day, they have all the powers in the world to take off the fuse carrier from our homes.  We are the consumers and paying money for electricity, but we don’t have anything to say on it.   Just, we have to shut up our mouths. 

Almost all the small industries are shut;  the business and manufacturing units  have come to stand still.    The people who are living with daily wages, blinking for next day’s food. 

Some people have generators at their shops and homes and many don’t have this facility too.  In this situation, how the students would study at their homes, one feels a lot.  To whom we have to take up the matter, I don’t know exactly.

My concern is, the people live in towns and villages are also human beings, workers and have to live with food;  in their work place, they need power, otherwise, no work for them and ultimately no money in their pockets and no food at their homes for them. 

Do the Chennai or City people only have life and the people who live in other than Chennai not to be cared ?  I don’t know what logic lies behind this. 

Many have lost their jobs in small towns and to search for job, they are migrating to Chennai today.   The procession already started in a big way and It is not a healthy sign.  Where is job for all these  in Chennai ?

Please consider the places in Tamil Nadu other than Chennai also.   For the people in Chennai and other big cities should know what is the real condition in other places in Tamil Nadu.  These City based people should not consume or waste this much power, it is my sincere feeling.  The Government should come forward to educate them or supply only a limited power to them.  In these worst conditions, the marriage halls and other important places should be restricted to use this much power;  the Corporate Houses can be instructed accordingly.    When entire villages and towns are in dark, why there should be 100% street lights in big cities ?  We must rise to the occasion.    Someone should bell the cat. 

I hope this bad power problem may be over within a year.  But, up to that, let everyone should share the burden;   why should the villages and towns only suffer ?   I see many hospitals in these towns suffer without power and how much the patients suffer due to it. 

Last month, it was a very good for us in Krishnagiri, there was NO power cut at all for 24 hours, it may be difficult for you to believe it.  But, it is true.   Our Tamil Nadu Governor was here in our small town to attend a function.      

I am quite happy our CM has taken a right step towards this power cut problem.  How much sunshine we waste daily, especially ours is a tropical country.    We can do wonders with the heat of Sun.   Our CM has taken all steps to implement the Solar System in Tamil Nadu.  The Initial cost may be highe but it is only a permanent solution.  

Let us start working on it today itself.   Let us follow Gujarat in this very model. 

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WOMEN POWER IN INDIA

It is very sad, the women power is not realized in our country still.  Perhaps, the women themselves are not taking it seriously, hence,  they are highly suppressed here.

It is a shame for every Indian on this point.

Gandhiji once mentioned, “let us not be proud that we got Independence for our country.  We can be happy only when a woman walks in the street alone at 12 midnight  without any fear”.

New Delhi is branded Rape Capital of India.   What is happening in Haryana for the past 2 months ?  Can we be happy on all such incidents take place in our country ? 

What are our great leaders doing at this ?  Is it not their duty to take some firm action on the culprits and criminals ?  If the action is not taken, such crimes will be happening.  

At this point I sincerely wish to mention, these women folk should not wait for the Governments to come forward to bring an amendment in Assembly or Parliament.      It is unfortunate that the State or Central Govt has not taken it seriously, hence, they won’t bother to bring any rule or amendment.

Then, who has to act ? 

It is the women of our country to be blamed;  it is the women of country who have to act.  They themselves should know to protect themselves, there is no other go for them.  It is India where they are living,  they should not forget.  

The women should learn a martial art in their school life itself and it is the school should feel it is their very duty to teach a martial art for girl children to protect themselves in this kind of society.  

The Government should order all the Educational Institutions in India to teach a martial art to all the girl children.   It should be made mandatory in schools.  If girl children are taught such, surely the  crime rate will come down.    Please read the following small good story which inspired me very much.

In a village, a girl who was 14,  had to cross daily a big play ground to go to a school;  she normally used to go along with her 2 friends.   Often a few boys were teasing these girls and the girls without caring, were going to school.  These girls have not taken this teasing matter seriously.    All the days are not same, of course.   One day, unexpectedly, her both the friends could not accompany her to school due to some personal reasons.    This girl alone had to go to school,  she never bothered on it.  When she was crossing the big play ground, three boys came across and knowing that she was alone, started to tease her a lot;   the girl had warned the boys initially;  but the boys were not in a mood to care her warning;  they were crossing a limit.  This girl repeatedly and gently warned them in the beginning, but no use.  Just she grabbed a boy’s shirt and slapped heavily on his and back;  also by going a little back, with a fiery fist, she rushed forward and kicked two boys with a force on their stomach.  The boys never expected this strong attack from this girl and they fell down heavily.  One boy was screaming with stomach pain and another one was bleeding from his mouth.   Immediately the boys got up and started to run away from the scene. 

The girl silently left the place for her school, with confidence.  This girl knew a martial art;  she was lucky, the school where she studied has taken care of the girl children and their safety.  How many schools do you think in this way today, in India ?  

There are many women stalwarts in India today.       Through this platform, I request them to come forward to think over the safety of the girl children in India and give guidelines to the Governments accordingly. 

It is very pity that a top politician in Haryana saying to perform marriages at young age will solve the ‘rape’ problem in our country.  Another Minister at Centre says to prevent mosquito biting asking every student to wear full pants.  Is this the way really help us ?  To give these golden suggestions, have we sent them to Assembly and Parliament ?    What a shame !  
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If u want to say anything on this article, pl mail to: sanathkumar5252@gmail.com

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A HAPPY HOME FOR THE NEEDY

It was my dream to start a Happy Home (for the needy people), I don’t like to call it this is Old Age Home.  I sincerely feel it gives more negative impact on society if we call it as Old Age Home.  Nowadays people think Home means only for deserted people and for the people who are thrown away from their homes from their children.  It is a wrong concept I honestly think.

With the idea of starting a Happy Home, I wanted to visit a few Homes in Chennai and its suburbs.  I and my wife had been to a few Homes last week.   It was a wonderful experience for us.  Majority of the inmates were women, aged 50 plus.  Most of them in the Homes, were very active;  cleaning, watering the plants, cutting vegetables, cooking, serving others, watching TV, playing indoor games, chatting and so on, keeping everyone engaged happily.  I felt like I was in a marriage function.  Very few were taking rest;  one Smt.Bageerathi has dedicated her life towards this Home.  She was working in Indian Bank;  got VRS a few years ago and settled here for full time service.  She is one of the Trustees who started this Home.  Without expecting anything from anyone, serving for many is an unimaginable one in anybody’s life.   People like her, are the wonders of the world, it is my wholehearted feeling. 

Smt.Bageerathi spent lot of time for us at Home;  she explained about their activities enthusiastically.  Meanwhile she called many of her inmates and introduced them to us.  All the inmates were very happily enjoying their time and they are all very well treated by the Management, I could easily understand.  They all requested us to have lunch with them, which they themselves prepared.     It was a very happy moment for us to have lunch with them.  Very affectionately they served;  it was a tasty and healthy food too;  it was not a simple lunch, really a grand one. 

They have all recreations;  the Management is taking them for outing often;  a beautiful temple is constructed in the campus;  a bhajan hall, a separate dining hall, play grounds, well furnished rooms, bath rooms, toilets;  there is a separate ward for sick people.  Doctors are regularly visiting these Homes;  a set of trained attendants are there permanently to look after the health of inmates. 

These Homes are well built.  Some Homes are completely free and many Homes are paid;  I see, for the Paid Homes there is a long queue than the Free Homes.  It was a very touching moment when we visited Vishranthi, another Home at Tiruvanmiyur, run by Smt. Savithri Vaithy;  she only coined the word “Mudhior Illam” (Old Age Home) in 1970, first time in India;  we could meet her there in the campus.  She is the real legend, I can say.  For people like her, the Padma Awards should be given and encouraged.  This great women visits hospitals, take the unclaimed bodies to the burial ground and does all the final rituals by herself.   She does not bother about the society or customs.  Whatever she feels right she does.  I was astonished and humbled before her.

She gave us a cop of tea with affection.  By appreciating her work, many great people like Kanchi Acharya, Simpson Sivasilam, AVM family members visited this Home.  Apart from these two, we visited some other Homes also.

I felt that I had visited a great place in my life after visiting these Homes.  This visit to Chennai has energised me more;  got into action immediately;  discussed with like minded friends;  visited some areas between Krishnagiri and Hosur;  a beautiful place of 2.5 acres selected and advance also paid.   Everything happened within a week. 

Regarding Homes, there is a general feeling among people;  please note, these Homes are not exactly for the people who are not cared by their children;  in a changed world, even parents won’t like to be with their children;  they too, at this age, want to lead an independent life.  They have their own money, their own property and their own income.  What is wrong in thinking to lead an independent life, at least for some time ?  Absolutely there is no wrong in their thinking.  Even I know some good hearted people who are really looking after their parents very well;  how they treat their small children, they treat their parents also in the same way, I am here proud to say;  my very big family with more than 200 members, is itself a proud example, in Krishnagiri and across the world.

But Homes like this are the need of the hour in India, it is my strong feeling.  Parents are left alone in India when their children are leaving for US or UK.    I see it has become a common scene in almost every family around us.  Children are ready to spend any decent amount for their parents’ safety and stay.   Most of the parents don’t want to go along with their children to other countries;  they want to stay back in India. 

I also have seen in some houses, the parents don’t get any interaction with their children and grand children;  all are busy;  the old aged parents left out even at their homes without any company.  A father says to his son, “see my dear son, please don’t think that I am here with you only for food and shelter;  I need some company;  you, your wife and children should spend some time for us, we don’t want any sympathy from you, only empathy”.    It is the general feeling today among almost all the elders in many houses.  In this situation you can’t blame their children also;  all are very busy;  no one has time to spare with the old age parents.  You can’t blame anyone.  The Homes are coming handy in these circumstances;  these Homes are specialists on this concept.  They give all the encouragements / medical treatment / recreation / time to spend spiritually / good and timely food / always engaged / moving with the same aged people….. so many advantages in Homes. 

A Happy Home nearby Krishnagiri will be ready within a year by Bhagwan’s grace, with our sincere effort and your wishes to help the society.    Any good suggestions, pl mail me to:  sanathkumar5252@gmail.com

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MATCH FIXING ? BERNARD SHAW IS THE WINNER.

I am very much upset on match fixing in cricket.  It has become often a news in the recent times.   I am an ardent fan of Sir Gary Sobers of West Indies;  whenever Sobers visited Chennai, I was informed and I used to go there, spent some time with him.  I am the Founder Secretary for Dharmapuri Dist. Cricket Association  for 10 years;  I was also running a Cricket Club in the name of Gary Sobers.  I was one of the active members in conducting Tamil Nadu / Karnataka Ranji matches three years.   I can neither bowl nor bat, due to my disability, that is a different story.  But I simply love cricket.   

As a cricket lover, I feel so bad about this match fixing.  Even today, 6 umpires’ names (Srilanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan) have been published and they have been removed from the Panel of Umpires also, by ICC.

How can we do anything for the sake of money?    That too in Sports and Games ?  What a shame !  It seems people losing faith in their hard and sincere work. 

We see the local Matches and Tournaments, there are lot of chances to rig;  a player can involve and even an umpire can involve to change the fate of the game.  The organizers should be very careful and it is their duty to conduct the Matches in a very good manner.  

We encourage the Sports to see the mental and physical stature to be well balanced among us.  When the children play, they will taste success and failure simultaneously.  It will teach them how to take everything in a balanced way and to move further with great zeal.  Some bad elements enter into the Sports and misleading the people to make quick money today.  A few people are tempted to go in a wrong path and finally they get very bad name, bringing the game to a new low and also the players’ life is doomed.  For these people’s mistakes and greed, the image of the entire country is spoiled.

Who will check or who can check such worst happenings?  For everything, can you wait for Govt to act ?  It is not their work to correct us always;  we need self discipline. 

No doubt, the ICC at international level should take stubborn action on it.  If the ICC feels it is difficult to look into these very deeply, it should not allow the Matches to be played.   I won’t mind much even if the players or umpires gain some amount in a bad way, but, I am much worried about the fans and game lovers whose innocence, interest and most precious time are exploited. 

If next month match is already fixed by some goons at lodges, why should it be played at all ?    The matter can be over across the table without going to ground, without playing, without uniform and without wasting the time of lakhs of game lovers, fine ?

Why such huge stadiums, why practice sessions, why staying in a posh hotels, colourful uniforms if the game is fixed ?   If timely action is not taken by the authorities concerned, no spectator will be there to go to ground to watch the game and these umpires or players once for all quit the game and go to some offices to take 9 to 5 job.   

ICC, please wake up at once, otherwise, we have bow our heads before the statue of Bernard Shaw who is laughing at us today.

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I LOVE THIS SCAR …. LOVE TO REMEMBER IT ALWAYS

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared.

Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door!

He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting,

'What are you doing, do you know ?  Who are you ?   You damaged our new car and we have to spend lot of money on it now.   Why did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic.  He was crying:  'Please, please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do', he pleaded. 'I have no other go .... otherwise no one would stop, I need your help.    With tears he pointed to a spot around a parked car. 'It's my brother, 'he said 'He fell off the path and fell out of his wheelchair and I am unable to lift him up.'

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat... He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy!  Pushing his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!'  

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts.   Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us.  

It's our choice to listen or not.

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INDIANS PROUDLY CELEBRATING GANDHI JAYANTHI TODAY

Today is Gandhi Jayanthi, Mahatma Gandhi’s birth day. 

It is a public holiday in our country.   Exactly no one knows why Gandhi’s  birth day is a holiday in our country.   I asked many learned people but no one is in a right position to give me a correct answer even the Govt. Officials. 

What is expected by the Government of India from us on this great day ? 

As far as I am concerned, we are wasting our energy without working in a day.   What is in the minds of our Govt ?  Instead of giving holiday, we should be asked to work extra hour in our work place and it will surely help for our country’s development.  We can garland Gandhi photo and statue;  we can give a talk about Him and remember Him and His great works towards our civil war during 1940s.    

It is my humble feeling that it is utter nonsense to declare Holiday on this great day.  It is really a high time for the people at New Delhi to take a sensible decision to treat and declare Gandhi Jayanthi is a working day at National Level.    

On this Day, all the Educational Institutions should open;  today’s students completely forgotten Gandhi and His principles.  We are losing faith in Democracy day by day.  Our children don’t know the exact meaning for Independence and who fought with whom and for what purpose.    In Institutions, we should make the students to talk on Mahatma, we must remember his great services and sacrifices;  It is very unfortunate of us, instead, we enjoy holiday, without working, watching movies and doing shopping.  It is a national shame but, still it has become our practice !  You see in Tasmac and arrack shops, you will be shocked to see the long queues in front of them to buy whiskies and Brandi bottles just a day before Gandhi Jayanthi as these shops are on leave today.  

Is this the way we honour the Father of Nation ? 

Are we remembering Gandhi and his services really today ?    All the children, even without bathing, I see they play on roads.    Indians don’t have any shame because it is our practice.   

Today, we are proud Indians, we are Gandhians and followers of Gandhian principles.  

Jaihind.

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CALIBRE OF INDIAN STUDENTS IS EXTREMELY HIGH

I am very much impressed by the Indian children / students as they are very brilliant;  you know in some countries like Japan, people say, if you ask two questions to a person at a time, he will blink.  You must ask him one after another slowly.  He cannot answer for your two questions at a time quickly.  But, we Indians, while doing some work, are able to answer any number of questions at a time.  In most of the countries, students are learning the Math Tables only when they reach 10.   That too, at 10, they know only up to 5th table;  but in Indian schools, at 12, they know up to 16th table, i.e. 16 x 16.  Some foreign Professors wondered on it when they visited our school by seeing the children are taught 16th table at 12.  

Recently Stephen Toope, President, University of British Columbia, reveals why there is a growing need for the Indian government to collaborate with universities abroad, in order to meet the academic needs of talented students.

He says: "We have a program called Global Link, which tries to take some top students from the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Management and bring them in. But we're also looking at very strong undergraduates.  For the foreseeable future, I don't think India will be able to offer spaces at outstanding institutions for all the talented students because there are just so many of them."

Really it is a great news and every Indian can be proud on Mr.Toope's statement;  he says Indian students are brilliant and their calibre is high;  it is a good point our educationists should note:  we also must note what kind of education at schools we impart.

We present at schools only memory based education;  children don't get any creative education.  Morning to evening, the teachers, one by one will come to blackboard to teach;  it is only Teacher Oriented Education we are giving, not Student Oriented.  Students cannot question the teachers easily;  the teachers are given certain syllabus to finish off in a year, this makes the teachers always on the hot pan.  The teachers' work is just to finish off the portions;  they never bother whether the students understood what they taught;  if you ask, they say they don't have much time to look after all these as the syllabus is heavy and somehow the students should score marks;  most of the schools, parents and teachers never bother about the knowledge what should have been gained in the schools.  

This kind of very ordinary system of education is going on in our great country for the past 160 years.   No one has guts to change it, it is really pity!  Students don't have anything new in schools, same old one every year people follow;   That is why, the students in our country,  go to schools only on compulsion / without any interest;  our education is not practical oriented.  Even by giving this kind of education in our country, people like Mr. Toope appreciates that our children are great.  If at all our children are given a practical oriented education instead of Marks / Exam, please think, where our children would have been there now!   We fail to feed our children with proper syllabus;  our children are brilliant but we really don't give them what exactly they need.  Just for example you could see, by having B.E. degree at hand, people are working in Banks; (actually for banking services, just you need 10th std. maths enough); some study B.L. after B.E. ;  some with M.A./M.Sc. qualification,  appear for Clerical job in Govt. Departments.  Are we not ashamed on our education system ?

Whatever we study in our life, especially between 5 and 25, it should be very helpful to our life.  We cannot waste our precious time by studying something irrelevant.   I thank Mr. Toope for appreciating our students !  I assure you, you will find more brilliant or real brilliant students from India in near future.  Now only we started to realize on this point.   

Dear educationists of India, let us not take the appreciation of Mr. Toope seriously and stop our work.    Really we have to work a lot only hereafter.  

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SACHIN, PLEASE

Last week Sachin has given in an interview, said that he would play till he loves the game.  In an another occasion he said others need not give him any advice on his retirement.

Is it correct on your part to think such, Sachin ?

You are playing cricket, I think right from you were 3 year old kid.  Fine ?  Today you are around 40.  Surely you will like to play even at the age of 80 or 90.  But do you really want to play cricket for India even at that age ?     

You have achieved enough.  It is very difficult for others to touch your milestones.  Not only Indian but cricket fans throughout the world enjoyed your batting and appreciating your batting technique and they simply loved, not only the fans but also eminent players.  As a batsman, you have achieved maximum and make India very proud. 

What do you want more than this ?  Tell me consciously, can you give us the same excellent innings what you gave us and India some ten years ago ?  It is not your mistake, you must accept you are becoming old and you surely cannot give us beautiful batting again.   The BCCI has not so far dropped you from the side, but can you take advantage of it ?    I failed to understand why the BCCI has not come forward to advise you to take rest as the same BCCI has done it in many palyers’ cases hundreds of times.     I still remember the BCCI and the Selection Committee have not given enough chances to many players in India to show their mettle.    Many players were shown the doors when they failed to perform continuously for 2 or 3 times.   

But, the BCCI is very calm and quite now in your case and in your case alone, I am really surprised and wondered.     Dravid and Lakshman still can produce  great innings, but what they did, please note.    Can you play  as long as you love to play ?  What is the log behind it ?   Please think about the spectators and your great fans.   Take the examples the Australian Cricketers set.  When they are at peak form, they retire.  Are you not impressed by them ? 

You might have seen hundreds of cricketers don’t hang their boots till they are sent out or dropped out.   Are you falling in that category ?    Do you expect the BCCI to drop you ?  Should it  happen to you?  I will be sad if it happens to you, Sachin.  Apart from this, you know about the craze of cricket in India.  There are plenty of cricketers upcoming very fast in India.  Many are there to take prime spots in Indian cricket team.  People, who are aged, done enough for the country, played enough number of games / Tests for India should realize that their time has come.   Otherwise, we are depriving the opportunity for many youngsters.  Country is great than the individuals and their records. 

When you struggle to bat even against the weak team today, we feel really pity on you.  That too, you don’t come as an opener;   to facilitate you, your captain makes sufficient room for you to send you down the order.   Still you are unable to score runs, against average bowlers and in home pitches.    Do you need to play even in such a way ?  We, your good fans really don’t want this situation for you.     You please think about your fans.  We want to remember you always in a glorified manner.  Even in your last innings, you should have sparkled. 

It is really a high time for you to hang your boots, encourage the youngsters and help Indian Cricket.

I hope you would surely take my suggestion positively. 

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(GENERAL) ELECTIONS IN INDIA

No one is interested in the elections in India other than politicians and their supporters.  The rulers should know that Indians are losing faith in Democracy fast day by day.  After all our country got Independence only 64 years ago, not 300 or 400 years. 

Our rulers should try to impress the common man by his / her deeds and high thinking.   This is the way to lead the youngsters in a long run.  Otherwise you see today, when I have asked the students who were 17 and 18 in schools, no student showed interest to enter into politics, instead, everyone hated and blamed the politicians and political system. 

Without knowing much of benefits of freedom / Independence and the struggle how much our people had in 1930s and 1940s, today’s youngsters feel that India could have been under Britishers themselves.  What a pity !  Is it the one we taught to the younger generation ?   Just for this, did Mahatma Gandhi  work hard his best to get freedom for India ? 

Why we lost interest in elections, that should be analysed.    The younger generation feels that our politicians could behave little more decently in Parliament / Assemblies,  when they are in power or not.   They feel it is not the better way to set example for the upcoming youngsters.      

It is better to have elections only once in  5 years;   we must consider the following points: 

Elections are held when an MLA or MP dies; 

Elections are held when the Govt is toppled;  Govt is topped when the rules party MLAs / MPs are changing their colours/flags/parties/positions/policies/minds, etc. etc. 

Elections are held when Govt is dismissed;

Elections are held once in 5 years; 

Elections are held separately for Parliament and Assemblies.   

Elections are held  whenever the abovementioned situation arises.   

Almost every day in India, the elections are held;  it is very unfortunate that there is no rule that Parliament and Assembly elections should be held in India simultaneously.

Enough is enough.  Stop these elections every day in India.  See, to win in an election what gimmicks candidates indulge into.  With a great,  hope people vote for them, but after coming to power really are the people happy ?   It is a million dollar question.  Even the candidate can be purchased by others easily on some occasions.  Thus the people who voted for him become fools overnight.   In the same way the voters are also sold by hundreds to thousands of rupees. 

In most of the elections we see even 55% of the polling do not take place.    Candidates arrange autos  to take the voters to booths to vote.  May people prefer to stay at home without going to polling booth.     In some cases, either their names will not be there in the list or someone would have franchised their vote already.    There should be a mandatory that in every election,  at least 95%   of the eligible voters should have voted, otherwise, the Chief Election Commissioner should not announce the results and see maximum number of people should vote.    If the people have not voted, their names should be taken out from the Ration Card or some kind of punishment must be there. 

Reforms should take place in Indian Constitution in this regard.  It is the need of the hour.  Otherwise absolutely there is no meaning for the Elections, Freedom and Democracy.

                                                                                               

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SWIMMING POOL TRAGEDY

It is very sad that a boy drowned in a school swimming pool in Chennai yesterday.  The School has given outsource for teaching Swimming for children.  Of course, a school cannot do everything, including horse riding, swimming, tree climbing, stitching uniform, guarding the gates and watering the plants, etc.

Long back, I understand that the children were taken to play grounds nearby their homes by their parents in the morning to train them physically;  I do  remember our Ace Tennis Player Vijay Amritraj's mother walked along her son 15 km a day;   in villages, there would be big and deep wells were for paddy fields.  In those wells, the children were pushed to learn swimming.  If anything happened, the matter would not be made into a big issue and surely there was no any blame game.  Children were sent to school to gain some knowledge from the teachers and books;  exams would be conducted, pass or fail would be the result.

Times are changed now drastically.

Schools start to teach everything, the above mentioned arts and all.  Lot of money is collected by the schools and parents also pay willingly.  Skating, Tennis, Basketball, Library, Swimming, Horse Riding, Trekking ..... all facilities are available in most of the schools today.  In the olden days, there was no conveyance, people had to walk to schools for 10 to 15 km with or without taking any food in the morning.  Even proper dress was not there for students, none had given importance also.

If a teacher punishes a student, the student would not tell his parents about the punishment, otherwise, the parents also would join in punishing their ward.  That much the parents would believe the teacher and respect was there for the teaching community.  Today, the Supreme Court has ordered not to punish any student in school.  No teacher punishes students.  There is no fear among students today in school classroom.  The competition among private schools is heavy.  Mushroom like, schools are opened today.   To lure the parents and students, schools do any gimmick.  To bring more strength to the school, the authorities go down to any level.   Schools have buses, vans, cars and autos, only thing, the schools have not purchased Planes and Trains to give maximum facilities to the children.  They send these vehicles to any corner even there is only one student.  Such a big bus goes to every doorstep to get a student.  Parents started to think the buses turned into autos.

Once there was a respect for Schools and Teachers.  Today, it is upside down.  Schools and Teachers are not respected, instead there is a huge respect for students.  I don't know whether it is a healthy sign and things are going in a right way.   Schools and Teachers have no control over the students today.  In most the homes, parents also don't have any control over their own children.  They convey the message to the children through their friends or teachers.  Teaching has become a thankless job.

School authorities should know their limits.  They should not go to any extent to lure the children to bring them to school just for the sake of strength.  Already many schools face a major problem, i.e. lack of better teachers.  In our country, the teachers are paid less thus, no one shows interest towards this profession.  Due to this, the direct sufferers are Schools and Students.  I see this problem from Kanyakumari to New Delhi and it has become a national issue.  That is why, the Digital Teaching System is fast enough to enter into every school even in villages.

In Schools, let us give good education, teach the values of Indian Culture, Women Empowerment, Importance for Agriculture, Leadership Qualities, Decision Making and so many to our students / children who come to schools.  Let us not take any risk towards the safety of children, who come to schools to shine in their lives.  Our duty is to see the children are safe in schools.

At the same time, an important one I wish to tell the parents very humbly.

Dear Parents, our children are precious to us; very special to us; they are our tomorrow;  they are our future.  This country is expecting a lot from our children.  We will give top priority to the Safety for our children;  secondly their Health and finally their Knowledge.   Take all these seriously and see their priorities.  Many parents want their children should achieve everything  what they could not achieve in their days.  Our children also have their own priorities and their own interests;   hear their views.  Everyone cannot become a Doctor or Engineer.  They may like to become Kalam, Mylswamy Annadurai, Saina Nehwal, Sachin, Chetan Bhagat, so on.

Just for education alone, don't send your children to a very far away school.  It is not a healthy one.  I see a 4 year old kid travels 20 km in the morning and 20 km in the evening for education, taking lunch box and water can in the bag along with the books, though there are some better KG Schools nearby.

Let us not play with the lives of children.

DEPRESSION AMONG INDIAN YOUNGSTERS

In a recent weekly I went through an article on “the unrest among youngsters”.  In a progressing country like India, our leaders / educationists should note it and handle it seriously.  Depression is a worst emotional status in one's life.  

How well we are able to balance our emotions in our life, does not surely depends on the situation / circumstances but depends on how well we are able to take the tough situations mentally.  

INDIAN JOURNALISM

JOURNALISM

I am very sad that in India the journalists / news makers believe that they are there only to give sensational news that too always.

They think such news items only will attract the readers.

What a pity this is !  Earning money alone should not be our criteria.

Instead of bringing into their hold, these news makers go into the shoes of the readers.

Almost in every monthly, weekly and daily you notice that main news covered on Rape / Gang Rape / Theft / Fraud / Arrest / Goondas Act / Accident / Death / Bribe  etc.  Most of the Tamil news papers I see they cover the news that a woman eloped with another man, her first husband chased and killed / poisoned / pushed her into the well / killed her and killed himself / a married man developed friendship with another married woman and her husband killed him with a gang and so on.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH UTMOST IMPORTANT ONE

You might have read that Dr. APJ Kalam's words saying that India will become a Super Power in 2020.  What a great news for all the Indians wherever they live.

Sametime, another medical bulletin says that Obesity will be killer disease in India in 2020 !

What a tragedy it is.

Today's children don't have time to play.  The schools concentrate only on education, memorized education, high marks and ranks.   It is very very unfortunate that parents also prefer such schools.  They don't allow students to play in school even once in a week.

RECENT SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS

RECENT SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS

The recent incidents of school buses, accidents and deaths of children make everyone very sad.  For this, all should think about the steps which we have to take.  It is not the time for blame game.  Everyone is involved in this crime.  Just you cannot single out anyone.

My humble view is, let the school administration concentrate only on imparting a good education.  Let us not give any transport facility for public and it is not our duty also.  See what Govt. schools do, are they plying buses and vans for their schools ?  No, still thousands of students go and study even today.  What is the real necessity for private school people to ply vehicles up to the student's doorsteps ?

My dear good school friends, please think it over.  Very few of us know about the vehicles and their drawbacks.