TERRORIST VISA

Headly and Rana came to India, moved around the country freely, made survey of all the targets for attacks, held meeting with local terrorists, planned attack of 26/11 and returned quietly. They have come on valid visa issued by the Indian embassy. They may not be the lone terrorist visitors. Many similar terrorists might have made many such visits earlier and some still doing subversive activities in India.

All these terrorists are coming here due to our lax visa rules. Any Tom Dick and Harry can come to India on a tourist visa,stay here as they wish. All in the name of developing tourism! What we gain from it? Some foreign exchange? Do we need these peanuts to have a square meal? Should we wait before the foreigners with begging bowl for some dollars? We should have self-esteem and should be proud to be an Indian. We should earn our food rather than looking towards United States.

The decision of making the visa rules stringent is the right one. No diluting  for heaven's sake.Let us have genuine tourists and not terrorists coming to kill us.

Some may be naturally uneasy with this decision. These people still see US as the eldarado. They do not mind undergaoing full body checked in US airports and even by the US airline in India but feel very much agitated when India makes Rules really strict to save our motherland. It is their obsession with US and we can feel sorry for them.

TERRORISM-KERALA STYLE

Fear gripped our leaders the moment Karnataka Police got hold of the Malayalee LeT terrorist Thadiyantavide Nazeer. Panic-stricken leaders started hurling accusations and challenges at each other. This was a clever ploy to camouflage their involvement and to hush up their connivance in terrorism. But this drama did not succeed and the people of Kerala having serious doubts all along about their  involvement realized fully well the truth that:

1) Both the fronts have some thing to hide,


2) Both have tried to cover up and


3) Both have done many things to scuttle probes against terrorism.



Startling revelations coming out of the interrogation cells of the Karnataka police confirms the worst fear that Kerala has been a breeding ground for the last many years and that terrorism has spread its tentacles so deep. We were ridiculously inefficient in containing terrorism.



Shedding the ego we have at last done the wise thing and handed over terrorism cases to National Investigation Agency. It is a hall mark decision. For the sake of our State and in the larger interest of our Motherland we should entrust with the NIA investigations of all terrorist activities in Kerala.

Terrorism is a heinous crime by all means. It is an act against the sovereignity of our nation and against each citizen of India. For the same reason terrorists are awarded heavy punishment. Abetting is also a crime of the same magnitude as terrorism. So all the people who have helped, collided, shielded, suppressed information, avoided taking action and in any way connected with terrorism should be brought to book and tried for the same crime of terrorism. They should not be let free by virtue of their position. Then only we will be able to wipe out terrorism from the soil of India.

Endosulfan

ഹിരോഷിമയിലോ  നാഗസാകിയിലോ  നടന്ന ദുരന്തത്തിന്റെ രക്തസാക്ഷികളല്ല ഇവര്‍.

എന്ടോസള്‍ഫാന്‍ എന്ന കീടനാശിനി പരത്തുന്ന മാരക വിഷ ജ്വാല ഏറ്റ് ജനിതക വൈകല്യവും മാറാ രോഗങ്ങളും ബാധിച്ചു  യാതന അനുഭവിക്കുന്ന ഹത ഭാഗ്യരായ ഒരു ജനതയുടെ പ്രതിനിധികള്‍ ആണവര്‍. നരകിച്ചു മാത്രം മരിക്കാന്‍ അടിച്ചേല്‍പപിക്കപ്പെട്ട  വിധിയുടെ മുമ്പില്‍ മരവിച്ച മനസ്സുമായി നിസ്സഹായരായി നില്‍ക്കുന്ന   കാസര്‍കോട്ടെ  ജനങ്ങളുടെ മക്കള്‍.  

കാസര്‍കോട്  പ്ലാന്ടെഷേന്‍ കോര്‍പറേഷന്‍ വക പറങ്കി മാവിന്‍ തോട്ടങ്ങളില്‍ തളിച്ച  എന്ടോസള്‍ഫാന്‍ എന്ന വിഷം മനുഷ്യ രാശിക്കു നല്‍കിയ സമ്മാനങ്ങള്‍ ആണിവര്‍. മാനസികവും ശാരീരികവും ആയ  വളര്‍ച്ച മുരടിച്ച, വലിയ തലയും, കൂനും, മുഴയും മറ്റു വൈകല്യവും രോഗങ്ങളും ആയി പിറന്നു വീഴുന്ന പുതിയ തലമുറ, രോഗഗ്രസ്തരായ പഴയ തലമുറ. 1995 മുതല്‍ 2005 വരെ ഉള്ള കാലയളവില്‍ 144 മരണങ്ങളാണ്  രേഖപ്പെടുത്തിയിട്ടുള്ളത്.  കേഴ്വിയും സംസാരശേഷിയും നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട അനേകം ആളുകള്‍. യാതനയുടെയും വേദനയുടെയും മനുഷ്യ രൂപങ്ങള്‍.

1976 മുതല്‍ തുടങ്ങിയതാണീ കീട നാശിനി  പ്രയോഗം. 13000 ഏക്കര്‍ പറങ്കി മാവിന്‍ തോട്ടത്തില്‍ ആകാശത്ത്   നിന്നും ഹെലികോപ്ടര്‍  മുഖേന  തളിക്കുന്ന
എന്ടോസള്‍ഫാന്‍  വിഷ കണികകള്‍ വായുവിലും വെള്ളത്തിലും മണ്ണിലും കലരുന്നു. പക്ഷികളും ചെറു മൃഗങ്ങളും കൂട്ടത്തോടെ ചത്തൊടുങ്ങുന്നു. മനുഷ്യന്‍ ചത്തതിനൊക്കുമേ ജീവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. കാസര്‍കോട് പ്രദേശത്തെ ആവാസ വ്യവസ്ഥ ആകമാനം തകരുന്നു. 1990 വരെ എത്ര കീട നാശിനി തളിച്ച്      എന്ന് കണക്കില്ല. 1990 മുതല്‍ 2000 വരെ 30000 ലിറ്റര്‍ എന്ടോസള്‍ഫാന്‍ ആണ് കാസര്‍കോട് വര്‍ഷിച്ചത്.

നരകയാതന അനുഭവിക്കുന്ന തദ്ദേശ വാസികളും പരിസ്ഥിതി പ്രവര്‍ത്തകരും മനുഷ്യ സ്നേഹികളും ഒത്തൊരുമിച്ചു നടത്തിയ  നിരന്തര സമരത്തിന്‍റെ  ഫലമായി എന്ടോസള്‍ഫാന്‍ ഉപയോഗം തല്ക്കാലം നിറുത്തി വച്ചിരിക്കയാണ്. അത് വീണ്ടും തുടങ്ങാന്‍ പോവുകയാണ്.

 ഇത് കാസര്‍കോട് കാരുടെ മാത്രം പ്രശ്നം അല്ല. മനുഷ്യ രാശിയുടെ പ്രശ്നമാണ്. നമ്മുടെ നിര്‍വികാരതയും നിസംഗതയും  മാറ്റി വച്ച്  മുന്നിട്ടിറങ്ങാന്‍ സമയമായി.


ജനങ്ങളില്‍ ഇതിനെ പറ്റി അവബോധം ഉണ്ടാക്കേണ്ടതാണ് അത്യാവശ്യം. ആദ്യമായി തിരുവനന്തപുരത്ത് പ്രചാരണം  തുടങ്ങണം. ഇതിന്റെ  മാരക ഭവിഷ്യത്തുകള്‍ ജനങ്ങളെ പറഞ്ഞു മനസ്സിലാക്കണം.  .  അതിനു ശേഷം  കേരളത്തിലെ ഓരോ പ്രധാന സ്ഥലങ്ങളിലും  ഇത്തരം പ്രചാരണങ്ങള്‍ നടത്തണം. അങ്ങിനെ കേരളം മുഴുവന്‍ പങ്കെടുക്കുന്ന ഒരു പ്രതിരോധമായി ഇതിനെ വളര്‍ത്തണം.

മാധ്യമങ്ങളും മറ്റും   ഇതിനുള്ള മുഴുവന്‍ സഹായങ്ങളും ചെയ്യുമെന്നുള്ളതാണ് ചരിത്രം.  ഈ പ്രശ്നം  ജനശ്രദ്ധയില്‍ ഇപ്പോള്‍ കൊണ്ട് വന്നത് തന്നെ  മാതൃഭുമി ആഴ്ചപ്പതിപ്പ് ആണ്.

CRAZY FOR GOLD!

Why should we be so crazy about the yellow metal? Some superstitions and some false conceptions. Tomorrow if we accept the truth that gold is simply yet another metal like aluminium,iron,copper,lead, will Gold glitter as of today? NO.

Why should we exhibit our girls wrapped in gold ornaments like caparisoned elephants at wedding? More gold shows more good the girl or more noble the parents? It only shows the meanness of the parents.

See how much we are spending on gold in marriages. A middle class family gives around 100 sovereigns of gold to the bride. At Rs. 13000 per sovereign plus about 20% taken by the gold merchants as making charges and profit plus tax it comes to 16000 and how much for 100 sovereigns? A whopping 16 lakhs rupees!

The families who cannot afford this are humiliated. The girls remain unmarried. All because of our addiction for gold.

Is it a good investment? It is foolishness.Can a tonne of Gold substitute a glass of water, a piece of bread or anything else? Nothing . Instead we can spend that money on producing food.


We can bring down the prices. Stop buying gold for one month and see the difference. From 13280 rupees of today it will be less than 5000 per sovereign . Create awareness among people.

Let us Spread the message. We can save lives of thousands of girls who are remaining unmarried. We have a social commitment.

POOR PATIENTS

As a sequel to the banning of private practice, the doctors are resorting to taking leave en-masse and seeking voluntary retirement. It is nothing but a pressure tactics and a revenge of denying them chance to extort the poor patient and mint money simultaneously taking salary from the ex-chequer ( the money of the public).

These doctors are seeing lot of deaths daily but still not understood the hollowness of life. They become more greedy and in the race for amassing money just forgetting the eternal truth that life is momentary and that nobdoy takes any thing when they die.

The Government should not backtrack fearing the threat of these doctors. If they want to leave Government service let them do it. Once they leave the government service they will be zero as their private practice was build on the label of Government service. There are lot of doctors outside Kerala who are ready to serve our people. Let the Government look for doctors from all over India who are willingly come forward to serve the poor people of Kerala.

BLANKET SANCTION FOR BIG PROJECTS?

By refusing to budge to the pressure for granting sanction blindfold to big projects, the Chief Minister was declaring solidarity with the nature and millions of poor people of Kerala.

Kerala is a small state densely populated. We are blessed with forests,hills,lakes,rivers, streams and greenery and there is no scope for any largescale projects here. Small projects, without disturbing the trans and serene atmosphere and the peaceful life of the flora and fauna is the only thing ideal for us.

Large projects will help a handful to amass wealth but it will be a great ecological disaster for our state.

People have to come out against such projects.

THEKKADY TRAGEDY

"God's Own Country" has once again came in the lime light for its callous handling of tourists. 45 innocent people lost their lives in the watery grave at Thekkady.

Visuals of the horrible incident,the dead bodies of the unfortunate, the cries and sobs of the survivors and grief stricken relatives seen in the TV channels were really heartbereaking. In the interviews the people who are directly, indirectly or morally responsible for these gory incident as usual put up the stock ex-pressions of shock,disbelief and grief before the viewers. Each was carefully silent about the omission on his part as minister, official, opposition member or politician.

This is the 15th boat accident in the row since the Kannamali incident of 1980. That was enquired by a judge and since then many inquiry commissions were appointed on such accidents. Most of the enquiry report are put in cold storage and the suggestions or precautions were ignored and not implemented.Nothing is done to prevent recurrence. The memories of the accidents will fade away and it takes another accident to highlight the shortcomings of the system. Most of the boats run in tourism spots and on regular tranport services are without the required safety standards and everybody knows it. But action is not taken.We are simply waiting for another accident taking away many lives to occur to initiate an enquiry.

This is God's Own Country and only God can save us.

DOCTORS' DILEMMA

Putting an end to the private practice of Medical college teachers is a progressive and bold decision taken by the health minister which will do a lot in helping the people in getting better service of these doctors. Poor people are the most beneficial as the rich can afford the expensive private hospitals. Teaching and OP are presently done by these doctors as a ritual as their mind is always busy calculating the patients waiting in their private consulting rooms. Some of them even conducting surgery at private hospitals during duty time in Medical college. Now the things will change and the medical college students also can expect better classes.

Stopping of private practice will not affect the private patients as there are enough retired doctors in the field.

With the pay hike the doctors are getting handsome pay packets but they do not seem to be happy. It is quite natural as Government cannot compensate the huge earnings they made from private practice. Other than the salary the doctors have a social commitment as their study was part financed by the people. So they should stop grumbling and dedicate their time to attend the poor patients coming to the medical college hospitals. Most of their private patients are the OP patients of the hospitals who do it as a short cut to enter hospital or the in patients who do this for getting prompt and better treatment there.

First the doctors should realize the REALITY that they are getting a large clientele of private patients only because of their label as doctor in the medical college and the reputation they build throughout their career in Government service. So none of them will dare to resign and start private practice. So the Health Minister can very well proceed. Only thing the minster has to take care is to arrange all the ancillary facilities such as scan etc. and ensuring its uninterrupted and smooth functioning in the hospitals to optimum utilize the extended service of these doctors.

Law may not be forbidding doctors from taking money but the doctors must see that the patients are so poor and coming to their private practice only because they are not getting treatment from the same doctors at the hospitals. Doctors, you are the saviors of the poor patients. “So do not fix your attention on what your fee is to be. A worry of this nature is likely to harm the patient, particularly if the disease be an acute one. Hold fast to reputation rather than profit”.

Sr. ABHAYA MURDER

The visuals of the narco-analysis in the TVs show all the three accused admitting to have committed the murder of Sr. Abhaya. Their statement reveals that one of them opened door for the other two to enter the convent and Sr. Abhaya has seen two of the accused in a comprosing position and so they hit her on the head and thrown her in the well.

Let us go back little. The Indian Express has brought out a news that the test results have been manipulated and corrected at the Public Health Laboratory Trivandrum. The test was smear test and vaginal swab testof Sr. Abhaya to ascertain any sexual assault. The news created a commotion and paved the way for re-emergence of the forgotten murder case.

What was the relevance of the test at the Public Health Lab? What was its bearing on the case? If the result was positive it meant that something happened before she was put in the well. Any mention about any such act was not in the Narco CDs shown in the TVs? There was allegation that the CDs were doctored. The legal adviser of the Church was also strongly arguing in the TV that the CDs have been manipulated. Whether the act for which tests were conducted was the part missing?

Insult to Former President

Honesty is viewed as weakness today. Our former President, Shri APJ Abdulkalam was insulted by a foreign airliner at our airport. How the foreigners dare do it in our own soil? They got the courage knowing well that our politicians are opportunists devoid of pride, integrity and honour. And also knew that if it is US they will even kneel down.

The incident took place on 21st April and the authorities hushed it up for 3 months till the lid was blown up by some patriots when they took up it in Parliament. Why no action was taken immediately and kept it a secret?

The men in charge of Presidents security and his protocol personnel were responsible for this shame. They should have informed the airlines well in advance the journey of Dr. Kalam and his status as VVIP and sorted out all the problems. Secondly once the airlines insisted for physical check they should have immediately informed the Bureau of Civil Aviation or any authority and should not have allowed our former President to undergo this humiliating experience. And another important question. Why was he arranged in foreign airlines rather than in our national carrier Air India? Now the airlines have apologized, stating in the same breath they have not done anything wrong but only their duty. Will their apology wash away the national disgrace?

Dr. Kalam, being a thorough gentleman did not care much but it was our duty to guard the honor of former President and thereby our nation. Our earlier gentlemen presidents, Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Radhakrishnan did not have to face such ordeals as the values were not denigrated then. We dont need honest Presidents but shrewd ones who can hold the Bills and bargain for good living and security after retirement.

Self Financing Colleges

Union Minister Kapil Sibal seems to be really serious in clansing the education system in India. He asked UGC to direct all deemed universities to file all the details about them. Let us wait for the mystery about the deemed universities unravel.

Kerala education minister can do the same thing in Kerala. We have a lot of Self Financing Colleges and nobody knows how many. Some have agreed to abide by the Government admission policy and some are on their own.Neither the Govenrment nor the university exercise any control over them. Some claim protection as mnority institution and some as deemed univsersities. Same Faculty may not be qualified and sometimes the qualified ones may be shown as teacher many colleges simultaneously.

All these SFCs should be asked to have websites showing infrastructure availability, assets,funds and resources and information regarding admission criteria and process of admission,fee structure, faculty position,nature of appointment,faculty's names and photographs,visiting faculty and all needed for a student to know. Like UGC proposes to do the University website should have a link to the web sites of all the colleges to facilitate the students for easy reach. After deemed universitite Mr. Sibal will turn this side, why cant we do it today?

Global Investors Coming to Kerala

The memories of the catastrophic end of the earlier Global Investment Meet are still live in our minds. It came with much noise and celebration promising flow of billions of dollars making Kerala an El Dorado. Forget the billions not a single paise came as investment here so far. Another pompous show in the name of investment is in the offing. This time a little change in the name, World Investors Meet to be held on 24th and 25th in Kochi. All the development corporations or agencies of the Government of Kerala are in this conclave.

Everybody knows that considering the unique geographical features, (Kerala is full of streams, rivers, lakes, hills, and forests) and because of the dense population it is ideal only for small industries. Land cannot be procured for large industrial units like in Singur, which had become the Waterloo of West Bengal Marxist party. Our predecessors having this vision have started industries suited to our condition and which produce our essential requirements. Most of these factories are in public sector and are now either closed or on the verge of closure. What we need is to revive these factories rather than going for new big industries.

All the existing units are viable and will cater to the basic needs of Kerala which will contribute a lot in the economic growth of our state. M/s. Kerala Soaps Ltd. can easily produce all the soaps needed for Kerala and Kerala Detergents & Chemicals can meet the need of detergents for washing clothes. The products can be sold through rations shops and other cooperative public distribution systems. Kerala Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. can produce most of the medicines supplied to Government Hospitals which at present we buy from outside on exorbitant costs. We need a lot of clothes for school uniforms, as linen in hotels and hospitals. Even with all our textile mills working in full steam we may find it difficult to meet the demand. Further many existing units can diversify. M/s.Travancore Titanium Products can start manufacturing Paint,M/s. Kerala Ceramics sanitary wares and M/s. Alind electric wires and cables, all in huge demand in Kerala. TELK, KEL can produce transformers and like and United electrical all types of meters. A lot more can be done in other units with innovative ideas.

This time investers seem to go to rural areas also, with search of land in progress. We had many industrial estates and mini-industrial estates in rural areas which are now lying idle. Why cant we revive it instead of going for new units? If the intention is genuine and real estate business is not the hidden agenda let our developers woo the investors improve the existing facilities.

Dr. Shashi Tharoor Replies

Same day Dr. Shashi Tharoor Repies.

" Thank you for this thoughtful note..........................."

LETTER TO MR. SHASHI THAROOR

Congratulations on becoming member of Union Cabinet and assumption as Minister of State for External Affairs. Being a citizen of Thiruvananthapuram, I am happy that our representative has become a Central minister.From your speeches and talks it appears that you have ideas and want to do something for Thiruvananthapuram and Kerala. Your words seem to come from your heart and reflect a sense of sincerity and we feel you are different from the career politicians who fill us with hollow promises.

It is to be understood that the situation in Kerala is peculiar and unique. The mindset of people in power here is not conducive to actual development of the state. Be it ruling party or opposition (they comfortably switch over the position every five years thanks to the common man who does not have any alternative), they are not willing to address the real issues, instead passing time making hue and cry over silly things. Their action is superfluous.An excellent example is the High Court bench. All the political parties in Kerala, ruling party of the State and ruling party of Centre, want the HC bench in Thiruvananthapuram and fighting for it but it is not materializing for the last 2 years. Each one is blaming others but not prepared to ascertain the exact reasons and find a solution and the HC bench is still elusive.Vizhinjam Port, nobody knows whether it will materialize at all. Railway development is crawling at snails pace. All are crying for more trains forgetting that trains need track to run and Kerala does not have double lines even in half of its total lines. Kuttanad and Idukki packages if executed properly will be a boon for the agricultural sector in Kerala. But it is not taken up in the right perspective.

Kerala is a consumer state depending others for everything. Is it not an irony that State Public sector factories manufacturing the much needed items like soap, detergents, medicines, clothes etc. remain closed here? All these prove beyond doubt that even if Centre extends all help and financial assistance development will not take place unless the Authorities possess a positive approach and show a will.

Here comes the role of the opposition party. Presently and all these years no opposition parties have conceived any plan of action for the development of the state. They are not seriously thinking about their responsibility as an opposition but remain inactive criticizing the Government. May be they are afraid that the credit will be cornered by the ruling party.

What we need is an efficient opposition party putting constructive and creative suggestions and working hard for getting them executed. Even if the ruling party is averse to development the opposition can force them to do.From the past experience it appears that most of our representatives do not have any vision or action plan. Those who possess some ideas do not get any chance to present it in proper forum. Lack of proper orientation is the root cause.

All the MPs should find out the problems and issues pertaining to their respective constituencies and present it before State party forum with possible solutions and suggestion for overall development of their constituencies and the State. The party forum after proper discussion among them will consolidate it and submit definite proposals to the concerned ministries in Centre through the MPs and they doing the follow-up. Actual developmental activities can be done only through this way.

It is felt that since you are close to the High Command in Delhi you can use your good offices to make the expectations of Keralites turn into reality. Our state is rich and full of resources. My only concern is its development which could be done easily with the help of people like you having positive mindset.

SENT ON 4th JUNE 2009

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER

What India needs is a strong Prime Minister, strong enough to withstand the pressure exerted by other countries to toe their line. The Prime Minister’s prime concern should be our Nation and nothing else. Of course the PM is a party man but he should have the sense to realize when interest of his party going against the interest of the nation and should have the courage to implement what is good for the country and should rise above petty party politics. Once the PM he should not act as a humble servant of the political party or the party supremo. His loyalty is to the nation, to the people and not to the party chief who elevated him to that position. A political party is naturally choosing the most able and eligible and competent person available in that party to become the PM. If he is such a towering personality and deserves to be in that post why should he has that much obligation and loyalty to the party?

Even in the case of leading a coalition government of different political parties, the PM if so strong can successfully convince all the parties and the public his stand is for the national and not against it. PM should have the basic knowledge of our country and should be well aware of the millions of our brethren struggling for a square meal a day. He should be one from among us, who follows the rich cultural heritage of our nation and who can feel the pulse of India. Study in foreign universities or plum jobs there may make them think on the lines thaose nations look at us.

PARLIAMENT ELECTION

Election Arena is filled with people aspiring to become M.P.

Question to each candidate:

HOW MUCH MONEY WILL BE SPENT FOR YOUR CAPMAIGN?

HOW MUCH YOUR CONTRIBUTION?

YOUR SOURCE?

HOW YOU GET BACK IT?

HOW MUCH PARTY'S CONTRIBUTION?

HOW PARTY WILL BENEFIT FROM SPENDING THIS?

dont try to bluff with the account given to election commission.

MUNNAR-Rape of the Nature

‘The area totally green. Thick forest. Gigantic trees. Long grass grown to 3 meters height. Roar of tigers, leopards and elephants all around. Other than these only the Muthuvan tribal people are there’. This was Munnar of 1817 seen by Benjamin Ward and Corner during the survey for the British.

Scenario changes.

1. 1877- Maharaja of Poonjar gave Kannan Devan Hills on lease to one John Daniel Munroe.

2. With the specific condition that the rivers, streams, backwaters, forest and meadows will not be disturbed or encroached and coffee cultivated without cutting the dense forest.

3. Munroe formed Travancore Planting & Agriculture Society. Handed over the company to British Finlay & Moore Company.

4. Tata joined the Compnay and formed the joint venture Tata Finlay Company in 1964. Tata bought all the shares and in 1983 the company fully owned by Tata group. Instead of coffee they planted tea. Tata Finlay Company had only 23000 acres tea plantation.

5. In 1971 as part of the land reforms initiative, the Achutha Menon ministry brought “Kannan Devan Hills Resumption of Land Act” taking over land in Kannan Devan Hills for distributing to the landless poor. Kannan Devan Hills had 1,37,441 acre land including 23000 acres tea estate of Tatas. The Poonjar King deal was pre-independence and as such Kerala Government had the full authority over the land. Tata had by that time sold 10,000 acres of the Government land unauthorized. The remaining 1,27,441 acres taken over by the Government by the Act. The President of India gave consent to the Act on 21st April, 1971 and it was published in extra-ordinary gazette of 22nd April, 1971.Tata went to Supreme Court. The Hon’ Supreme Court rejected Tata’s appeal and approved the legal validity of the Act on 27th April, 1972.

6. The Act which was enacted to distribute the land to the landless was sabotaged by the Land Board and the Expert Committee. Land Board confession can be seen in its award. “Unfortunately, this preliminary survey and demarcation of the concession area into various blocks had not been done for reasons not known.”

7. In addition to the 23,000 acres land of Tata’s tea cultivation Tata were given another 57,192 acres of land, for firewood growing and as land lying in between their tea estates, by the Land Board on lease. If the land lying in between their tea estates were given to the landless, it will hamper the smooth working of their tea estates, the Land Board reasoned. So the land of 70,522 acres of land in Kanan Devan Hills entrusted with the Government of Kerala as per the Act is lying scattered among the tea estates of Tatas. All this land minus that given to Eravikulam Park is still with the Tatas.

8. Assembly Committee headed by Nalakathu Sooppy in its report reiterates the fact that Tata is in possession of Government land and even selling it and making profit of crores of rupees. Idukki District Collector’s report No. 80522/R.3/95/RD shows the sale of lease land and Government land by Tata. Sub-collector of Devikolam had issued order on 24th Septrember, 1994 canceling the land sale of Tata. The assurance committee recommends review of the 1971 Act and incorporation of provisions to prevent misuse of land by Tata.

9. The next, Isah Kurikkal Committee Report says that Land Board has not given land properly but only by random checking and about 50,000 acres of Government land is unauthorisedly possessed by Tatas and they are selling it.

10. From the admissions of Land Board and the Expert Committee it is crystal clear that land was given to Tata in Kannan Devan Hills without measuring and without demarcating. It is also clear that the Land Board award and the Expert Committee Report were prepared according to Tata’s needs.

11. As per 2001 census, 85000 is the population of Munnar and 99% of it is landless. Munnar Grama Panchayat does not have a cent of land there. Tata in their letter dated 4th October 1999 to Kerala Revenue Minister admits that they have sold land to many in Munnar town and along with it given to the Government land on lease and as gift. As example they point out the 15 acres of land given on lease to Sports Council for high altitude stadium. How Tatas, the leaseholder of the Kerala Government can lease same land to the Government? For the bus stand and other they have gifted 1.39 acres in Munnar town, they claimed. It seems that Tata sold Government land for resorts.

12. Tata did not stop here. They are encroaching valuable forest also. Chenduvarai sholai forest is of 1253.39 acres in Survey No. 127/1-2. By virtue of the1971 Act, 949.20 acres vested with Government and 304.18 acre given on lease to Tatas. Idukki District Collector reported on 28th October 2008 that Tata encroached this sholay forest lying just near the Kanthallor and Marayur rain shadow areas and burned it.

13. 18000 acres in the 70000 vested in the Government was handed over to Forest Department vide G.O. M.S.279/80RTdated 18th April, 1980 and as there is no demarcation it is alleged that every year Tatas encroaches the forest land and convert it to tea estates. Munnar DFO Justin Mohan vide letter No.7-8418/2006 dated 22nd June 2006 informed HQ about the encroachments of sholay forests by Tatas and same day Highrange conservator also filed similar report. But no action seems taken and the destruction of forests continues.

14. Tata’s 21 tea factories are running without permission and Munnar Panchyat has issued closure notice in 2002. But Tata, the sole supplier of electricity took vengeance by disconnecting power.

15. MS Swaminathan Commission in its report describes the environmental disaster in Munnar due to the Tata enclorachments. Rain has come down drastically in the last 73 years. Atmospheric temperature has gone up. Main reasons re destruction of forest and the cultivation of eucalyptus trees. Tata has 18,000 acres of eucalyptus cultivation converting the sholay forests. Eucalyptus grown in the guise of firewood is actually sold to many such as Rallis India in Tamil Nadu.

16. We had hope when the special group started clearing operations in Munnar. But it was short-lived.

17. Munnar is like an independent territory inside our State run by Tatas. Forest destruction is going unchallenged. If it is allowed without checks valuable forests will vanish for ever from Munnar. It will be total disaster for not only for our State but for the whole universe.

18. There seems to be nobody to save us from this catastrophe. Moreover we should not wait for somebody to appear to save us. We ourselves have to take up this mission. It is a great relief that environmentalists are still there. Let us put our sincere efforts to stop this massive destruction of nature. Victory will be ours.

19. We can take all the details from the Government through the Right to Information Act. We can request the help of judiciary to make the authorities to conduct survey to ascertain the actual land in the hands of Tata. We can do a lot more. Let us come together and save our earth for us and for the generations to come.

Corporate Fraud

"Satyam Computers" is the tip of the ice berg. Scores of companies are doing similar frauds. It is obviously done with the connivance of unscrupulous audit firms and with the blessings of the all obliging supervisory and regulatory bodies.

Till recently the India Inc. was boasting of our businessmen in the elite club of trillionairs and billionairs and it was projected as the economic growth of the nation. But it was not a healthy growth.Where from these billions came ? They did not represent the truth or the real assets of the company but were imaginary figures based on the inflated value of shares. Manipulations were done freely in the market to inflate the prices and to keep it rising. False accounts were projected in the balance sheet to present a glossy picture to cheat the investors. The recession is the net result of all these manipulations and of the malignant growth of economy. The so-called industrial growth has not contributed to the actual development of the country but only filled the pockets of the master manipulators.

Agriculture was sidelined in the mad rush for industrialisation conveniently forgetting the eternal truth that there is no substitute for food. People are deprived of their right to cultivate food promising the eldorado of industrial growth.They are advised to cultivate the habit of Kentucky Fried Chicken and Coca Cola. Majority of indians are struggling for a square meal a day. 'BMWs' and 'Caddis' are offered to them but not food. Agriculture lands are converted into Special economic zones. Lakhs of crores of rupees are lost to the exchequer every year by way of tax concessions. The foreign exchange earnings go to the coffers of the promoters.

Why should we provide financial help to bail out these fraud companies using the public money belonging to each one of the tax paying citizen of India? How they help in the economic growth of the nation? It is time for us to decide our priority; whether to go for the frauduldent companies or concentrate on growing our food.