BT-BRINJAL

This is invasion of the world through manipulation in agriculture. Inserts a gene in the seeds that gets activated at a particular point of time in the crop cycle. As crops bloom and blush caressed by nature the gene get activated and makes the seeds sterile. The seeds cannot be used for cultivation. Farmers would have to knock at the doors of the seed companies for every crop they sow. Over 1.5 billion farmers depend on farm saved seeds presently.

Inserts a genetic switch that genetically programs the crop to accept the fertilizer and pesticides only of particular company.

Now BT-Brinjal. The seeds inserted with the gene of the bacteria Bacillus Thuringieusis which produces a protein acting as a pesticide. More crops they say. Will the pesticide injected in the brinjal go in to body of man who eats it? They, its propagators, say no but there is no confirmed testing or results.

For  different pests other bacteria to be added in the seeds? Nobody knows.

 

The bacteria can do some reaction with the DNA of the humans. Some Scientists say. Then why go for the BT-Brinjal?

Monsanto, the global giant is the seed producer of this BT-Brinjal. For every seed the farmer has to go to them. Once the BT-Brinjal is allowed all local varieties will be destroyed and the bio-diversity will end there.

Do we need this much quantity of brinjal? Can’t we produce our requirement with more scientific way of cultivation other than the Terminator Technology? Sure We can.

Monsanto, Astra Zenaca, Delta & Pine Land are some of the seed companies minting money by monopolizing seed selling.

Do we need to fall into the hands of these killer gene companies or sustain our bio-diversity and survive?

RURAL MBBS FOR RURAL DOCTORS

The Delhi High Court said “Almost 80 per cent of rural population is without access to basic public health and this fact should be considered seriously”

Central Government seems to be really concerned about the health of rural population at last and promptly agreed for the short term medical education course of three and half years, Bachelor of Rural Medicine & Surgery (BRMS). It will go a long way in providing medical care to the majority of Indians who live in villages. The present elite class MBBS doctors consider serving rural poor as a sub-standard job and prefer the cities and lucrative jobs in private hospitals. The new generation doctors will be saviours of the rural people.

 

Majority of common  medical problems and ailments can be treated at primary level and do not require the sophisticated MBBS,MD,DM or the decorative MRCP or FRCP.

Indian Medical Association's protest is to be ignored as IMA represent the same elite MBBS doctors who despise rural servise.IMA was even against the a periodical test for the doctors every five years to check  their knowledge! The argument that the course's duration is too short is also not correct as within that time everything required for providing basic medical needs for the rural people can be studied by these new doctors. Improvement in quality of the Primary Health Centres will also restrict the private hospitals exploiting the rural population.

NATIONAL FILM AWARDS-NEW TREND

National Film Awards declared and Malayalam movies got what it deserved. Not a single film of the 13 sent got any awards! Not a word from the self-declared doyens of the Malayalam film world who were fighting each other all these years abuses reaching vulgar after Kerala Awards declaration.

It is time the film makers realized their films are sub-standard and rubbish. Malayalam movies move around the flabby heroes delivering bombastic dialogues with no acting as expressions fail to come through the fat deposits in the body. Heroines are brought in not to act but to show their sex-appeal and they are rated today on the size of bust, belly and buttocks. Then comes some chocolate movies depicting the far from truth campus life and adolescent love. Film makers of yesteryears who had made excellent films live in the past glory with their imaginations drained out and dried up .No life in these movies but only the make belief artificial stories made in a shabby manner. Movie making has become a business to earn money and glory and investment is done by underworld dons and filthy rich who do not have any idea what a good movie is. People with creative idea and real passion for movies are no more to be seen. Real talents should enter the field and only then we will have good movies.

The present National Awards creates an impression that undue importance is given to the Bollywood commercial movies. This is a dangerous trend which will have  adverse impact on the upcoming young film makers who want to make good movies.

VEILED IDENTITY

Identity card means a document enabling identification of the person and photo identity means identifying through the photo of the person. If the photo is with face fully covered with black garb like the terrorists or convicts taken to gallows how the person can be identified.

 

After the Supreme Court judgment that photos with face fully covered is not to be taken for election identity card is just a logical thinking (the issue should not have wasted the valuable time of the Apex Court and should have settled in lower court or at the Election Commission).

Visit to Birla Mandir, New Delhi years ago comes to mind. An young couple from UP poses infront of it for photograph. Husband insists but wife refused to remove the purdha from face at least for a moment. And she won. The poor man left with the a human shape clad in black garb by his side phtographed as his wife.

Kerala TV channels have a detailed discussion of this issue roping in important personalities as participants. It is shear common sense that photo identity card is for identifying the person through his/her photo and when the face is completely covered with mask the person cannot be identified and it is mere foolishness or ridiculous to take this subject for discussion. After all these are TV channels!

MINISTERS- JOBLESS

The racial attacks on Indians in Australia had turned ugly with the murder of an Indian youth. Report coming in doubts another murder, as a dead body is found possibly of  an Indian. Assault on Indians is on the increase even though promises are coming from the Australian Government. Our External Affairs Ministry has reacted strongly and threatens stringent action affecting even bilateral relations.

Indian Newspapers carried the news that some of our Ministers of State complained to the Prime Minister that they are not given any job and are free without any work.

We have our Minister of State for External Affairs who can do something using his diplomatic experience. He was the Under Secretary in the UN and had luck favoured he would have been the Secretary General of the United Nations, the sole authority to keep peace world over. He has lot of experience as official in the UN. This experience and his connections and the goodwill he earned can be used effectively to end these racial attacks, we hope.

BURJ DUBAI- WHAT FOR?

839 meter tall. 160 plus storeys. Burj Dubai.The tallest building in the world!Spent 1.5 billion dollars for accommodating just 12000 people! Arabs celebrate and shows the world proudly their prestigious monument.

Was there really any need for such a gigantic building? What the world gained?

Serves no purpose other than to show the world the power of money.

It was built on an island. Thousands of tonnes of concrete and steel put on this fragile land. Can the earth withstand such huge structure on it? These types of foolish acts will definitely affect the ecological equilibrium the nature maintains and ultimately pave way for great disasters. Already the sea is rising because of man’s thoughtless acts. Seems we need not wait even till 2012.

Another huge building is in the making in Saudi Arabia. Kingdom Towers. Surpassing the Dubai structure. 1.1 kilometer tall! Will the rulers intoxitated with the power of money think prudently  before indiscriminately exploiting the natural resources and destroying our earth?

We have seen the fury of nature in Haithy days back.

Be considerate to fellow beings. To  Nature, To the Earth.

NATIONAL ANTHEM TO BE BURIED?

       Our National Anthem seems being phased out. “Jana Gana Mana” was there at all our functions. Over the years it was conveniently avoided and preserved only for the official functions. Now that custom also seems to be scrapped. The Indian Science Congress held at Thiruvananthapuram on 3.1.2010 inaugurated by the Hon. Prime Minister of India went without singing of our National Anthem. The reasoning - people do not give proper attention or due respect to it when it is played. And the easy way – stop playing National Anthem! Just like burning one’s house to fright the mouse away! It was attended by the learned and educated delegates and can’t they remain standing in attention for just 52 seconds? Procedure to be followed at the time of playing National Anthem is formulated but we can’t enforce it! Instead we took the short cut of doing away with the National Anthem.

“The Anthem may be sung on occasions which, although not strictly ceremonial, are nevertheless invested with significance because of presence of Ministers etc.” the Government of India directive says. Our function was having Hon.Prime Minister, H.E, the Governor, Hon. Chief Minister, Hon. Union Ministers, Hon. State Ministers, Worshipful Mayor, and a lot of dignitaries.

Constituent Assembly adopted “Jana Gana Mana” as our National Anthem on 24.1.1950 . It is the symbol of our unity and a lot more to the nation and to each citizen. It brings in pride to be an Indian and reminds one the freedom struggle, the great leaders,  the great cultural heritage and civilization of our nation and fills in patriotism. Who cares for patriotism now? National Anthem “Jana Gana Mana” seems to go the same of way of our National Song “Vande Mataram”.