The announcement of Nobel Peace Prize this year has in fact surprised the world because of its unusual nomination for a scientific body (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and a person who is well known (?) for environmental activism (Albert Arnold Gore Jr). The award was unusual in the sense that, in the past Peace Prize was given for maintaining international peace by bringing in fraternity between nations and communities, for abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding promotion of peace congresses. The criticisms involved in the statements that ‘link between climate change and peace is very remotely made’ and ‘Al Gore is a peace breaker as he partnered Bill Clinton in bombing Kosovo, Afghanistan and Sudan’.
However it seems that the decision of the Norwegian Nobel Committee to choose these two delivers a message that the environmental issues are more nagging than that of terrorism and aggression. Though terrorism, violence and all sorts of aggression are live, the whole world community is under the BLACK blanket of global warming. The joint Nobel Award to the IPCC and Gore is thus a pointer to the increasingly apparent maxim in many spheres of human activity that science and public campaign need to go hand in hand if political action at national and international level is required. Given the context of the threat of climate change and its disastrous impacts, one may even squabble that these winners are much more admirable than some former winners of the peace prize. Climate change is a truly unifying phenomenon in that it affects the entire world irrespective of national borders, cultures and political structures.
THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
The IPCC was established in 1988 by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization to provide independent scientific advice on the complex and important issue of climate change. Its mandate was to prepare, on the basis of available scientific information, reports on all aspects relevant to climate change and its impacts and to formulate realistic response strategies. It has a Plenary panel, three Working groups (The science of climate system, Impact and adaptation and Mitigation), a Task force on National greenhouse gas inventories, four units in Technical support (in the UK, the US, the Netherlands and Japan). There are Experts, authors, contributors and reviewers who provide assistance in its working. The IPCC now led by Rajendra K. Pachaouri (present Chairman) has recently reported that “much more evidence has accumulated over the past five years to indicate that changes in physical and biological systems are linked to anthropogenic warming.
(Reference: Frontline, November16, 2007)
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Exit to Exit Polls
Nowadays Exit Polls are the usual practice of almost all the media and organizations for getting public attention and huge income from advertisements. Though this technique is used for predicting the public opinion and election results, one must think how far these are sincere and systematic.
This Bloger has a very good experience as a Field Investigator during the 1996 Loksabha Election to the Indian Parliament. The study was sponsored by the Hindu Daily and the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (New Delhi). The Field Investigators (FI) from all over India was given extensive training in two sessions in Chennai and Bangalore. The FIs were the Post Graduate Students and Research Scholars from different Universities. Dr.Yogindra Yadav and Dr. V.B. Singh held the classes who were known psephologists and Fellows of the CSDS. They insisted on the techniques of probing, report building and non-replacement of samples while interviewing.
We had four sessions of survey- Pre-poll, Mid-poll, Exit poll and Post poll. In each session we had to interview the samples already selected from the electoral roll of selected constituencies. Each team of Investigators (preferably consisting of a boy and a girl) had to interview 30 to 32 respondents with a questionnaire translated into the regional language.
The CSDS provided the FIs with the signed copies of ID by the Chief Election Commissioner. Hence we were allowed to stay just outside the polling stations with the permission of the Presiding Officer. We had to meet the voters who were coming out of the booth after exercising their franchise at three spells- 7 to 8 AM, 12 to 1 PM, and 4 to 5 PM. We met every fifth voter and gave them the dummy ballot paper and stamp seal, asked them to do secret vote and collected them in a dummy ballot box. In the evening we counted the votes and filled the spread sheet already provided by the CSDS. Then the sheets were sent to the Head Quarters through fax from the concerned district Collectoratre.
The next day the Hindu daily published the results. The Doordarshan telecasted a live programme with Dr. Yogindra Yadav and Mr. Pranoy Roy (NDTV Fame). The prediction was much accurate and study contributed to valid observations and findings on the prospect of Indian democracy and the political culture of the people of India.
This Bloger has a very good experience as a Field Investigator during the 1996 Loksabha Election to the Indian Parliament. The study was sponsored by the Hindu Daily and the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (New Delhi). The Field Investigators (FI) from all over India was given extensive training in two sessions in Chennai and Bangalore. The FIs were the Post Graduate Students and Research Scholars from different Universities. Dr.Yogindra Yadav and Dr. V.B. Singh held the classes who were known psephologists and Fellows of the CSDS. They insisted on the techniques of probing, report building and non-replacement of samples while interviewing.
We had four sessions of survey- Pre-poll, Mid-poll, Exit poll and Post poll. In each session we had to interview the samples already selected from the electoral roll of selected constituencies. Each team of Investigators (preferably consisting of a boy and a girl) had to interview 30 to 32 respondents with a questionnaire translated into the regional language.
The CSDS provided the FIs with the signed copies of ID by the Chief Election Commissioner. Hence we were allowed to stay just outside the polling stations with the permission of the Presiding Officer. We had to meet the voters who were coming out of the booth after exercising their franchise at three spells- 7 to 8 AM, 12 to 1 PM, and 4 to 5 PM. We met every fifth voter and gave them the dummy ballot paper and stamp seal, asked them to do secret vote and collected them in a dummy ballot box. In the evening we counted the votes and filled the spread sheet already provided by the CSDS. Then the sheets were sent to the Head Quarters through fax from the concerned district Collectoratre.
The next day the Hindu daily published the results. The Doordarshan telecasted a live programme with Dr. Yogindra Yadav and Mr. Pranoy Roy (NDTV Fame). The prediction was much accurate and study contributed to valid observations and findings on the prospect of Indian democracy and the political culture of the people of India.
Friday, December 14, 2007
The Views, Reviews and Rear Views on Reservation
REAR VIEWS
In a Malayalam movie ‘Mayoogham’ directed by well versed director Hariharan, there is a scene in which the hero who belongs to Brahmin community shouts at the interviewers during an interview. Issue starts when one of the interviewers anxiously asks the reason why he has put the column for showing community empty. The hero says he is backward. By recognizing his communal identity he is asked to quit. Then he argues that you should select the candidate only by counting his merit. Later he is imprisoned for six months for the serious misbehavior and for assaulting the officials in the interview board. When he returns he becomes an anti-social and criminal.
Assam reported its most shameful incident in recent times on November 24 when a teenaged adivasi girl, stripped naked by some youths during mob violence, ran for dear life on street in Guahati with her attackers chasing her in full public view. The girl had come to the city for the first time; participate in the All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) rally taken out by the Adivasi student body to press for the inclusion of Santhal Adivasis and the Tea Tribes in the list of Scheduled Tribes.
Right to Equality in the Part III (Fundamental Rights) of the Indian Constitution prohibits discrimination on the ground of religion, caste, sex, etc. It provides for equality of opportunity in public employment. However the situation of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other socially and educationally backward communities were so bad that they needed additional attention in 40s and 50s. That was why the Indian Constitution involved ‘reservation’ and ‘protective discrimination’. Later, the recommendations of the Mandal Commission were approved by the V P Singh Government during 1989. The result was overall reservation of 50% to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and socially and educationally Backward.
The 104th Amendment of the Indian Constitution in 2007 is for bringing in quota system for non governmental educational institutions. The impact of this is an online forum to resist this move and submit a petition against this Amendment in the Honorable Supreme Court.
VIEWS
The above posted documentation is an evidence of the existing confrontations regarding Reservation. One must agree that the situations of the downtrodden in the pre independent India forced the constitution framers to adopt special measures to secure them. The previous census reports show that 41% of the population belongs to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. There needs a review of the past 60 years of reservation to the SCs, STs, and OBCs. At the same time there must be attempts to reveal the present conditions of the said Forward/General category. Presently in most of the non-governmental, government aided and self financing institutions are populated with the said general categories. They do not have any other option than to pay big amounts as bribe for getting a respectable job. The irony is that there are several ‘not joining posts’ in the government sector exclusively reserved for the Backward. The politicians are always looking for the huge vote bank consisting of the backward communities. Though the reservation and protective discrimination aimed at achieving absolute equality (probably improbable) the outcome is absolute inequality.
REVIEWS
The alternatives and suggestions for this confrontation are listed below:
• Reservation should be reviewed and only after systematic assessment of the target groups, it can be implemented.
• Refurnish the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Class list by conducting surveys on their present social and educational conditions.
• The communities which are getting ineligible consideration in the national level are to be eliminated from the list.
• The quota of such displaced communities should be given to general.
• Since the backwardness is to be measured on the basis of educational and social status the general category should also get reckoned for this in the present century.
• At least for the most strategic and selected posts, reservation should be lifted.
• Reservation most of the time makes even the qualified backwards inferior. Hence it can be made optional for the candidates when they apply for the post.
SUGGESTIONS ARE INVITED.......
In a Malayalam movie ‘Mayoogham’ directed by well versed director Hariharan, there is a scene in which the hero who belongs to Brahmin community shouts at the interviewers during an interview. Issue starts when one of the interviewers anxiously asks the reason why he has put the column for showing community empty. The hero says he is backward. By recognizing his communal identity he is asked to quit. Then he argues that you should select the candidate only by counting his merit. Later he is imprisoned for six months for the serious misbehavior and for assaulting the officials in the interview board. When he returns he becomes an anti-social and criminal.
Assam reported its most shameful incident in recent times on November 24 when a teenaged adivasi girl, stripped naked by some youths during mob violence, ran for dear life on street in Guahati with her attackers chasing her in full public view. The girl had come to the city for the first time; participate in the All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) rally taken out by the Adivasi student body to press for the inclusion of Santhal Adivasis and the Tea Tribes in the list of Scheduled Tribes.
Right to Equality in the Part III (Fundamental Rights) of the Indian Constitution prohibits discrimination on the ground of religion, caste, sex, etc. It provides for equality of opportunity in public employment. However the situation of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other socially and educationally backward communities were so bad that they needed additional attention in 40s and 50s. That was why the Indian Constitution involved ‘reservation’ and ‘protective discrimination’. Later, the recommendations of the Mandal Commission were approved by the V P Singh Government during 1989. The result was overall reservation of 50% to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and socially and educationally Backward.
The 104th Amendment of the Indian Constitution in 2007 is for bringing in quota system for non governmental educational institutions. The impact of this is an online forum to resist this move and submit a petition against this Amendment in the Honorable Supreme Court.
VIEWS
The above posted documentation is an evidence of the existing confrontations regarding Reservation. One must agree that the situations of the downtrodden in the pre independent India forced the constitution framers to adopt special measures to secure them. The previous census reports show that 41% of the population belongs to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. There needs a review of the past 60 years of reservation to the SCs, STs, and OBCs. At the same time there must be attempts to reveal the present conditions of the said Forward/General category. Presently in most of the non-governmental, government aided and self financing institutions are populated with the said general categories. They do not have any other option than to pay big amounts as bribe for getting a respectable job. The irony is that there are several ‘not joining posts’ in the government sector exclusively reserved for the Backward. The politicians are always looking for the huge vote bank consisting of the backward communities. Though the reservation and protective discrimination aimed at achieving absolute equality (probably improbable) the outcome is absolute inequality.
REVIEWS
The alternatives and suggestions for this confrontation are listed below:
• Reservation should be reviewed and only after systematic assessment of the target groups, it can be implemented.
• Refurnish the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Class list by conducting surveys on their present social and educational conditions.
• The communities which are getting ineligible consideration in the national level are to be eliminated from the list.
• The quota of such displaced communities should be given to general.
• Since the backwardness is to be measured on the basis of educational and social status the general category should also get reckoned for this in the present century.
• At least for the most strategic and selected posts, reservation should be lifted.
• Reservation most of the time makes even the qualified backwards inferior. Hence it can be made optional for the candidates when they apply for the post.
SUGGESTIONS ARE INVITED.......
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Why we have the Bandhs, sorry Harthals?
Here in India we have Harthals (a means of strike by complete proscribe) at regular intervals.
This write up is an attempt to find out the actual BENEFICIARIES of the bandh/harthals…..
Also, it aims at pointing those who are FED UP with them………
BENEFICIARIES:
Government Servants and Teachers: A large number of Government servants and teachers are benefited by getting an unexpected ‘holiday’. They can assign one of their colleagues who reside next to the office/school to manage the affairs till noon. In the afternoon he/she will leave the office and later take a day’s off as compensation conveniently.
Political Parties: All the political parties, particularly which call for the harthal are always the top beneficiaries. They can make the violent, aggressive and killer instincts of their activists refreshed during the harthals.
Beverage shops/Bar cum Restaurants: Though they will remain closed on harthal days, they can have a stock clearance sale just a few hours back. Everybody is to purchase the ARMAMENTS for a grand party on the bandh day.
The Indian Railways: On the bandh day the passengers can travel only through the rails. In most of the States the Railways will operate the service without many problems.
TV Channels: Most of the channels at least in the regional language will transmit special programmes and brand-new movies on the bandh days. They will definitely show ‘HARTHAL DAY GREETINGS” in the immediate future.
Doctors: They will be gifted with a day in which no patients due to absence of conveyance. The busy surgeons and consultants in the government hospitals will get a day’s leisure.
Ambulance Drivers: A lot of skirmishes and violent attacks are expected on a harthal days. Consequently the road is engaged with ambulances only.
Ministers and party leaders: This busiest section of people will rest on harthal days because there will be no visitors for them.
THOSE WHO ARE FED UP WITH:
Government servants and Teachers: Some unlucky government servants and teachers will loose a day’s casual leave. If the superior officer resides next to the office, he will reach the office early in the morning and offer a casual leave to those who are unable to present due to absence of conveyance.
The Fiancé Fiancée: The College going Fiancé Fiancée will loose their live chatting on harthal day. They can remain home dreaming each other.
Daily waged Laborers: This section must live 24 hours without food. Usually they work each day for their daily food. They won’t have anything to eat another day.
Beggars: Beggars also have to remain in their ‘Mansions’ without their daily business.
IT Based Institutions: The Techno-Parks are always assigned with time bound projects from abroad. They have to finish off their business within the given time limit disregarding local strikes or harthals. Thus these people have to work even during the bandhs by any means.
State Road Transport Corporations: State RTCs are already in a big debt trap due to their mal-administration and absence of a proper work culture of the employees. A day’s bandh must contribute further trouble to this sector.
Marriage and Other Functions: Unexpected bandh calls bring in great confusion and loss for them. Bandh will adversely affect the conveyance of this function. The big parties in connection with them will be a waste with too small number of guests.
Non-resident Indians: The NRIs will have to remain in the Airport by arriving the land since they can’t reach the destination to smell their soil.
The list is not at all complete, please, I need your help to furnish it fully …………
THE GREAT IMPACT
Now let us think about these harthals. Even with repeated verdicts of the Courts to ban the harthals the political parties and different pressure/interest groups are unwilling to leave this uncivilized type of means of strike. You may collect the information regarding the DEMANDS in connection with the harthals from today onwards and examine their IMPACT in the next few days……
Did these harthals fruitful in bringing in justice?
This write up is an attempt to find out the actual BENEFICIARIES of the bandh/harthals…..
Also, it aims at pointing those who are FED UP with them………
BENEFICIARIES:
Government Servants and Teachers: A large number of Government servants and teachers are benefited by getting an unexpected ‘holiday’. They can assign one of their colleagues who reside next to the office/school to manage the affairs till noon. In the afternoon he/she will leave the office and later take a day’s off as compensation conveniently.
Political Parties: All the political parties, particularly which call for the harthal are always the top beneficiaries. They can make the violent, aggressive and killer instincts of their activists refreshed during the harthals.
Beverage shops/Bar cum Restaurants: Though they will remain closed on harthal days, they can have a stock clearance sale just a few hours back. Everybody is to purchase the ARMAMENTS for a grand party on the bandh day.
The Indian Railways: On the bandh day the passengers can travel only through the rails. In most of the States the Railways will operate the service without many problems.
TV Channels: Most of the channels at least in the regional language will transmit special programmes and brand-new movies on the bandh days. They will definitely show ‘HARTHAL DAY GREETINGS” in the immediate future.
Doctors: They will be gifted with a day in which no patients due to absence of conveyance. The busy surgeons and consultants in the government hospitals will get a day’s leisure.
Ambulance Drivers: A lot of skirmishes and violent attacks are expected on a harthal days. Consequently the road is engaged with ambulances only.
Ministers and party leaders: This busiest section of people will rest on harthal days because there will be no visitors for them.
THOSE WHO ARE FED UP WITH:
Government servants and Teachers: Some unlucky government servants and teachers will loose a day’s casual leave. If the superior officer resides next to the office, he will reach the office early in the morning and offer a casual leave to those who are unable to present due to absence of conveyance.
The Fiancé Fiancée: The College going Fiancé Fiancée will loose their live chatting on harthal day. They can remain home dreaming each other.
Daily waged Laborers: This section must live 24 hours without food. Usually they work each day for their daily food. They won’t have anything to eat another day.
Beggars: Beggars also have to remain in their ‘Mansions’ without their daily business.
IT Based Institutions: The Techno-Parks are always assigned with time bound projects from abroad. They have to finish off their business within the given time limit disregarding local strikes or harthals. Thus these people have to work even during the bandhs by any means.
State Road Transport Corporations: State RTCs are already in a big debt trap due to their mal-administration and absence of a proper work culture of the employees. A day’s bandh must contribute further trouble to this sector.
Marriage and Other Functions: Unexpected bandh calls bring in great confusion and loss for them. Bandh will adversely affect the conveyance of this function. The big parties in connection with them will be a waste with too small number of guests.
Non-resident Indians: The NRIs will have to remain in the Airport by arriving the land since they can’t reach the destination to smell their soil.
The list is not at all complete, please, I need your help to furnish it fully …………
THE GREAT IMPACT
Now let us think about these harthals. Even with repeated verdicts of the Courts to ban the harthals the political parties and different pressure/interest groups are unwilling to leave this uncivilized type of means of strike. You may collect the information regarding the DEMANDS in connection with the harthals from today onwards and examine their IMPACT in the next few days……
Did these harthals fruitful in bringing in justice?
Answer: NO, NEVER SIR!!!!!
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