Friends,
I wish everyone a Happy Diwali.
My Diwali day was spoiled by a report in Malayalam channels that a Govt body(ground water authority or something) has reported excessive ground water usage by the Pepsi-Cola factory in Palakkad. Within few days this news will snowball into strikes, agitations, dharna and whatnot against Pepsi-cola, which may eventually drive out this MNC from Kerala. Every one may remember that only few months back similar agitations led to the closure of the Coca-cola factory at Plachimada village. Now these multinationals are operating without any problem in other states of India as well as all over the world. Nobody has any complaints against them in these places. Then why this phenomenon in Kerala?
The root reason seems to me to be the dislike of Keralites to any industry in their state. They are happy to work for these same industries outside Kerala, but not in Kerala. The strange work-culture of Keralites- willing to work very hard outside Kerala, but real laziness within their state- is bewildering to me. Ground water depletion!-in a state where maximum rainfall occurs in India- and pollution seem to me lame excuses in the present case.
It is a pity that while all other states in India are eagerly trying to bring maximum amount of investment into their states, Kerala behaves in this strange,self-defeating fashion. May God give good sense to people of "God's own country"
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
SOME MISERABLE ROADS IN KERALA
In my last blog I mentioned about the miserable condition of roads in Kerala. Then a friend sent me some pictures. I am giving some of these pictures here. 4 pictures on the right show the condition of our roads. Now let us compare these with some pictures of roads in other countries.( 4 pictures on the left).
Now why are our roads in such poor condition? The state government does not want foreign companies to come and build world class roads in Kerala. So the roads have to be constructed/repaired by our state PWD. Lacking infrastructure and probably, expertise, they build roads only as shown in the first figures. Sometime back there was a proposal for the construction of a super highway from north to south. As soon as the proposal was mooted, all sorts of people started crying that the road will divide Kerala into two. Many newspaper articles and editorials later the proposal was discarded. Then every one was hap
py. So I think that we deserve the kind of roads we have.
Now why are our roads in such poor condition? The state government does not want foreign companies to come and build world class roads in Kerala. So the roads have to be constructed/repaired by our state PWD. Lacking infrastructure and probably, expertise, they build roads only as shown in the first figures. Sometime back there was a proposal for the construction of a super highway from north to south. As soon as the proposal was mooted, all sorts of people started crying that the road will divide Kerala into two. Many newspaper articles and editorials later the proposal was discarded. Then every one was hap
py. So I think that we deserve the kind of roads we have.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
GOD HELP GOD'S OWN COUNTRY!
Hello Keralites
After a long time I am back with another lamentation on the pitiable conditions in my own Kerala.
Kerala is a land of STRIKES/BANDHS/HARTALS. Almost every day one group or the other organises a Bandh and the common man suffers. People are prevented from moving out, travelling and all shops and means of transport close down. Next day Newspapers display photos of deserted streets and closed shops and declare the strike to be a success. Success for whom? and for what? This is in spite of the fact that High courts and the supreme court have declared these strikes illegal. Many a times the ruling party or the government itself is the instigator of the strike. While this situation is not limited to Kerala alone, I feel that the Keralites have a penchant for strikes. These abberations generally cause huge losses to the country by the loss of production/sales/man-hours. The poor daily workers go hungry when a strike prevents them from their earnings. The state loses its name and become the least favoured place for any outside entrpreneur to set up his venture. So who benefits? None. Actually everybody loses.
Another point I want to make is about the miserable condition of our roads. Nearly all the roads in the state, including highways are pock marked and treachorous. Everyday several fatal accidents occur on these roads because of their miserable condition. Government puts out sttistics of crores of rupees spent on road repair. But it is a mute question as to how much of these sums are spent actually on the roads.
Are there any solutions to these problems?
After a long time I am back with another lamentation on the pitiable conditions in my own Kerala.
Kerala is a land of STRIKES/BANDHS/HARTALS. Almost every day one group or the other organises a Bandh and the common man suffers. People are prevented from moving out, travelling and all shops and means of transport close down. Next day Newspapers display photos of deserted streets and closed shops and declare the strike to be a success. Success for whom? and for what? This is in spite of the fact that High courts and the supreme court have declared these strikes illegal. Many a times the ruling party or the government itself is the instigator of the strike. While this situation is not limited to Kerala alone, I feel that the Keralites have a penchant for strikes. These abberations generally cause huge losses to the country by the loss of production/sales/man-hours. The poor daily workers go hungry when a strike prevents them from their earnings. The state loses its name and become the least favoured place for any outside entrpreneur to set up his venture. So who benefits? None. Actually everybody loses.
Another point I want to make is about the miserable condition of our roads. Nearly all the roads in the state, including highways are pock marked and treachorous. Everyday several fatal accidents occur on these roads because of their miserable condition. Government puts out sttistics of crores of rupees spent on road repair. But it is a mute question as to how much of these sums are spent actually on the roads.
Are there any solutions to these problems?
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