Environment protection and population explosion

The latest occurrence of unprecedented floods and landslides in the state has once again led to discussions on the gadgil committe and kasturi rangan committee reports, which have been put on the back burner by the successive governments. As I understand both these reports have categorically predicted such disasters if corrective measures were not adopted at the earliest. But it appears the objections by various parties in implementation of the recommendations are based on the big question, "how or why the people staying at these places be barred from their agricultural activities in the name of environment?". A very relevant objection!  So it is for us to decide which is important , environment or the welfare of the inhabitants . Since both have to be protected it is for the rulers to find out ways to have a proper balance between the two.But, as for me, the entire question boils down to another basic issue which is population explosion !. The total population of india has grown from.about 30 crores in the sixties to 130 crores now! So for accommodating the additional 100 crore people the space had to be found out from the existing land only as land does not grow like population. This has led to un restricted constructions which in turn led to laterite and granite mining resulting in fissures in the earth crust. Such fissures give way in the wake of heavy rains leading to such landslides. Also in the name of large scale construction activities, we have filled or blocked the areas which used to waterways that allowed free flow of water during rainy seasons. All these together have contributed to the present disaster, i believe. So ,i feel, it is high time we did something to arrest the population growth , lest the situation will be more dangerous in the coming years. The people at present living in vulnerable areas should be rehabilitated at comparatively safer locations and all constructions in tge vulnerable areas like hill side, sea shore etc be banned immediately. I am sure none of the politicians will dare to consider the above suggestions , but hope some saner elements will be there to think of this .

PA system in train bogies

Two recent incidents experienced in the train travel in the state have prompted me to write this , even though the suggestion was made by me about 20 years back too.

On 4th aug I was travelling from trivandrum to cherthala by Trivandrum lokamanyatilak express. While we were ready to get down at cherthala station, as the train was nearing the station, it abruptly stopped just outside the platform and for about half an hour there was no sign of the train moving . Finally, we walked through five bogies and got down from the train at the railway crossing on the road south of station. Even when we were leaving after having lunch at a nearby hotel , after about an hour , the train  was still stationery at the same place, without the passengers having any idea about what was happening! In the evening on the same day, I got an SMS from railways informing that the same train had been terminated at Shoranur railway station due to heavy rains in the northern part.

As per newspaper reports , the rail traffic on the Ernakulam Alappuzha sector was adversely affected on 7th august due to tree fall on the rails and many trains had to be diverted via Kottayam. In the evening same day,  tree fell on maveli express leaving Trivandrum,  again disrupting rail traffic for many hours.

My point is, in such eventualities of train being detained/terminated/diverted , at present there is no mechanism to keep the passengers inside the train informed about the position leaving them high and dry. This is all the more problem for long distance passengers . To alleviate such difficulties I had suggested installation of public address systems in all bogies through which the engine driver or the guard could apprise the passengers if any delay for more than 10 or 15 minutes was expected . This would be a big relief for the passengers inside the train, i believe .  

I have once again sent this suggestion to the railway minister too and hope it will be considered favourably.

Judicial Accountability

Recently I have come across an instance of high level lack of accountability in the judicial system.

Federation of SBI Pensioners Association had filed a petition in high court of delhi (as suggested by supreme court of india, with a direction to the HC to dispose of the case within a maximum period of 6 months) in the year 2013. After prolonged adjournments , the case was heard in detail by the bench headed by the chief justice of delhi high court. Arguments by the petitioners advocate was completed about a month back and the pleader for SBI and government was asked to submit their counter arguments and submissions without much delay. The additional solicitor general appearing for bank and government sought more time on different pretexts and finally submitted her brief by 20th may and the case was posted to 27th may for the decision of the court. Surprisingly on 27th the additional solicitor general sought still more time to conclude her arguments which was allowed by the bench in spite of objection from the advocate of pensioners. And, the chief justice of the high court who is retiring on 6th june, declared he was not in a position to write the judgement before his retirement and accordingly released the case to be heard by a new bench to be constituted after new chief justice took charge!!! And this for a case involving thousands of pensioners who are in their last leg of life seeking to remove an illogical pension of 40% of past drawn salary to a majority of the pensioners, instead of the mandatory 50%!! In such a clear open and shut case , the court has taken as long as 6 years and finally the chief justice says he is not able to write the judgement. If this is not a violation of human rights what else is, i wonder. I would like to request the supreme court of india to take note of this absurd behaviour of the Chief Justice of delhi high court( who should be held accountable for such an arrogant stand against the senior and super senior citizens) and ask the court to dispose of the case immediately, at least on the next date of posting, which is on 7th july.