Child's play

Whenever the topic of child labour is discussed anywhere, in terms of being positive as it helps the helpless children or the more often debated of being a curse on the social hierarchy in a society,what comes to my mind is the image of Tarrannum, one of the child labour that influenced my thought to a very large extent.

Tarrannum was a 14-15 year old girl that worked in one of my distant relative's place in Lucknow.My relative is an old aunt of my father and we had gone to pay her a visit two summers back.That was the first time i met Tarrannum.And what i had always seen domestic help's children as,she was so very different from them!I had always seen how full of work and annoyed did they used to be.They were mostly trying to avoid work and leave chores unfinished.You felt sympathetic and often a selfish nature among them could be noticed,though not always.But Tarrannum was so different, and that was what struck a chord in me.For her,work was like the best thing that could be given to her!Every morning she used to greet all of us a very good morning and start working on folding the bedsheets.Her constant humming was a reminder that she enjoyed what she did.And it was not as if she had no other work in her own home.She never had lunch or dinner at our place since she had to cook food at home and look after her two siblings along with her mother.I could not comprehend that how a girl her age with such load took life with such zeal!

" Bibi, aaj toh Ichha aur Tapasya ki dosti ho jayegi na!Aaj to tv pe wahi dekhungi yaad se!"-this was what Tarrannum said to me one day, when i asked her why was she hurrying up with her work in the evening.She was referring to a daily soap which she used to watch everyday.Hearing her, what struck me was the fact that how a simple thing such as tv could make her entire day so happy and merry!Life was always like a light feather for her, and her relentless nature to stay gleaming was the reason that i started adoring her so much.

The day we were leaving i asked her whether she wanted anything from me the next time i came.She said she didn't want any anything, very promptly.But i still pressed and then very excitedly she took out her Eid's suit and said that she loved the lip gloss that shimmered as it would look good with the dress.She then said,-"Aap agli baar ek choti lip gloss la dengi?"I happily said yes,and that smile in that spur lasted the entire day on her face.I really have no definite solution to ending child labour, but i cannot forget Tarrannum's smiling face that touched my heart so profoundly.It's been more that two years now and i still recall how happily Tarrannum led her life.Her one smile was enough to make her and my entire day!Child labour should not prevail but how do we help them who are perhaps in bliss in their world and feel life to be truly blessed the way it is.

1411 snoozing away to 2012?

1)Total number of tiger reserves & national parks in India:29
2)Total area covered by these reserves:38620 sq.km
3)Total geographical land covered by protected areas in India:1.17%
4)Total money allocated to further fund Project Tiger:$153 million
5)Total money dedicated to the protection of tiger in the 11th plan:Rs.600 crore
6)Government to set up a Tiger Protection Force to combat poachers.
7)Central Government to fund the relocation of upto 200,000 villagers to minimise human-tiger interaction.
8)New tiger reserves to be established:8
TOTAL NUMBER OF TIGERS LEFT IN INDIA:1411.

It is hard to believe but numbers speak their own language.This staggering number of the tigers left in India is a knell thronging upon our ears to take an action.It is a trumpet call pleading us to save our national animal from getting lost forever in the shadowy mists of extinction.Our precious heritage is at a vulnerable risk and we can't do anything,but,take an action towards it.How long can we sit and stare at this calamity?!
If the tiger is lost,then we are inherently proving our inefficiency as a nation.No amount of resources or projects can help this poor animal unless diligent efforts are taken to protect it from extinction.Already in the WWF Red List,the tiger might sooner come in the Extinction List and we won't be able to do anything about it!
So,it's now or never!If we as Indians won't take an initiative to conserve the tiger then it won't take the world even a fraction of a second to question our environmental conscience and spark a debate over our ecological responsibility.
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Do anything possible to make people know and realise the catastrophic impact that our neglect towards the tiger can create.It is not the tiger but ourselves that need help!It is no more a question of protection,it has become a question of our own basic survival!
ACT NOW.

Right To Responsibilty

And so the dilemma over the success of the Common Wealth Games continues.As if the criticism over the slow progress was not enough that a threat of a possible pandemic looms large over the Capital.With less than a month to go for the Games,the scenario just seems to get bleaker day by day.But then as the Delhi Govt has been insisting upon,there is nothing to worry.With countries like Australia expressing concerns over the health of its players,it definitely seems to be getting tougher day by day to convince about CWG's success.

But thinking of it,why are we even thinking of competing with countries like Australia?The amount of progress that they have made is far from even imagining for us.We have been developing & it takes time.Agreed that corruption threatens to strangle the process of progress,but it is not meant to demotivate the entire nation.We as citizens can't keep on shrugging from our responsibilities by simply saying that-"Corruption is the root cause."It is only a handful of politicians & an entire generation that is standing opposite each other.We can make a difference by ensuring that with a positive attitude we become the hosts of this prestigious event.If we see that a road is blocked due to heavy rain in Delhi,why can't an individual report to the concerned authority and a group of people ensure that an action is taken.Why do we have to simply deal with all the stuff and then curse the government?Aren't we equally responsible for the welfare and maintenance of our society?

These questions do impose a high sense of responsibilty upon every individual,but then isn't this what makes a progressive country where people are conscious of their duties?Common Wealth Games are a big event for India to showcase its development at the international level.When the menace of being over critical about our own country will stop only then will the real progress see the light of the day.As for the CWG-oh yes,we'll make it happen!!

Water water everywhere but not a drop to drink-Coleridge.

The 100 km long traffic in China;the Yamuna crossing the danger mark;some of the heaviest rains in recent times in New Delhi.Wherever one looks,reports of water creating havoc can be seen and heard of.Water is proving to be a major catastrophic element everywhere.But still the major number of deaths that happen during such times of flood are either due to water borne diseases or lack of clean water.Ironical right?

Earth which is covered 70% by water,holds those lands also that do not get water enough for its people to survive.Nelson Mandela said-"Let there be work,bread,water and salt for all."We are suffering from a crisis that incurs upon us a very large contortion of problems.Clean and safe drinking water is the essence of a healthy life.Thus providing that in times of such floods becomes the most important aspect of survival.

People and survival.flv

Freedom

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

A country that celebrates its 63th Independence Day with a feeling of extreme positivity of achieving its major development goals,India still needs to come out of its shackles of corruption to attain its aims.So saying supernaturally,if i was the Prime Minister of India,the one thing that i would do on Independence Day would be feeding the famished families of India.More than 217 million people are undernourished in India and are unable to arrange even two square meals a day.That day,making sure that each and every Indian could get a wholesome and nutritious meal would my priority.Experiencing the feeling that on the day of our independence,every indian would get proper food would be stepping successfully on the first step of the ladder to a healthy India.

According to a 2005 World Bank estimate,42% of India falls below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day.Since the 1950s,the Indian government has initiated several programmes to alleviate poverty,including subsidised food and other necessities,increased access to loans,improving agricultural techniques and price supports.These measures have helped eliminate famines,cut absolute poverty levels by more than half,and illiteracy and malnutrition.But still,there is a very large percentage of indians, who haven't seen a square meal in their entire lives and their lives end because of hunger.

So,if given a chance i would make this earnest effort that the motto food for all is actually implemented throughout the nation.No one is hungry and thus without the hurdle of surviving life on the edge, one can actually work towards building a bright future for himself as well as his/her family.

Sati- an honourable punishment

We talk about life,we talk about creation.

If the power of creating a life is considered the biggest power to mankind,then why is it that when it comes to being a woman you are subjected to a punishment like sati?

The answer is that woman has always been the pride and valuable possession of this society.She dwells in a place where her entire existence revolves around her status as a wife,a daughter,a dutiful daughter-in-law,but never as an independent woman.A woman who can control her individual choices is considered a rebellion.She is that pride that is not supposed to suffice without her honour,not live without carrying every duty and responsibility that is "blessed" upon her.It is this moral duty that a woman should always follow that became the carriers of a practice like SATI in our indian society.

A widow had to sit on the burning pyre of her husband,since her entire existence was defined by her better half.Today,when we think of this ritual,we feel horrified by merely imagining it;but for those women who gave their lives,it was not a matter of life or death,it was a matter of honour of their family.Our social hierarchy has been framed in such a way that a woman starts thinking the other way about her being when she gets married off.So,instead of calling it a woman's sacrifice living in such a system,it should be more of a woman's mindset that needs to be focussed on taking care of.Sati is that practice that reminds us how we have to bring a radical shift in the thinking of a woman's being as an individual.Though abolished a long time back,the fact that women still think of empowering themselves,rather that already feeling empowered enough to stand as individuals; is a sign that the reason for sati still dwells in their hearts.Respecting the opposite sex's individuality still remains a very big task to be achieved in our indian society.

Health issues of the CWG workers

With less than fifty days left for the Common Wealth Games to commence in the Capital,the work force has been under immense pressure to meet the deadlines.At construction sites, one can see the number of tents & make shift camps build up by the labourers.Everyone,from women to children, all are employed in the manual tasks big or small.But seeing them all,the question of proper health facilities for these workers arises.Lack of proper supply of water is evident, but with this the grave problem of sanitation and ultimately health comes up.

In April 2010,World Health Organisation said that hectic construction activity would affect the general health of the Capital and the dust in the air was not healthy.The increase in the number of infrastructure activity would only augment the situation of polluted air.Another problem that WHO pointed at, was that of crowding.This would also lead to improper living conditions among the workers.The Delhi High Court had directed the Government and the Civic bodies to register all labourers working in CWG project and provide them safety equipment,but sadly that has not been put under effect so successfully.There are six lakh workers in Delhi prsently and only twenty-six thousand have been registered for welfare labour.A whopping number of Rs.389 crores has been collected for-housing,education loans,scholarships,even marriage for the workers' children,but there has been no flow of these resources in the right place.A large number of the labourers don't even know that such a fund exists for their maintenance.During the days of heavy showers, one can see a majority of these workers sleeping under the flyovers.

Thus, it is clear that health facilities have been completely overlooked by the governmental bodies and the money has not reached the workers.It is this reason that spread of diseases like malaria,diarrhoea,jaundice etc. poses a big threat to these labourers.The Government as well as their respective bodies should pay proper attention to this issue,because with CWG already facing various hindrances,this problem could leave a big question mark over the state's responsibility towards its work force's well being.

Sources-Zeenews.com,NDTV.com,The Tribune,The Economic Times.