COVID-2019: Part II Youth as Health Volunteers

 ©Jaya Prakash Kallikkal 2020

A fear seems to spreading all around in the wake of massive spread of Novel Corona Virus 19.  Just a while ago, I received a message on my mobile phone stating that classes in colleges in Delhi have been suspended till further orders in view of the CORONA Virus scare.  This alert not just confused me but also brought out an immediate question in my mind as to whether we are adequately prepared in terms of pandemic mitigation and relief if the virus wrecks havoc in the city in the coming days!

India has not been able to insulate itself from the spread of the virus which originated in Wuhan, China and the virus has now spread to multitudes of cities in this country.  Despite strict measures in terms of screening of airlines passengers arriving from Virus infected countries, N-Corona virus has seeped into life of Indians and poses a huge threat to the Indian Health system.

Pressure on health sector especially PHCs, Local hospitals apart from large speciality hospitals shall be immense. Facing the challenge of shortage of medical facilities including medicines and accessories in the event of a spiralling spread of the virus shall necessitate advance planning on war footing.  WHO has already declared N-Corona as a global Pandemic, if such a situation persists in India then we need to tackle the problem through intervention of National Disaster Management Agency.   But who would be the volunteers if an action plan is rolled out?

It also surprised me to come across a news item that stated that a number of schools and colleges have been closed down across the country in a bid to contain spread of the virus among children and youth in the country.  The issue is significant from the point of view of facing the scourge in the wake of a large impact predicted across the world.   While on one side financial markets are bearing the brunt with tanking stocks and disruption in production lines, on the other the health sector is facing a challenge of having to come out of this scare.

Today India has the largest share of Youth force in the world.   The National Youth Policy which was launched in the year 2014 has proposed a holistic vision for youth in India i.e.  “To empower youth of the country to achieve their full potential, and through them enable India to find its rightful place in the community of nations”  As per NYP any person aged between 15 and 29 can be termed as Youth and as per current statistics 27.5% of India’s population falls in this category.

There has been a talk about imparting compulsory military training to youth in our country on the same lines as some other countries of the world.   This has been stressed to make youth of this nation face the real issues and also to imbibe in them a sense of National pride, discipline and harmony.  While a section of youth today is busy in studies or handling home and professional responsibilities with sincerity and girth, there is another section that is absorbed in mobile phones or wasting away youth under the influence of alcohol and drugs.  While global recession has brought about a serious challenge of unemployment, India had always been deprived of gainful employment on account of large population and lack of focussed opportunities for youth.

Perhaps in the wake of the global pandemic, it is time we wake up to a new reality and open up window of opportunities and challenge seeking attention of youth in our country.  Instead of giving holidays for schools/colleges, we should roll out a precise programme to educate and train youth in Disaster Management and risk mitigation in schools and colleges.   All educational institutions who have enrolment of students in the age group of 18-23 should compulsorily have teams from NDMA to train them for a fortnight on n-Corona.  The trained youth should be able to form groups and further train or assist professional health teams in the event of need.  The best students could be further volunteered into joining specialized programmes in future and should also be provided points to enable them to add up grades in next level defence entrance exams.

It is time India wakes up to new threats and challenges.  Youth force of our nation surely needs direction and guidance in this.   Declaring holidays in the wake of emergencies or hiding our heads under sands in the wake of internal or external emergencies would not help up alleviate problems at micro or macro level.  It is time our energies are synchronized to enable us to be brought to a position where we use our manpower especially our Youth power justifiably and to the best global standards.   It would not be out of place to mention that Youth of this nation need to be imparted soft skills in multiple streams and given the handle (of not just social media platforms) but real departments and machinery for fully gearing up for challenges of future. 

             Images courtesy: Internet

COVID-2019 Part I - Indian Consumer and markets

While India grapples with ways and plans to contain spread of novel  corona nvirus that is spreading as wildfire across the globe, immediate casualty besides human health seems to be business and commerce.  While airports across important business hubs witness lesser footfalls, many have closed down due to fears of a wider spread.   The strains of the virus were first detected in Wuhan, China towards New Year Eve, 2019 has in three months has spread to more than 70 countries across the globe.

Figures of casualties and attempts are containing further spread is being tried out by governments with a slew of measures involving health care, diplomatic interventions and information campaigns, we can take  bit of relief from the fact that deaths are being reported in 3% cases and rest 97% are reportedly recovering with quarantine.  Though no immediate relief in the form of vaccine is expected, human populations need to rest their hopes on personal immunity and nature based interventions that needs to limit the casuality.

            China accounts for about 16% of global exports and has a trade surplus of $301 bn, while India has robust trade relations with China, the impact of n-CoV is a cause of concern for us, especially Indian imports could witness supply disruptions.  While important segments of trade and business that shall witness virus impact could be Electronics especially mobile handsets, Textile, Steel, Plastics, Leather, Aluminium, Ceramics, Gems and Jewellery, paper and Consumer durable.

            India with a $56 bn imports from China witnessed a trade deficit of about $159 bn in 2019, which translates into a fact that in case of serious supply disruptions in China owing to n-CoV, we may face the imminent prospect of having to import such goods from other countries which shall further put our import budget bill under stress.  It has been recently witnessed that sluggish demand and a show down in OPEC and Russia easing crude prices have brought about a slash in oil prices, however the impact is unlikely to ease the market in India.

            If real impact of n-CoV is projected, in case of worst case scenario, cause of worry could be for the Consumer durables which has high import dependency from China as India imports about 45% of completely built consumer durable units from China apart from components servicing such durable.  Option for importers would be alternative brands or equivalent components from other countries that could further up the import bill.  From a consumer point of view such durable are going to get expensive or unavailable in next 3 to six months and cost escalation could be felt from April, 2020 onward.

           

            Auto components and spares of which 18% directly comes from China is going to be a sector of concern for automobile sector that is already under tremendous stress owing to global recessionary trends over the past several months.  It is estimated that India has stocks to cover up short term needs of auto components however in case China sees a prolonged virus threat and closure of its manufacturing hubs, India may not be prepared to calibrate or pep up domestic supplies through local manufacturing as it is not fully geared owing to easy option of imports that has been relied upon in the past.  While individual customers may see spurt in prices of components including tyres, industry as a whole should see it as an opportune time to

            Another sector of concern would be Electronic items especially mobile hand sets and other electronic components which account for nearly 67% of imports from China.  Serious disruptions could felt due to this in India. Consumers may be compelled to postpone for forego purchases due to short budget or unavailability till the threat of virus tapers down in China.  There is hope of revival of Indian industries, if it is estimated as an opportunity by entrepreneurs but of late India has turned into a middle man’s hub and businessmen are happy importing containers than setting up factories and braving the manufacturing challenges leading our country into a consumerist nation dependent on large imports of items that should essentially have been manufactured in India.

            Another high impact area is Pharma raw materials as India has high dependency on imports from China in respect of Pharma bulk drugs. Though stocks are estimated to be available for next couple of months, pharma industry could face the heat of short supplies and high prices in case threat of virus does not lessen in next two months.  It is critical that health care industry starts off a serious plan through a macro plan of pharma industry to short list items that would essentially be needed by vast majority of people in India through strong and strict governmental interventions.

           

            Energy security is crucial for any nation, India has been slowly building up base for clean energy through harnessing of solar energy.  However the flip side is that our country heavily relies on Chinese supplies for solar panels and related accessories.  China controls the world market with 80% export market in this field.  Supply disruptions due to virus could not only escalate costs but also make various projects non-viable due to project completion delays and overshot deadlines leading to legal disputes.

            India exports about 27% of total cotton yarn to China.  Even temporary closure or delay in exports is bound to put textile cotton yarn industry in turmoil owing to lower margins and slackening of domestic prices.   However if Indian market readies itself as a sourcing hub of apparel, this could be used as an opportunity to boost up domestic production of Ready made Garment industry and offset the losses owing to global recession.  However, domestic industry is surely going to face the challenge of rising prices of chemicals, machines etc that would nullify the gains.  Consumer is surely going to see a sudden spurt in prices of RMG, textiles etc and could be forced to go in for more expensive options that could be inflationary in nature.  

            In a nutshell, fall out of n-CoV especially in case of a prolonged scourge could prove disastrous for Indian Industry especially in the wake of tight credit lines and global recessionary trends.   While consumers are going to face challenges arising out of shortages and cost escalations, it is time Indian Industry rises up and proves its entrepreneurial skills to keep the damages limited through dynamic management decisions and timely governmental interventions.

Do you Pine for...

DO YOU PINE FOR….

Do you pine for …..

A place, a person, a moment

A tangible object, an intangible feeling!

A long walk could be as exhilarating and liberating as a session of serene serenade on the beach of the sea or a session of yoga on a mat. No I am not going to talk of exercise or a work out. I write this after my toe stepped on an innocuous looking object while on a morning walk yesterday.
New Delhi is chilly and hazy in winters and seeps into a tormenting pattern of summers soon afterwards. However a few weeks of bliss engulfs the city spliced between these two extremes, the Spring!

Long walk across expansive grass turf is bliss in such a season. If the esplanade is dotted with pine trees still better. Shade giving and aromatic, these trees with their distinct foliage provides the much needed succor to a mentally depressed city dweller during times of stress.

Belonging to genus Pinus, Pines are conifer trees that has more than 126 species found across the globe. In temperate regions, deserts, nearly every place except the tropics. I tread on this subject because a tree such as a Pine can evoke a diverse thought process if we tread deeper. There are actually three parts of a pine tree that are edible! The seeds or the pine nuts can be used in cooking especially in salads. If you wander into a forest and get lost perhaps you can considering using the inner bark of a pine tree which is edible and can be sliced and fried to be eaten in emergencies. The young make cones can actually be boiled to be eaten. Some needles are used to prepare tea. Even the twigs are supposed to be edible! It is understood that the pollen from pine cones (pollen is produced by only male cones) can be used as a substitute for flour or corn starch. Pines are actually very useful trees and they encapsulate many stories.

The Coulter Pine cone is perhaps the heaviest among cones of pine trees that can Weigh upto 10 pounds. The Sugar Pine cone is perhaps the longest of the cones that can grow upto 24”, it has a sweet sap which can be chewed like a gum, its nuts are edible too. This tree grows tall and can go upto 280 feet in height. The Knob cone pine is supposed to be the hardest pine with a closed cone. It relies on heat from wildfires to open up the cones. The Pinyon pine cone has large edible brown nuts and are also used for medicinal purposes. The Logepole pine is a small cone around 2 inches long. It is basically used for decorations. The Jeffrey Pine is another variety that has prickles on the end of its scales which bend inwards and can be handled safely.

As food, medicine, decorative items, basketry these aesthetically appealing trees have many unique features hidden behind their bark and branches. This tree is considered as ‘Great Pine of Peace’. However the health benefits of Pine trees are immense. The bark peels of the trees can be dried up and consumed. It can be brewed up as tea with the help of pine needles. These have high amounts of vitamin C and are extremely helpful as boosters of immune system. They also help improve vision and eye health. The edible parts of the pine are capable of eliminating pathogens from body and help lifting up skin health besides preventing hair loss. Respiratory ailments too can be cured with the help of pine cones.

A well known method of preparing and preserving a home remedy goes like this. Fresh pine needles can be soaked in apple cider vinegar for six weeks. A wide mouthed vessel can be used up for this purpose. The pine needles just need to be completely submerged in the vinegar and after six weeks an edible and medicinal potion is ready for consumption.

Though pine cone saps leave stains on clothes, they are preserved to prepare tincture and honey and are proven to have medicinal qualities. Pine resins form a component of propolis and bark of pine saplings are used to place cast for stabilising broken bones.

If walking in a park laden with pine trees makes you heady, there is a little known reason behind this. Besides the aromatic fragrance that is brought in by the breeze hitting the Pine trees, pine pollen has very high levels of testosterone. Ingestion of the pollen or tincture of the pollen is proven to increase libido.

No wonder the innocuous looking object that came in contact with me while on a morning walk yesterday was a Pine cone that led my heart to feel high and my spirit to be invigorated. A peep into the reason for my exhilaration brought to light little known facts about pine trees and their qualities. There could be thousand reasons for us to set off for picnics or morning walks but we are blessed by unseen factors such as the flowers, rivers, breeze besides the pine trees and their cones that lend magic to our existence and outings.

Nonostante la nebbia (Despite the Fog Opening Film at IFFI 2019

OPENING FILM AT IFFI 2019

Nonostante la nebbia (Despite the Fog)

Golden Jubilee version of IFFI 2019 kicks off in Goa with the Italian Film Nonostante la nebbia (Despite the Fog), a film by Goran Paskalejevic that veers around the life of a refugee, Ali Musa Sarhan who loses his parents when their boat capsizes near the Italian Coast.  Ali is accepted by a couple who has lost their child.  The psychological travails and the solace in accommodating the arab in place of their son.  Donatella Finokjaro (Valeria) and Giorgio Tirabasi (Paolo) face the challenges and confrontations within and outside their family in such an acceptance.

In a real world when hundreds of refugees scourge the streets in hope of a better life in other and seemingly better parts of the world, children and often minors are left destitute waiting to be accepted or left to decay without parental care on the streets which accentuates the issue of refugees especially minors and depicts the xenophobic fog the world is sinking into with passage of time.

[Born in Belgrade, Goran Paskaljević is a Film director, screen writer and producer who belongs to a group of Yugoslav filmmakers who studied abroad and graduated from the Film and Television Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. He has made about 30 documentaries and 16 feature films.  His film Powder Keg has won the FIPRESCI prize at the Venice Film Festival and was also highly acclaimed at European Film Awards.  Goran Paskaljevic shares his time between Belgrade and Paris and holds Serbian and French Citizenship].

The film is good at story telling, however some eminent Indian film makers say that the film falls short at many places and could have touched higher levels in respect of cinematography and techniques.

Awards and recognition:

Berlin Golden Bear for Best Film
Nominated 1978 The Dog Who Loved Trains
Cannes Palme d'Or
Nominated 1985 Special Treatment
Venice Golden Lion for Best Film
Nominated 2001 How Harry Became a Tree
Festróia Golden Dolphin for Best Film
Nominated 2002 How Harry Became a Tree
San Sebastián Golden Shell for Best Film
Nominated 2004 Midwinter Night's Dream
Valladolid Golden Spike for Best Film
1995 Someone Else's America
2006 The Optimists
Pula Golden Arena for Best Director
1976 Beach Guard in Winter
1980 Special Treatment

Free Rides in Delhi

Free rides in Delhi

[Pink slips handed out to employees during recession or hard times has often been abhorred by employees workers unions but from 29^th of October, 2019, women in Delhi would be handed out pink slips in city transport buses to avail a free bus travel in the city of New Delhi.This novel project embarked upon by the Delhi Government has an added buffer. 13000 marshals are being deployed across the city to oversee that the plan goes without hitch. Marshals will not only hand over the pink slips to lady passengers they would also ensure their safety during the journey.]

Delhi has been growing over the years but it has not been able to absorb the huge rise in passenger traffic owing to multifarious reasons. While first two decades of post independence era brought about white collared workers into the government sector into the capital post seventies threw open infrastructural sectors, small scale industries and tertiary operations drawing millions into the city.  While structured construction was limited to government buildings, Corporations, Banking and Corporate enterprises a large segment of population spread like wild shrubs into shanties and JJ (Juggi Jhopri) clusters.

Delhi Transport Corporation that came into existence in 1948 later came under operated under Municipal Corporation of Delhi till 1971 and later transferred and put under the administrative control of government of NCT of Delhi.  It has a current fleet of 3900 buses apart from a fleet of 1634 DIMTS buses which takes the total fleet to 5578 buses which include AC, Non-AC and cluster bus fleet.

Over the years with rising population pressure travel in DTC buses has been a nightmare. With Choc-a-block traffic outside, scenario inside buses turned inhuman too.  People needed to pack themselves like sardines in sweaty summer heat inside transport buses and the uncouth behaviour of conductors besides reckless driving made travel in Delhi city buses a nightmare.  City buses during 80s and 90s faced immense pressure and to make matters worse cartels operated infamous Blue line buses which accounted for large number of traffic accidents in the city.  Rising number of eve teasing and sexual perversion cases inside transport buses besides erratic bus services led many middle class women to a switch over to their own private cars during the 90s and thereafter which can be attributed as the primary reason for spurt in city traffic over the years.

Hallmark of a developed city is its extensive use of public transportation which went missing in Delhi. While Delhi Metro Rail Services began its services in 2002, in the absence of last mile connectivity, many traditional commuters in city buses switched over to their own private vehicles including two wheelers and currently more than a crore of vehicles ply on Delhi roads despite a criss-cross of metro and public transport service.  Today Delhi witness a bumper-to-bumper on most days of the year with frequent traffic snarls leading to loss of precious time as well as fuel owing to such hold-ups.

Would a change happen? I believe unless majority of a city population switches over the public transport situation on ground would not change.  Perhaps an important step in this direction has been made. Today marks a deviation in the course of Delhi Transport. Perhaps it is a red letter day for Delhi as travel of women in Delhi city buses has been made free.  5558 buses operating in Delhi in which nearly 12 lakh passengers travel would witness free  ride for women. With an added fleet strength of 1000 CNG and 300 electric buses, the overall fleet strength of DTC is expected to touch 7000. Perhaps this could prove to be the game changer for improving the fleet utilization and weaning away people from taking their private vehicles on road and switching back to Delhi transport buses for travel.  I believe if Government of Delhi embarks on the plan to provide free city ride not just to women but to anyone switching back to buses a big leap will be made in managing traffic, pollution and congestion in Delhi.  Perhaps a plan to provide free and unrestricted space to Delhi Transport buses on Delhi roads (as done during Commonwealth games) would be a big thrust in promoting city buses which could see bang on timings and larger use.

     [DTC Air conditioned  Bus]

Kerala Floods: Whose land is it anyway?

                      God’s own country, in deluge

While the month of August 2018 brought out images of flooding caused by opening up of dams due to heavy rains in Kerala, while preparing to mark the first anniversary of floods this year, God's own country is yet again, deluged in rains that is far exceeding  the normal patterns of rainfall in the state.   This year, however, it is unprecedented landslides in hilly regions and washing away of huge tracks of soil that is taking its toll on people of this beautiful state in South India.

I translate and reproduce here, a portion of a write up, I came across in  Vadakancherry online, which reflects the reality on ground zero and exemplifies public reaction to natural calamities in the state reinforcing my faith in this land and its people.

                     

“Henceforth no one should call it God’s own country!

What kind of land is this?

What kind of people live in this land?

Shopkeepers up the shutters of their shops and pack away entire goods for it to be distributed among the flood affected people of this land.

An infant who has lost his mother in floods is being breastfed by many mothers in the relief camp.

A mother, having lost all her belongings, cries inconsolably as she fears that her daughter’s wedding may get cancelled is promised 80 grams of gold by Feroz Kunnumbparabil and before Feroze could reach the camp, one Shan hands over required Gold to the hapless mother. A person named Bava Hameed sponsors the entire wedding expenses, Franko Sabaestian undertakes to cover wedding photography, some others help out in hosting wedding!

Mayor Bro connects North and South with his 50 loads of relief material.  Trucks carrying relief material are stopped on waysides and  drivers given tea and snacks by village folk.

Collector and district administration find it hard to contain the sea of youth volunteering to clean houses and provide human support to flood affected people.

What kind of land is this?

Do not call it God’s own country

This is land of Gods”

I have been following the pattern of rainfall and changes in geo spaces in Kerala for the past more than 3 decades.  While unnatural weather changes are being felt for the past one decade, it is since 2018 that Kerala is facing the brunt of natural calamities which it was fairly saved from for past several decades.

What is the reason for such an alarming situation?

I feel, five factors have broadly impacted Kerala, which now faces an imminent task of moving forward on the face of adverse human and natural intervention to its environment.

1.      Effects of global warming, al-nino factors leading to change in climatic and rainfall patterns

2.      Massive stone quarrying, tree cutting and sand mining leading to change in terrain patterns.

3.      Mammoth construction activities for commercial and residential use.

4.      Reduction of forest cover or covert activities like cash crop plantations, massive tree cutting in forest regions for commercial gains.

5.      Non implantation of recommendations of committees like the Gadgil report.

               

While Governments can help assuage sufferings of masses by official intervention and providing relief to those affected by natural calamities, it is the people, who bring about a difference to the way the calamities determine the course of public reactions to short term and long term measures in handling such contingencies.

Whose land is it anyway?  

If we believe, it is ours, time has come for us to rise above narrow political and commercial interests to see to it that challenges arising out of  natural calamities occurring out of man-made and natural factors are seriously assessed and measures taken to plug disasters or reduce the sufferings caused by such occurrences.

Photo Courtesy: Google online

Dark Chocolate

Dark Chocolate

When you are restless, distraught or depressed don't go in for that piece of dark chocolate….read this:

We are shaped and fashioned by what we love:

            The first look, the first touch of something created by nature is enough to shape our present and our future.  It has been scientifically proven that a new born baby has the capacity to differentiate between individuals.  As we grow up our needs and desires centre around things that we love: materially or emotionally tangible or intangible.  We work towards reaching our goals no matter how trivial they seem to be but we generally end up doing what we love to remain happy lest we struggle with our frustrations and miseries and attribute them to our misfortune and fate.

Target setting and your life notes

To be happy in life, to reach our targets we need to set out with objectives that should reflect positively in Life notes (A folder containing your personal targets).  To be happy and to be able to touch the rainbow of life that one aspires for, one should keep in mind the following:

1.         Have a clear vision of your efforts and results expected

2.         Creatively energizing and inspirational targets

3.         Self limiting and time controlled parameters

4.         Self synchronizing and time barred limits

Sections of your life notes should clearly demarcate your needs in relation to:

1.         Private and personal enhancement goals

2.         Economically and financially viable goals

3.         Psychological and bodily empowering goals

4.         Interpersonal and socially enriching goals

5.         Godly and spiritually uplifting goals

Eleven steps to rejuvenating Life can be practiced to reach your goals in a smooth and satisfying manner:

1.         Justified Silence

2.         Physical calm

3.         Knowledge integration

4.         Abundant freedom

5.         Latent personal reflection

6.         Lenitive morning awakening

7          Infinite Musical experience

8.         Kindling the Spoken word

9.         Keeping a congruent character

10.       Ample Simplicity

11.       Learning the art of self-empowerment

It's always fun to be in school, where the essence of life is innocence.  Whether as a teacher or a student….  Remember the time you left school and were in college, perhaps you wished, 'You could be in school again'….Amen….so you are back to school !

But when you left College did you miss it?.... We miss what slips out of our hands, like time….we fail to be happy with what we have in our hands…..like Life!

Love Life while Living it!