KARUNAKARAN-THE LEADER

In Kerala there is only one leader in politics and politricks That is karunakaran He made a lot,good or bad, it attracted the keralapeople Hence he become Chiefminister more than one time A short overview of his life.......

Kannoth Karunakaran July 5, 1918 - December 23, 2010) was a senior politician from Kerala, India belonging to Congress party. He was a former Chief Minister of Kerala, Home minister of Government of Kerala, and Minister for Industries of Government of India. He was one of the most influential persons in Kerala politics for several decades and was affectionately called "Leader" by Congress activists. He was often criticized for apparent nepotism.

Early life

Karunakaran was born on 5 July 1918 at Chirackkal in Kannur District to Shri.Thekkedathu Ramunni Marar and Smt. Kannoth Kalyani Amma with birth star “Karthika". His father Ramunni Marar was a 'sirastadar', a government job under the then British Malabar state government. He had two elder brothers (Kunjiraman Marar and Balakrishnan Marar) and a younger brother (Damodaran Marar aka Appunni Marar). Their only sister Devaki died when she was merely 5 years old.

As a young boy, Karunakaran was passionate about swimming, football and volleyball. He also demonstrated ample interest in painting. During his early years, while being admitted to the lower primary school, he insisted not to add the caste name 'Marar' to his official name at the school unlike the normal practice of those days. He started his school education in Vadakara LP School and continued through Andalloor and then Chirakkal Raja's School till eighth standard. Later, he had to undergo prolonged treatment due to an eye-related disorder, and was thus relocated (with his elder brother Kunjirama Marar) to the home of his uncle Puthenveettil Raghavan Nair at Vellanikkara, a village, ten kilometer away from Thrissur. The two brothers would later actively participate in the prevailing Indian freedom movement since an early age. The stay at Thrissur would transform their life altogether and engulf them into the politics and trade union activism that was brewing up in the region.

After continuing the school at Sarkar High School, Thrissur (presently Govt. Model Boys High School, Thrissur), Karunakaran wanted to pursue his career in drawing and painting. He joined the Maharaja's Technical Institute (MTI), Thrissur for a Diploma in Design and Drawing. Although he earned the Diploma with a Gold Medal, except for a short stint at a Fine Arts Institute in Thrissur he did not take up painting as a profession and instead turned his attention completely towards the political issues. However, as an artist, he recalls in his biography, his paintings were appreciated well and many of them would fetch a price as good as Rs.500 per piece.

In 1937, Karunakaran joined the flood relief camps that were conducted by V.R. Krishnan Ezhuthachan, C. Achyutha Menon, R.M. Manakkalath and other leaders of Prajamandalam, an early freedom struggle movement in Cochin State. He became a member of the Indian National Congress and began to wear Khadi. He also participated intensively in the trade union activities in the vast Thattil rubber estates where his uncle Raghavan Nair was a 'writer'. During this time, he would spare his artistic skills and labour in helping the workers' union (later INTUC) for their wall writings and campaigns. Gradually, he was picked up by Panampilly Govinda Menon as his most favourite follower. In due course, Karunakaran rose to a level of the senior-most Leader of the Indian National Trade Union Congress(INTUC). The INTUC later became one of the largest trade unions in India having with over 4 million memberships today.
Karunakaran with M. G. Ramachandran (left) and Panruti Ramachandran (right).

Karunakaran is the founder of United Democratic Front (UDF) in 1970. He evinced utmost care in ensuring cordiality, unity and understanding among the constituent parties, and he commanded absolute control and due respect from them.

His closeness to the Nehru family begins from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and culminated and pinnacled during the tenure of Smt. Indira Gandhi and Shri. Rajiv Gandhi. Karunakaran played the role of King Maker in finding out a successor to Rajiv Gandhi. Being the senior mostensuing elections of 1977.

Karunakaran has been the Chief Minister of Kerala four times. He took charge as Chief Minister for the first time on 25-3-1977. However he tendered his resignation on 25-4-1977, immediately following certain references by the Kerala High Court in what came to be known as Rajan case.

He took charge as Chief Minister again on December 28, 1981. However, this ministry did not last long. He resigned on 17 March 1982, following the withdrawal of support by a member of the Kerala Congress (M). Midterm elections to the 7th Kerala Legislative Assembly was held on May 19, 1982. The Ministry with Shri. K.Karunakaran as Chief Minister assumed office on 24 May 1982 and continued till 1987. On June 24, 1991, Shri.K.Karunakaran took charge again as Chief Minister of Kerala for the fourth term, and resigned on March 16, 1995, making way for A.K.Antony to take up the Chief Ministership.

After A. K. Antony was elected as Kerala chief minister in 2001, Karunakaran was on the warpath with the Government led by his own party and the party high command. After a series of unsuccessful attempts to regain supremacy in the Kerala wing of the Indian National Congress, the dissidents led by him landed up in the bad books of the Congress high command. With the sharp increase in factional meetings held all over Kerala, mostly led by his son K. Muraleedharan, Indian National Congress suspended Muraleedharan from the party.

As a veteran parliamentarian, whose career stretches over five decades, Karunakaran has been elected three times to Rajya Sabha and to Lok Sabha twice. He was a member of Rajya Sabha during 1995-97, 1997–98 and 2004-2005. He has been elected to Lok Sabha from Thiruvananthapuram in 1998 and from Mukundapuram constituency in 1999. Karunakaran served as the Minister for Industries in the Union Cabinet for one year in 1995.

With Muraleedharan being pushed to the verge of political orphanage, Karunakaran left his party and formed a new political outfit with him as the President. Thus, on 1 May 2005, Karunakaran formed a new party in Kerala National Congress (Indira). Later, the new party was renamed to Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran). Later, Karunakaran merged his party with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), despite opposition from many senior leaders like T. M. Jacob who has since left the party. K Karunakaran and his daughter Padmaja returned to their parent party (Indian National Congress) following a spilt . However his son Muraleedharan dissociated himself from his father and continued in NCP.A great Leader who gave a helping hand to the Minorities and supported them.

Death

Karunakaran died on 23 December 2010 at Ananthapuri Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He was suffering from respiratory problems, fever and other age related diseases. His condition worsened following a stroke and the death occurred when he had a cardiac arrest. His death was confirmed by doctors at 5:30 PM. It was coincidental that his death and Narasimha Rao's death was on same date. Karunakaran had played key role in backing the Rao Government and later Rao had dismissed Karunakaran from the chair of Chief Minister of Kerala[2][3]. His funeral was attended by the prime minister Manmohan Singh and the AICC chief Sonia Gandhi.

Controversies

K. Karunakaran was the home minister of Kerala during the emergency period. After the Emergency, the Rajan case rocked Kerala politics like no other issue before and Karunakaran was forced to step down as the case attracted national attention. It was a habeas corpus petition filed by T.V. Eachara Warrier seeking the state machinery produce his son Rajan (a student of Regional Engineering College ,Calicut who actively participated in protests against the emergency declared by the Indira government), in court. Rajan was allegedly killed by the police at Kakkayam police torture camp and the body disposed off Mad. The legal battle lead by Rajan's father became one of the most remembered human rights fight in the state[4] and the legal struggle by his father T V Eachara Warrier had diminished the popularity of Karunakaran.The book Memories of a father is a lamentation of a father over his son's brutal death. He was an accused in the palmolein corruption case, which was pending before the supreme court at the time of his death.

Karunakaran will be remembered for his strong stand against Naxalism in Kerala and for completely removing its roots from the society.

Biographies

1. The first Biography on him titled 'K.Karunakaran' was written by Vrindavanam Venugopalan. Published by Islamiya Books, Aluva in 1992
(wikipedia)

S SREESANTH

Return of sreesanth to indian worldcup squad is a dramatic one Also avoiding him from it is dramatic.I think he will be the no 1 perforrming bowler in the coming worldcup.
Sreesanth,the violent,hungered Indian Tiger will eat other batsman as inthe series against Australlia
and SouthAfrica

JAYAN THE REAL HERO

16 November 1980 Sholavaram, near Chennai, Tamil Nadu.Jayan was killed in an accident on the set of the movie Kolilakkam.16th November 2010.Even after 30 years his death people of kerala refresh their sweet memories and painfull death of JAYAN.All the Dailies and Magazines provide a major space for his memories. Then who was Jayan?Is a Politician? A social worker?Is he a relegious leader? or A great ruler?The answer is NO. He is only a Film actor.He only done 125 malayalam films and one Tamil film.He is only five years in film industry.Yes.That's enough.He entered and lived in the audience heart.He is a gentleman in the film field and his personnel life.Hence the so called critic people of Kerala remembers him.Madhu, a famous actor prominent in the 60s, once stated in an interview, "Jayan will forever be young and alive. No one can ever visualise him as an old man."Yes JAYAN still lives our heart as an Energetic youngster.

More about JAYAN

Early life

Jayan was born in Kollam, Travancore as the first child of his father Thevalli, Kottaram Veetil Madhavan Pillai and mother Bharathiyamma. His birthname was Krishnan Nair. He had a younger brother named Soman Nair. Jayan's formal education ended at 10th grade at Kollam Govt. Boys High School; he then joined the Indian Navy. The first accolades for his acting skills reached him when he was a naval sailor. He used to act in plays at various functions like anniversaries. The encouragement from his friends and colleagues in the Navy gave him the desire to act in films. Jayan served in the Indian Navy for 16 years, culminating in the rank of Master CPO. Then he left the Indian Navy to try his hand in the film industry.


Career

The name "Jayan" was given to him by Jose Prakash, a noted villain actor of yesteryear Malayalam cinema. Jayan started his career by acting in minor roles. His first film was Shapa Moksham (1974). Jayan got his first major break with Thacholi Ambu (1978) in which he acted as a co-hero. What made Jayan a superstar was his negative hero role in Sarapanjaram (1979). He catapulted to fame riding on machismo roles that endeared him to the masses, and he established himself as one of the most popular Malayalam film actors of his time. He is touted as the first action hero in Malayalam cinema.

Movies exploited Jayan's masculine physique and he appeared barechested in numerous scenes. His onscreen attire (most famously his Elvis bellbottoms), his masculine image and the nature of his death turned him into something of a legend in Kerala. Jayan was also known for his unique method of dialogue delivery and he has contributed many memorable lines to Malayalam film history.

In the late 1990s and early 21st century, there was a resurgence in Jayan's popularity in Kerala and his old movies came into prominence again. This resurgence was mostly because of popular mimicry stage artists in the State, whose imitations of the star's mannerisms caught on; soon, similar shows became commonplace in college stage events, television programs and mimicry stage shows.

Death

On 16 November 1980, Jayan was killed in an accident on the set of the movie Kolilakkam. The climax scene of the movie was being filmed in Sholavaram, near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He was 42 then and at the peak of his popularity. Jayan always performed his own stunts, and for this movie he was performing a particularly dangerous stunt that involved him boarding an airborne helicopter from a moving motorbike. The shot was accepted by the director in the first take; altogether three shots were filmed.

According to the film's production executive, Jayan insisted on yet another re-take as he was not satisfied with its perfection. During the re-take, the helicopter lost its balance and crashed along with Jayan, who later succumbed to his injuries.

Some conspiracy theories emerged regarding the circumstances of his death, primarily because the pilot and his co-star Balan K. Nair, who was in the helicopter, survived with minor or no injuries. Nevertheless, it has been confirmed as a genuine accident.

Today Jayan is best remembered for his loud, colourful attire, his machismo mannerisms and his unique speaking style.


Selected filmography

* Komaram (1982)
* Ariyappedatha Rahasyam (1981) .... Raghu
* Kolilakkam (1981)
* Gargjanam (1981) .... (Jayan completed part and then remade with Rajnikanth)
* Sanchari (1981)....Bargavan
* Thadavara (1981) .... Seema
* Aakramanam (1981)
* Panchapandavar (1981)
* Abhinayam (1981) .... Raghu
* Agnisaram (1981)
* Aakkramanam (1981)
* Love in Singapore (1980) .... Suresh
* Angaadi (1980) .... Babu
* Anthappuram (1980) .... Ambika
* Benz Vasu (1980)
* Ethikkara Pakky (1980)
* Idi Muzhakkam (1980)
* Kaanatha Valayam (1980)
* Karimpana (1980) .... Muthan
* Kari Puranda Jeevithangal (1980)
* Manushya Mrugam (1980) .... Babu/Gopi
* Meen (1980)
* Deepam (1980)
* Chaakara (1980) .... Sethumadhavan
* Moorkhan (1980) .... Vinod
* Naayattu (1980)
* Ethikkara Pakki (1980) .... Adimakannu
* Paallattu Kunjikannan (1980)
* Theenalangal (1980)
* Chandrahasam (1980)
* Sakthi (1980) .... Vijayan/Rajan Varma
* Aavesham (1979) .... Gopi/Ravi
* Angakkuri (1979)
* Anupallavai (1979)
* Avano Atho Avalo (1979)
* Chuvanna Chirakukal (1979)
* Kazhukan (1979) .... Velu
* Venalil Oru Mazha (1979)
* Irumpazhikal (1979) .... Jayabharathi
* Sarppam (1979)
* Ivide Kattinu Sugandam (1979)
* Mamangam (1979) .... Moosa
* Mochanam (1979)
* Poottatha Pootukkal (1979) Tamil
* Prabhu (1979)
* Puthiya Velicham (1979) .... Venu
* Vellayani Paramu (1979)
* Sarapanjaram (1979) .... Rajasekharan
* Sayoojyam (1979)
* Oru Ragam Pala Thalam (1979)
* Pennorumbettal (1979)
* Sanndhyaragam (1979)
* Pushyaragam (1979)
* Sigharangal (1979)
* Kadathanattu Makkam (1978)
* Mukkuvane Snehicha Bhootham (1978)
* Aana Paachan (1978)
* Adavukal Pathinettu (1978)
* Ee Manohara Theeram (1978)
* Iniyum Puzha Ozhukum (1978) .... Vidhubaala
* Itha Oru Manushyan (1978)
* Jayikkanaayi Janichavan (1978)
* Kaathirunna Nimiksham (1978)
* Lisa (1978)
* Mattoru Karnan (1978)
* Soothrakkari (1978)
* Thacholy Ambu (1978)
* Yeatho Oru Swapnam (1978)
* Kanyaka (1978)
* Kalpavruksham (1978)
* Asthamayam (1978)
* Pattalam Janaki (1978)
* Adimakkachavadam (1978)
* Sathrusamharam (1978)
* Midukkipponnamma (1978)
* Madanolsavam (1978) .... Dr. Jayakumar
* Kannappanunni (1977)
* Angikaram (1977)
* Acharam Ammini Osaram Omana (1977) .... Sudhakaran
* Itha Ivide Vare (1977)
* Ormakal Marikkumo? (1977)
* Randu Lokam (1977)
* Rathi Manmathan (1977)
* Rajaparampara (1977)
* Anjali (1977)
* Aval Viswasthayayirunnu (1977)
* Abhinivesam (1977)
* Kavilamma (1977)
* Sukradasa (1977)
* Ivanente Priyaputhran (1977)
* Aparajitha (1977)
* Adyapadham (1977)
* Tholakkan Enikku Manassilla (1977)
* Amrudha Vahini (1976)
* Ashirvadam (1976)
* Panchami (1976)
* Yavvanam Daham (1976)
* Mallanum Mathevanum (1976)
* Agnipushpam (1976)
* Ullasayathra (1975)
* Shapa Moksham (1974)

KANDAHAR

MULTISTAR film coming in malayalam directed by MAJOR RAVI Casting Mohanlal,Amitab bhachan......

Ball evolution

Ball evolution
The Dark Ages

Who can say when the game began? Kicking is a fairly instinctive activity, so no doubt Stone Age man gave a rock or bone the occasional thump with his foot and then perhaps one day someone kicked it back and it all began there.
However, the first indications of an early formal form of football date back 3,000 years to Ancient China. A game played with a ball of animal skins stuffed with hair or feathers was kicked between poles some 10 metres high and was most likely used for military training. By 50AD, the game was named “tsu chu” (or “cuju”) and early records compare the round ball and square goal to Yin and Yang, the ancient symbols of harmony.
Football probably began in China 3,000 years ago. This 19th century watercolour shows Kemari, a Japanese ceremonial version of the game. Illustration courtesy of the National Football Museum, Preston, UK.

The Greeks and Romans were the greatest exponents of games. They built arenas all over their empires and staged everything from chariot racing to gladiatorial combats where serious injury or death were taken as a matter of course and all part of enjoyable entertainment. Kicking a ball seems tame in comparison, nevertheless there are indications that they did play a type of football, too. In the case of the Greeks, it was called “episkyros” and the Romans had a game called “harpastum” – but both were mainly ball-carrying games.

“Harpastum” is taken from the Greek word “Harpazein”, which means “to seize”. The ball was small, about the size of a grapefruit, and hard, not least because it was stuffed with sand. Play would take place on a marked-out pitch, with each player taking a position on the field, just as they do today. Teams probably consisted of 12 players. The game itself was more like rugby with more throwing than kicking and it required considerable agility. The rules, it appears, involved a sort of inverted form of football, with the objective being to keep the ball behind one’s own half of the centre line and not allow the opponents to get it. Goals were scored if the ball hit the ground.

The Vikings are reported to have kicked the heads of their enemies about, which was not very pleasant behaviour, but the somewhat more civilised societies such as the Japanese, Persians, Egyptians, Assyrians and North American Indians all played forms of ball games. The Aztecs in Mexico developed their own kicking game with a stone covered in a thick coating of gum. The game known as “tlatchi” was played between two seven-man teams and it was a very important cultural activity. Games were even played in purpose-built stadiums and huge sums of money were staked on the results.

The whole essence of football is its most simple implement – the ball. And it has to be a particular type of ball, too, with the ability to fly through the air as directed by the player and – most importantly – to bounce predictably. It was really only the development of the bouncing ball and the sheer fun of kicking it in a wide variety of ways that made football the world’s most popular and successful game.

Football

* The Origins
* Britain, the home of Football
* Opposition to the game
* The Global Growth

History of the Game - Module
History of Football - The Origins

The contemporary history of the world's favourite game spans more than 100 years. It all began in 1863 in England, when rugby football and association football branched off on their different courses and the Football Association in England was formed - becoming the sport's first governing body.

Both codes stemmed from a common root and both have a long and intricately branched ancestral tree. A search down the centuries reveals at least half a dozen different games, varying to different degrees, and to which the historical development of football has been traced back. Whether this can be justified in some instances is disputable. Nevertheless, the fact remains that people have enjoyed kicking a ball about for thousands of years and there is absolutely no reason to consider it an aberration of the more 'natural' form of playing a ball with the hands.

On the contrary, apart from the need to employ the legs and feet in tough tussles for the ball, often without any laws for protection, it was recognised right at the outset that the art of controlling the ball with the feet was not easy and, as such, required no small measure of skill. The very earliest form of the game for which there is scientific evidence was an exercise from a military manual dating back to the second and third centuries BC in China.

This Han Dynasty forebear of football was called Tsu' Chu and it consisted of kicking a leather ball filled with feathers and hair through an opening, measuring only 30-40cm in width, into a small net fixed onto long bamboo canes. According to one variation of this exercise, the player was not permitted to aim at his target unimpeded, but had to use his feet, chest, back and shoulders while trying to withstand the attacks of his opponents. Use of the hands was not permitted.

Another form of the game, also originating from the Far East, was the Japanese Kemari, which began some 500-600 years later and is still played today. This is a sport lacking the competitive element of Tsu' Chu with no struggle for possession involved. Standing in a circle, the players had to pass the ball to each other, in a relatively small space, trying not to let it touch the ground.

The Greek 'Episkyros' - of which few concrete details survive - was much livelier, as was the Roman 'Harpastum'. The latter was played out with a smaller ball by two teams on a rectangular field marked by boundary lines and a centre line. The objective was to get the ball over the opposition's boundary lines and as players passed it between themselves, trickery was the order of the day. The game remained popular for 700-800 years, but, although the Romans took it to Britain with them, the use of feet was so small as to scarcely be of consequence.

Carles PUYOL

* Date of Birth: 13 April 1978
* Height: 178 cm
* Shirt number: 5
* Position: Defender
* Current club: Barcelona (ESP)
* International Caps: 89
* International Goals: 3
* First international: Spain - Netherlands
(15 November 2000)

Club History

* FC Barcelona B (ESP): From 1996 to 1999

Thanks to a combination of talent, humility, dedication and a ferocious work ethic, Carles Puyol has developed into a first-choice central defender for both Spain and Barcelona. What makes this feat even more notable is that the 32-year-old Catalan started out in the Barça youth system as a right winger, before a succession of coaches decided the best place for this fierce competitor was further back.

Indeed, his first-team debut under the Azulgranas' former coach Louis Van Gaal came as a right wing-back, with the Dutch strategist soon making full use of Puyol's versatility and indefatigable spirit by changing his position once more; this time to the heart of the defensive line.

Quick off the mark and good in the air, it is Puyol's commitment and sheer will to win that have earned him the respect of fans and the media alike. After winning two La Liga titles and the 2006 UEFA Champions League, he went on to captain his beloved Barcelona in an historic 2009, in which the Catalan club won no less than six titles: La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish SuperCup, the European SuperCup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Puyol made his senior national-team debut in November 2000, shortly after playing his part in the Olympic squad which picked up silver at the Games in Sydney. Since then his name has been a constant in the Spain squad list, including appearances at two FIFA World Cups™ and two UEFA EUROs. Indeed, Puyol's tigerish defending was another key factor in La Roja's long-awaited success at the latter event in Austria and Switzerland last summer.

An adaptable performer, the Blaugrana stalwart is able to step into either full-back position as well as his favoured central role, while his powerful leap makes him an imposing aerial presence in either box - amply demonstrated by his headed goal in the 6-2 win at Real Madrid on 2 May.

Instantly recognisable thanks to his shaggy mop of curly hair, a look he insists will remain with him at least until he hangs up his boots, Puyol's strength of character and leadership skills will surely serve him well to that day and beyond.


Carles puyol spanish attacker playes attractive football and he also a stylish footballer JAYAN

UNPREDICTABLE

INDIANCRICKET UNBELIEVABLE

MS Dhoni now has won the award for collecting the maximum number of catches and stumpings in an Asia Cup Final. He has taken 4 catches and one stumping, which is a record for an Asia Cup.
This is an Indian side which did not have Sachin, Yuvi and Sehwag. So this win is all the more praiseworthy. India have won the Asia Cup for the 5th time after a gap of 15 years. Imagine this Indian side when the above mentioned players come back into the side. SL on the other hand have been simply blown by the late swing of Zak, PK and the ever smiling Nehra.
Dhoni and Co. are all smiles as they grab stumps as souvenirs. India will get USD 60,000 for winning the Asia Cup. Gary Kirsten too is smiling as he comes out to congratulate the Indians and console the Lankans. Sanga wears a disappointed look on his face as he comes out to shake the Indian players hands.
India got the start that they needed with the wicket of Dilshan initially. Sri Lanka needed atleast one of their two big guns, Sanga and Jaya, to fire and play a big one. Unfortunately for the Lankans, their most reliable men failed to step up to the occasion. The middle order was rattled by Nehra and the Sri Lankans never made a comeback into the game after that. Kapugedera came up with a fifty lower down the order but it was all too late by then. Wickets kept tumbling at the other end as Indians inched closer and closer to a win in the finals of the Asia Cup. One has to say, it was that kind of a game that the bowlers had to win it for India and Boy! Didn't they do it in a stylish way? Massive win as India win by 81 runs. Stay tuned for the presentation..

KERALA IPL

YES.It is a must one Because IPL brings money media and man to cricket In this faster world no any other form of cricket can't bring the above things to cricket.In Kerala now no more attraction for cricket except Renjitrophy.It is a bitter experience for KERALA in Renji for years.The Kerala IPL team brings world cricket to one of the kerala city for home matches.Government has no need of huge campaining for India's most destination place God's own country Also Kerala IPL make sure that minimum five Keralites to play worldlevel cricket.Atleast it may give a chance to play Keralites in Kerala as Sreesant,Abhisheknair..... who are in out of states. Kerala IPL will makes more professionals in kerala cricket THE IPL issues and resigning of SasiTharoor is a mere political game Can you see any politician in indian politics without any corruption.It is rooted very deep in politics and common life.Tharoor interested in Cricket and take very interest in Kerala Cricket.But the politicians in kerala affraid of his power to canvas the youth of kerela and hence they screened Tharoor as a corruptionist.The kerala communists seen cricket as a boorshwa game But their stand is not like these in the other part of india.They easily forgots the historic background of Kerala cricket as it emerged and devaloped in Thallasseri 100 years ago.Cricket is the one and only one game played in world class in India.Any step back from Kerala IPL brings the malayalees only loss.....

FILMFESTIVAL

FESTIVAL REVIEW

Swaralaya international film festival 2010 brings latest national and international classic films But the organising and screening still struggling. The screening at JEEVA theature is a failure.No audience no fascilities and not safe for audience.At JOBBIES it is difficult to view the films in daylight.In PRIYATHAMA it is disturbed by the frequent switch on/off of lights.May these failures overcomes...?

12th March 2.30

NEYTHUKARAN:
The mannerisms and dedication of communist featured in this film.Also the deviation of communism in the new generation.Best performance from Murali,Vijayaraghavan etc.

12th 7.30
HART LOCKER:
The unbearable strain of soldiers in the Arabian desert which leads them to psychic problems and finally to suicide.The film describes these things.




14th March 2.30

THALAPPAVU:
Once Naxalism is in progress in Kerala .Ajitha,Mandakini,Varghese,Vasu etc. are its leaders.The film reveals the truth in the assassination of Varghese

14th 5.30
ORKUKA VALLAPPOZHUM:
An old man seeks his childhood mates and memmories. The second part of the film fails to keep the tempo

14th 7.30
ARTOD:
Antonium Artod,Jaques Pravel and poems Artod a great artist whose personel and public life unveiled by his friend Pravel. Attractive film




15th March 5.30

HEROS:
Sameer and Ali tries to make a film with the theme "why youngmans are not joining in military" for the completion of their Degree course in film institute.They wish to secure the certificate and goto England. For this they visited a tv reporter. He gave them the last letters of some soldiers in Kargil war. Sameer and Ali visited the families of these soldiers and shared the experience.After knowing the life they changed their views and finally their theme as "why youngmans are joining in military" .After completing the course they started a Military school and settled in India.Attractive film sponges up the beauty of Northern India.

15th 8.00
PASSENGER:
An ordinary family man, Sathyanathan,becoms a real hero and take crucial role in saving the life of Nandanmenon,Anuradha and people of of Marangara.The film tries to speak about the alertness and attitude of the common people towards the society. The second half of film is crawling.The film is neither an Anthikkad film nor a Sreenivasan



16th March 2.00

PALERIMANIKKAYAM
The stroy tells along lengthwise and widthwise.Finally film becomes an yellow story.After intermission film not enjoyable

16th 5.30
DRONA:
Everybody expected the film is the famous malayalam film of mammooty, but it is a hindi film Why such boring films include in this Festival .DRONA is a fictionfilm .It has a baseless story .I think such films can't catch the audience in KERALA

16th 8.00
THIRAKKATHA:
A very good film from RENJITH. It tells the counterdramas in film field The story very much resembles to the life of actor Mohanlal and Sreevidhya If it may or may not be correct the film well organised,well performed




17th March 2.30

BHOOTHAKKANNADY
The film gives the Hero and Heroine more chances to perform .But for audience it is a tragedy. A well progressed story eventually comes to a tragic end.Such a end make the film non attractive

17th 7.30
SKETCHES OF GEHRY
In this film SIDNEY POLLACK describes how Gehry differs from others His famous architectural works,observations from specialists,his own narratiions makes the film a biography of Gehry.
film

SWARALAYA

SWARALAYA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2010

FILMS AND VENUES

FOREIGN FILMS: JOBBIES MALL PALAKKAD

A flowering tree

Muhammed Rafi

Lemon Tree

Dali Three makkies

Warts with Basheer

Dereedha

Basavite

Ander the bomb

Artrod

Departters

Wudiyana

Che-Hwa-Zeon

Lavench

The eel

Blindness

Sketches of Gowri

MALAYALAM FILMS: PRIYATHAMA PALAKKAD

Orkuka vallppozhum

Thalappavu

Bioscope

Patham nilayile theevandi

Sufi paranja katha

Thirakkatha

Ramanam

Bhumi malayalam

Pravaasam

BAnaras

Kerala cafe

Palerimanikyam

Madhyavenal

Vilapangalkkappuram

OTHER FILMS:JEEVAS CHANDRANAGAR

Mumbai meri jaan

Vennila kabadi kootam

Karunyam

Neythukaran

Billu barber

Garshom

KAnakinavu

Yavarum nalam

Subrahmanyapuram

Thaniyavarthanam

Heros

Baratham

Denhi6

Passenger

Amaram

Karmangal holly

Aadharam

Bhoothakkannadi

Devdi

Varanam aayiram

SEMINARS

MURALI- Athulya nadan

LOHITHADAS -Nashtaswargam

SILENT JUBILEE

LACHIAPPAN UNVIELS NATURES TREASURE


മറക്കാനാവില്ല ലച്ചിയപ്പനെ
സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ ചരിത്രം പറയുമ്പോള്‍ ലച്ചിയപ്പനെ മറക്കുന്നത് നന്ദികേടായിരിക്കും. സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയിലെത്തിയ ആദ്യകാല പഠനസംഘങ്ങളെയെല്ലാംതന്നെ ഈ അജ്ഞാത ഭൂമികയുടെ വിവിധ ഇടങ്ങളിലേക്ക് കൊണ്ടുപോയത് ലച്ചിയപ്പന്‍ എന്ന ആദിവാസിയായിരുന്നു. ''വഴിത്താരകളില്ലാത്ത സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയില്‍ ലച്ചിയപ്പനായിരുന്നു വഴികാട്ടിയും സംരക്ഷകനും. ലച്ചിയപ്പനില്ലായിരുന്നുവെങ്കില്‍ ഇന്നുള്ള അറിവുകളില്‍ പലതും ലഭ്യമാകുമായിരുന്നില്ല'' -ഡോ. സതീഷ്ചന്ദ്രന്‍ പറയുന്നു.



25 കൊല്ലങ്ങള്‍ക്കു മുമ്പ്


1979-ല്‍ സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയില്‍നിന്ന് ഡോ. സതീഷ്ചന്ദ്രന്‍ തന്റെ ഏറ്റവും പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട സ്നേഹിതയ്‌ക്കെഴുതി: ''ഈ അപൂര്‍വ സസ്യജാലങ്ങള്‍ ഇനിയിവിടെയുണ്ടാകുമോയെന്നറിയില്ല. വലിയ പാറത്തോടിനിരുവശവും മരങ്ങള്‍ വീഴാന്‍ തുടങ്ങിയിരിക്കുന്നു. കാട്ടിമുടിയില്‍നിന്ന് കാട് കത്തുന്ന മണം. താഴ്‌വാരത്തിന്റെ നിശ്ശബ്ദതയ്ക്കു മേല്‍ ബുള്‍ഡോസറുകളുടെ ഇരമ്പല്‍''-രണ്ടര ദശാബ്ദത്തിനു മുമ്പ് ഇതു വെറും വാക്കുകള്‍ മാത്രമായിരുന്നില്ല. '' ദാ... ഇവിടെയാണ് കേരള വൈദ്യുതി ബോര്‍ഡ് സൈലന്റ് വാലിക്ക് ചരമക്കുറിപ്പെഴുതാന്‍ ശ്രമിച്ചത്''-സൈരന്ധ്രിയില്‍ കുന്തിപ്പുഴയുടെ വന്യമായ പ്രവാഹത്തിലേക്ക് വിരല്‍ചൂണ്ടി ഡോ. സതീഷ് പറഞ്ഞു. ''അന്ന് കെ.എസ്.ഇ.ബി.യുടെ ദൗത്യം വിജയിച്ചിരുന്നെങ്കില്‍ ഈ പ്രദേശമാകെ അണക്കെട്ടില്‍ മുങ്ങി മരിക്കുമായിരുന്നു.''


തകര്‍ന്നുപോയ പദ്ധതി


സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി ഒരു പ്രതീകമാണ്. ഐതിഹാസികമായ ഒരു പോരാട്ടത്തിന്റെ പ്രതീകം. സമര്‍പ്പണബുദ്ധിയും നിശ്ചയദാര്‍ഢ്യവുമുള്ള ഒരുപിടി മനുഷ്യരുടെ ഇച്ഛാശക്തിക്കു മുന്നില്‍ ഭരണകൂടത്തിന് അടിയറവ് പറയേണ്ടിവന്ന ചരിത്രഗാഥയാണത്.
1973-ല്‍ പ്ലാനിങ് കമ്മീഷന്‍ അനുമതി നല്കിയതോടെയാണ് സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി അണക്കെട്ട് പദ്ധതിക്ക് ജീവന്‍വെച്ചത്. 24.88 കോടി രൂപ ചെലവില്‍ 240 മെഗാവാട്ട് വൈദ്യുതി ലക്ഷ്യമിട്ടായിരുന്നു കെ.എസ്.ഇ.ബി. പദ്ധതി മുന്നോട്ടുവെച്ചത്. മലപ്പുറം, പാലക്കാട് ജില്ലകളിലായി പതിനായിരം ഹെക്ടര്‍ കൃഷിഭൂമിയില്‍ ജലസേചനം, ഏഴെട്ടു കൊല്ലത്തേക്ക് ചുരുങ്ങിയത് മൂവായിരം പേര്‍ക്കെങ്കിലും തൊഴില്‍.... പദ്ധതിയുടെ ഗുണഫലങ്ങള്‍ കെ.എസ്.ഇ.ബി. ഇങ്ങനെ നീട്ടി.


പരിസ്ഥിതി എന്ന ആഡംബരം


ഈ അണകെട്ടുന്നതിനെതിരെ ഉയര്‍ന്ന പ്രതിഷേധം തച്ചുതകര്‍ക്കാന്‍ കേരളം മാറി മാറി ഭരിച്ച വിവിധ സര്‍ക്കാറുകള്‍ പരസ്​പരം മത്സരമായിരുന്നു. ഇക്കോളജി ഈസ് എ ലക്ഷ്വറി ഫോര്‍ കേരളൈറ്റ്‌സ് എന്ന മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി പി.കെ. വാസുദേവന്‍നായരുടെ പ്രഖ്യാപനം ഈ നയത്തിന്റെ അടിക്കുറിപ്പാണ്. സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയില്‍ കാര്യമായൊന്നും നഷ്ടപ്പെടാനില്ലെന്നാണ് സംസ്ഥാന സര്‍ക്കാറും അനുബന്ധ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളും പറഞ്ഞത്. അണക്കെട്ടില്‍ മുങ്ങിപ്പോകുന്ന മരങ്ങളത്രയും വേണമെങ്കില്‍ പറിച്ചുനടാവുന്നതേയുള്ളൂ എന്ന വങ്കത്തരംവരെ എഴുതിപ്പിടിപ്പിക്കാന്‍ അവരുടെ വക്താക്കള്‍ തയ്യാറായി.

ചെറുത്തുനില്പും വിജയവും


സമര്‍പ്പണ ബുദ്ധിയും ആദര്‍ശശുദ്ധിയുമുള്ള ഒരുപിടി മനുഷ്യര്‍ ചെറുത്തു നില്പിനൊരുങ്ങിയതാണ് സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ രക്ഷയായത്. കേരള ഫോറസ്റ്റ് റിസര്‍ച്ച് ഇന്‍സ്റ്റിറ്റിയൂട്ടിലുണ്ടായിരുന്ന (കെ.എഫ്.ആര്‍.എ.) ഡോ. വി.എസ്. വിജയന്റെ പേര് ഇതില്‍ ആദ്യമേ പറയേണ്ടതുണ്ട്. അണക്കെട്ടിന്റെ പാരിസ്ഥിതിക പ്രത്യാഘാതത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് സമഗ്രമായി പഠനം നടത്തിയ അദ്ദേഹമാണ് നിര്‍ദിഷ്ട ഡാമിന്റെ ദൂഷ്യവശങ്ങള്‍ ആദ്യമായി കേന്ദ്ര സര്‍ക്കാറിന്റെ ശ്രദ്ധയില്‍പ്പെടുത്തിയത്. ഇതിന്റെ പേരില്‍ ഡോ. വിജയന് കെ.എഫ്. ആര്‍.ഐ. വിടേണ്ടി വന്നു. ഈ പഠനസംരംഭത്തില്‍ ഡോ. എം. ബാലകൃഷ്ണനും വിജയനൊപ്പമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു.
സഫര്‍ ഫത്തേഹലി, ഡോ. സലിം അലി, ഡോ. മാധവ്ഗാഡ്ഗില്‍, ഡോ. എം.എം. ശ്രീനിവാസ്, കെ.പി.എസ്. മേനോന്‍, ഡോ. കെ.എന്‍. രാജ്, ഡോ. എന്‍.സി. നായര്‍, പ്രൊഫ. കരുണാകരന്‍, ജെ.സി. ഡാനിയല്‍, യു.കെ. ഗോപാലന്‍, ജോസഫ് ജോണ്‍ എന്നിവര്‍ സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി സംരക്ഷണത്തിനായി ശക്തിയുക്തം വാദിച്ചവരാണ്.
സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ അതിജീവനം ഒരു സാമൂഹിക പ്രക്ഷോഭത്തിന്റെ തലത്തിലേക്കുയര്‍ത്തിയതില്‍ കേരള ശാസ്ത്രസാഹിത്യപരിഷത്തും അതിന്റെ അമരത്തുണ്ടായിരുന്ന പ്രൊഫ. എം.കെ. പ്രസാദും വഹിച്ച പങ്കും കുറച്ചുകാണാനാവില്ല. സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയെക്കുറിച്ച് മലയാളത്തില്‍ ആദ്യമായി സമഗ്രമായൊരു ലേഖനം എഴുതിയത് മാതൃഭൂമി ആഴ്ചപ്പതിപ്പില്‍ പ്രൊഫ. പ്രസാദായിരുന്നു.
എഴുത്തുകാരുടെ കൂട്ടത്തില്‍ എന്‍.വി. കൃഷ്ണവാര്യരും സുഗതകുമാരിയും വഹിച്ച പങ്ക് നിസ്തുലമാണ്. ഒ.എന്‍.വി. കുറുപ്പ്, അയ്യപ്പപ്പണിക്കര്‍, കടമ്മനിട്ട, എസ്.കെ. പൊറ്റെക്കാട്ട്, വൈലോപ്പിള്ളി, സുകുമാര്‍ അഴീക്കോട് എന്നിവരും ഇവര്‍ക്കൊപ്പം അണിചേര്‍ന്നു. പ്രൊഫ. ആര്‍.വി.ജി. മേനോന്‍, പ്രൊഫ. കെ.കെ. നീലകണ്ഠന്‍, പ്രൊഫ. ജോണ്‍ സി. ജേക്കബ്, ഡോ. ശാന്തി, ഡോ. ശ്യാമസുന്ദരന്‍നായര്‍, ഡോ. കെ.പി. കണ്ണന്‍ എന്നിവരെയും മറന്നുകൂടാ.

രാഷ്ട്രീയ നേതൃത്വത്തിന്റെ പാരിസ്ഥിതിക നിരക്ഷരത


കേരളത്തിലെ രാഷ്ട്രീയ നേതൃത്വങ്ങളുടെ പാരിസ്ഥിതിക നിരക്ഷരതയാണ് സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയില്‍ വെളിപ്പെട്ടത്. എം.പി. പരമേശ്വരന്‍, കെ.വി. സുരേന്ദ്രനാഥ്, വര്‍ക്കല രാധാകൃഷ്ണന്‍, സി. നാരായണപിള്ള, പി. ഗോവിന്ദപ്പിള്ള, ഇ.എം.എസ്സിന്റെ പ്രൈവറ്റ് സെക്രട്ടറിയായിരുന്ന എസ്. ശര്‍മ എന്നിങ്ങനെ വിരലിലെണ്ണാവുന്നവരെ ഒഴിച്ചുനിര്‍ത്തിയാല്‍ കേരളത്തിലെ രാഷ്ട്രീയനേതൃത്വം തീര്‍ത്തും നിഷേധാത്മകമായ നിലപാടാണ് സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ കാര്യത്തില്‍ സ്വീകരിച്ചത്. സാക്ഷാല്‍ ഇ.എം.എസ്. പോലും സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിക്കു വേണ്ടി ഉറച്ചൊരു നിലപാടെടുത്തിരുന്നില്ലെന്ന് ഡോ. സതീഷ്ചന്ദ്രന്‍ * ഖേദത്തോടെ ഓര്‍ക്കുന്നു. ഡോ. എം.എസ്. സ്വാമിനാഥന്റെ റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ടാണ് സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ അതിജീവനത്തിനു വഴിയൊരുക്കിയ ആദ്യ ഘടകങ്ങളിലൊന്ന്. 1979-ല്‍ ചരണ്‍സിങ് സര്‍ക്കാറിനു നല്കിയ ഈ റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ടില്‍ സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിനെക്കുറിച്ച് ഡോ. സ്വാമിനാഥന്‍ കൃത്യമായൊരു നിലപാടെടുത്തു. ഈ റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ടിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലാണ് 1980-ല്‍ ഇന്ദിരാഗാന്ധി പ്രൊഫ. എം.ജി.കെ. മേനോന്‍ കമ്മിറ്റിയെ നിയോഗിച്ചതു തന്നെ.


മാധ്യമങ്ങള്‍


സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി പ്രക്ഷോഭം വിജയിച്ചതില്‍ മാധ്യമങ്ങള്‍ക്കുള്ള പങ്കിനെ ആര്‍ക്കും തള്ളിക്കളയാനാകില്ല. 1979-ല്‍ മാതൃഭൂമി ആഴ്ചപ്പതിപ്പിലാണ് മലയാളത്തില്‍ ആദ്യമായി സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ പ്രസക്തിയും പ്രാധാന്യവും വ്യക്തമാക്കിക്കൊണ്ടുള്ള ലേഖനം വന്നത്. 'സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയെ രക്ഷിക്കൂ' എന്ന് പ്രൊഫ. എം.കെ. പ്രസാദ് എഴുതിയ ലേഖനം പ്രക്ഷോഭം മുഖ്യധാരയിലേക്കെത്തിക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള ആദ്യ ശ്രമങ്ങളിലൊന്നായിരുന്നു. 1980-ല്‍ കേരള കൗമുദിയാണ് സുഗതകുമാരിയുടെ പ്രശസ്തമായ സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി ലേഖനം പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ചത്. പരിസ്ഥിതി പ്രക്ഷോഭങ്ങളുടെ വഴിയിലേക്ക് സുഗതകുമാരിയുടെ വരവ് വിളിച്ചറിയിച്ച തീവ്രവും ആര്‍ദ്രവുമായ ലേഖനമായിരുന്നു അത്.
തൃശ്ശൂരില്‍നിന്ന് പുറത്തിറങ്ങിയിരുന്ന എക്‌സ്​പ്രസ് ദിനപത്രം സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിക്കു വേണ്ടി അതിശക്തമായ നിലപാടെടുത്തു. എക്‌സ്​പ്രസ്സിന്റെ പത്രാധിപര്‍ ടി.വി. അച്യുതവാരിയര്‍ പേരുവെച്ചെഴുതിയ ലേഖനങ്ങള്‍ മലയാളമാധ്യമ ചരിത്രത്തില്‍ പാരിസ്ഥിതിക അവബോധത്തിന്റെ ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന വഴികാട്ടികളാണ്.
ദേശീയതലത്തില്‍ സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി പ്രക്ഷോഭത്തിനൊപ്പം നിലകൊണ്ട മുന്‍നിര പത്രം ഹിന്ദുവായിരുന്നു. ഇപ്പോള്‍ ഹിന്ദുവിന്റെ മുഖ്യ പത്രാധിപരായ എന്‍. റാമിന്റെ സവിശേഷ താത്പര്യം ഈ നിലപാടിനു പിറകിലുണ്ടായിരുന്നു.


അറിയപ്പെടാത്ത ഇന്ദിര


സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി സംരക്ഷിച്ചതാര് എന്ന ചോദ്യത്തിന്റെ ഉത്തരം ഒരു പേരിലേക്കൊതുക്കേണ്ടിവന്നാല്‍ അത് ഇന്ദിരാഗാന്ധി എന്നുതന്നെയായിരിക്കും. 1972-ല്‍ സ്റ്റോക്ക്‌ഹോമില്‍ നടന്ന ഐക്യരാഷ്ട്രസംഘടനയുടെ പാരിസ്ഥിതിക സമ്മേളനത്തില്‍ പങ്കെടുത്തത് ഇന്ദിരയുടെ വീക്ഷണങ്ങള്‍ക്കു വ്യക്തമായൊരു ദിശാബോധം നല്കിയിരുന്നു. സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ കാര്യത്തില്‍ അതാകണം ഇന്ദിരയുടെ തീരുമാനം പാറപോലെ ഉറച്ചതാക്കിയത്. സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി ദേശീയ ഉദ്യാനമാക്കിക്കൊണ്ടുള്ള പ്രഖ്യാപനം 1984 നവംബര്‍ 15ന് പുറത്തിറങ്ങിയപ്പോള്‍ അതിനുപിറകില്‍ ഇന്ദിര വഹിച്ച നിര്‍ണായക പങ്ക് പിന്നീട് കോണ്‍ഗ്രസ്സുകാര്‍പോലും മറന്നുപോയെന്നത് ഇന്ദിരയുടെ ദുര്യോഗം. സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയില്‍ നേരിട്ടെത്താനുള്ള ഭാഗ്യവും ഇന്ദിരയ്ക്കുണ്ടായില്ല. 1985-ല്‍ രാജീവ്ഗാന്ധിയാണ് സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയിലെത്തി ദേശീയ ഉദ്യാനം രാഷ്ട്രത്തിനു സമര്‍പ്പിച്ചത്.

കുന്തിപ്പുഴ എന്ന അത്ഭുതം


ഇന്ത്യയിലിന്നിപ്പോള്‍ ഹിമാലയത്തിനു തെക്ക് ഇതുപോലൊരു പുഴ വേറെയില്ല. ഭാരതപ്പുഴയിലേക്ക് നീരെത്തിക്കുന്നതില്‍ പ്രധാനിയായ കുന്തിപ്പുഴയുടെ ജീവാത്മാവും പരമാത്മാവും സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയാണ്. സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ ഹൃദയത്തിലൂടെ 25 കിലോമീറ്ററോളം കുന്തി ഒഴുകുന്നത് മനുഷ്യസ്​പര്‍ശമേല്‍ക്കാതെയാണ്. ഒരു പുഴ ജനിക്കുന്നതെങ്ങനെയെന്നറിയണമെങ്കില്‍ കണ്ണാടിപോലെ ഒഴുകുന്ന കുന്തിയുടെ ഉത്ഭവസ്ഥാനമല്ലാതെ നമുക്കു വേറെ ഏതിടമാണുള്ളത്.
സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി ആത്യന്തികമായിവൃക്ഷങ്ങളുടെ ലോകമാണ്. സിംഹവാലന്‍ കുരങ്ങനും കടുവയും മാത്രമല്ല സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയെ സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയാക്കുന്നത്. 50 ദശലക്ഷം വര്‍ഷം കൊണ്ട് പരിണമിച്ചുണ്ടായ ഈ 8952 ഹെക്ടര്‍ ഭൂമിയുടെ മുഖമുദ്ര മഹാവൃക്ഷങ്ങളും അവയ്ക്കു കീഴില്‍ വളരുന്ന സസ്യജാലങ്ങളുമാണ്.

25 വര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കു ശേഷം


ഇന്ത്യയിലെ പരിസ്ഥിതി സംരക്ഷണ പ്രസ്ഥാനങ്ങളുടെ അമ്മയായിരുന്നു സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി പ്രക്ഷോഭം. വികസനത്തിന്റെ സാമ്പ്രദായിക വീക്ഷണങ്ങള്‍ അതു നിശിതമായി ചോദ്യം ചെയ്തു. പുതിയൊരു പാരിസ്ഥിതിക അവബോധത്തിനും സംസ്‌കൃതിക്കും സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി കാരണമായി. ആ അര്‍ഥത്തില്‍ സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയില്‍ നടന്നത് ശരിക്കും ഒരു വിപ്ലവം തന്നെയായിരുന്നു.
കോര്‍പ്പറേറ്റ് കമ്പനികളുടെ ഇടപെടല്‍ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ലെന്നതും കേരളത്തില്‍ മാറിമാറി സര്‍ക്കാറുകള്‍ വന്നതും കേന്ദ്രത്തില്‍ ഭരണത്തലപ്പത്ത് ഇന്ദിരയെപ്പോലെയൊരു പ്രധാനമന്ത്രി ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നുവെന്നതും ഈ വിപ്ലവത്തിന്റെ കുതിപ്പ് എളുപ്പമാക്കി.


ചീവീടുകള്‍ വളരുമ്പോള്‍


ചീവീടുകളുടെ അഭാവമായിരുന്നു സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ അടയാളങ്ങളില്‍ മുഖ്യം. ഇന്നും സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ ഗാഢസ്ഥലികളില്‍ ചീവീടുകളില്ല. പക്ഷേ, പുറത്തെ കാടുകളില്‍ അവ എത്തിക്കഴിഞ്ഞു. മനുഷ്യന്‍ നടത്തിയ കൈയേറ്റങ്ങളെത്തുടര്‍ന്ന് 1980-കളിലാണ് അവ സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയിലെത്തിയതെന്ന് ഡോ. സതീഷ് ചന്ദ്രന്‍ നിരീക്ഷിക്കുന്നു. ചീവീടുകളുടെ വരവ് ചിലപ്പോള്‍ ഒരു മുന്നറിയിപ്പായിരിക്കാം.
ഈ നിത്യഹരിത മഴക്കാടിനു മുന്നില്‍ എളിമയോടെ നില്‍ക്കുക. നിശ്ശബ്ദതയുടെ മറുകരയിലേക്ക് നടന്നുപോയ അന്ധമായ ആ ബ്രിട്ടീഷ് വനിതയുടെ ഓര്‍മയാവട്ടെ നമുക്കു മുന്നില്‍ തെളിയുന്ന പ്രകാശത്തിന്റെ പ്രതിരോധം.


സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി പറയുന്നത്

15 Nov 2009 ഞായറാഴ്ച

കെ.എ. ജോണി


സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയില്‍ നില്ക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ശിരസ്സ് അറിയാതെ ഉയര്‍ന്നുപോകുന്നു. ഈ നിത്യഹരിത മഴക്കാടിനുമപ്പുറത്ത് ഒരു സ്വകാര്യ അഹങ്കാരം മലയാളിക്കുണ്ടാവാനിടയില്ല. നിബിഡവും വന്യവുമായ ഇലച്ചാര്‍ത്തുകള്‍ക്കു കീഴില്‍ സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി ഒരേസമയം നമ്മെ മോഹിപ്പിക്കുകയും വിഭ്രമിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. കാല്‍വണ്ണയില്‍നിന്ന് ചോരകുടിക്കുന്ന അട്ടകളെ ഒന്നൊന്നായി എടുത്തുമാറ്റുമ്പോള്‍ കൂടെയുണ്ടായിരുന്ന തമിഴ് പത്രപ്രവര്‍ത്തകന്‍ പറഞ്ഞു: ''സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി റൊമ്പ വയലന്റ്‌വാലിയായിറുക്ക്.'' അഞ്ചുകോടി വര്‍ഷം കൊണ്ട് പരിണമിച്ചുണ്ടായ കാടാണിത്. ആദിമവും അനന്യവുമായ വനഗന്ധം നുകര്‍ന്നുകൊണ്ട് 'ആനവിരട്ടി'യെ ഒഴിഞ്ഞുമാറി ഒറ്റയടിപ്പാതയിലൂടെ നടക്കുമ്പോള്‍ പരിസ്ഥിതി ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞനായ ഡോ. സതീഷ്ചന്ദ്രന്‍ പഴയൊരോര്‍മ പങ്കുവെച്ചു. 1980-കളുടെ തുടക്കത്തില്‍ സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയിലെത്തിയ ഒരു ബ്രിട്ടീഷ് വനിതയെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള ഓര്‍മ. 70 വയസ്സ് പിന്നിട്ട ഒരു അന്ധ. ബി.ബി.സി.ക്കു വേണ്ടിയുള്ള ഒരു ഡോക്യുമെന്ററിയുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ടായിരുന്നു അവരുടെ വരവ്. മുക്കാലിയില്‍നിന്ന് നടന്ന് സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയിലൂടെ നീലഗിരിയിലേക്കുള്ള സഞ്ചാരം. സൈലന്റ്‌വാലിയുടെ ഉള്‍ക്കാടുകളില്‍ നിശ്ശബ്ദത ഇപ്പോഴും തൊട്ടറിയാവുന്ന അനുഭവമാണ്. നിശ്ശബ്ദത ചൂഴ്ന്നു നില്ക്കുന്ന കാട്ടിലൂടെ നടന്നുപോകുന്ന അന്ധയായ സ്ത്രീ.
ബ്യൂണസ്അയേഴ്‌സിലെ ഗ്രന്ഥാലയത്തില്‍ അക്ഷരങ്ങള്‍ക്കു നടുവിലിരിക്കുന്ന ഹോര്‍ഷെ ലൂയിസ് ബോര്‍ഷെ എന്ന അന്ധനായ ലൈബ്രേറിയന്റെ ചിത്രം ഒരു മിന്നല്‍പ്പിണരുപോലെ ഉള്ളിലേക്ക് കയറിവരുന്നു. സൈലന്റ്‌വാലി എന്താണെന്ന് ചോദിച്ചാല്‍ അതിനുള്ള ഉത്തരം ഈ അന്ധയായ സ്ത്രീയുടെ യാത്രയാണ്. അത്രമേല്‍ അഗാധവും അപാരവുമായ അനുഭവമാണ് ഈ താഴ്‌വാരം നമുക്കായി കാത്തുസൂക്ഷിക്കുന്നത്.





Kerala is all set to celebrate the silver jubilee of the declaration of evergreen rainforest Silent Valley as the National Park after one of the country's pioneering conservation struggles which saved the rich treasure house of flora and fauna from destruction for a hydro power project.

At the height of the campaign which saw environmentalists, scientists, writers and concerned public at large coming
together, the rare biosphere on the southern slopes of the Western Ghats was declared a National Park on November 15,
1984 and was formally inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi the next year.

But looking back, some of those who were in the forefront of the campaign now appear slightly skeptical on whether the
message of the Silent Valley campaign has helped stop vandalisation and degradation of nature in other parts of the
country in the name of development.

'It certainly was a crucial phase in the conservation history of India. But it is sad to know that the core message of the Silent Valley movement has not yet been conveyed to the world even during its sliver jubilee', said Prof M K Prasad , who was a leading campaigner for the Silent Valley.

'What is important is now is to make use of the occasion to sent a strong message across the country that nature could be
protected only by its scientific management,' he told PTI.Prof Prasad, former PVC of Calicut University says though several comprehensive studies were done and submitted to the authorities for further conservation of national parks and
forests in Kerala, they were not implemented in right earnest.

'The silver jubilee of Silent Valley movement should not be turned into an occasion only for verbal exercises on conservation or reciting poetry on nature. It should be an opportunity to work out a scientific perspective plan to save nature from further degradation,' he said.

The Silent Valley, spread around 237.52 sq km in Palakkad district, is a botanical treasure trove of over 1000 species
of flowering plants, orchids, ferns, lichens and algae.

The area is home to different species of mammals, including the highly endangered Lion-tailed and Bonnet Macaques,
reptiles, amphibians, birds and butterflies.




Known to scientists and explorers since the 19th century, the Silent Valley caught the public eye when a small band of
environmentalists came out against the state government's plan to build a big power project by harnessing Kunthi River,
flowing through the forest.

As the government stood firm and moved to secure clearances to start work, what was initially a local resistance gained
momentum, enlisting support from national and international environment groups to become Kerala's first ever mass movement
for protection of nature.

Scientists and academics were soon joined by writers, cultural leaders and the 'Save Silient Valley' movement gained
support from forums like Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad. It also sparked strong reactions in school and college campuses,
where the young for the first time came to realize the dangers of unrestrained destruction of nature.Opponents of the movement often sought to demoralise the campaigners dubbing them as fighting for a few 'monkeys' ignoring the development of Kerala and the benefits for the common man.

But as the campaigners stood firm and the issue even received support from green movements the world over, the Centre proposed detailed studies of the impact of degradation of the forest. which ultimately led to dropping of the project proposal.

Interestingly, even after Silent Valley became a successful symbol of conservation struggle, a few years back a proposal
was mooted to set up a run-of-river power project at Pathrakkadavu, close to the core of the Silent Valley. It had
been shelved in the face of stiff resistance from environmentalists and scientists.




Known as Sirendhry Forests based on folk traditions associating the areas with characters of the great Indian epic Mahabharata,the scientific and environmental importance of the area was first recognized by British botanists who explored
the area and mentioned in Silent Valley in their records.

The biosphere, which was part of the British Malabar, was declared a reserve forest in the 19th century itself. Of the
total 237.54 sq km, 89.54 sq km forms the core and the rest treated as buffer zone. PTI

DANGEROUS MOVE.....

DANGEROUS MOVE--PROSPEROUS FUTURE

FROM U.P. LATEST MOVEMENT AGAINST CORRUPTION. SOME IAS YOUNGSTERS DECLARED DETAILS OF THEIR ASSETS TO PUBLIC


We appeal to all the public servants of our country to declare all their assets in public domain so that the public or any other agency may scrutinise and examnine them anytime. we believe this will go a long way in promoting probity, accountability and transparency in public life in our country.


Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Raju Sharma IAS UP Cadre (1982 Batch), Presently on Central Deputation, Declares His Assets

A Q KHAN

Washington: China provided Pakistan with a 'do-it-yourself' kit and weapons grade uranium for making two nuclear bombs in 1982, a leading American daily said quoting notes made by disgraced Pakistani scientist A Q Khan.

The Washington Post said the deliberate act of proliferation was part of a secret nuclear deal struck in 1976 between Chinese leader Mao zedong and Pakistan's Prime Minister Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto.

'Upon my personal request, the Chinese Minister... had gifted us 50 kg [kilograms] of weapon-grade enriched uranium, enough for two weapons,' Khan wrote in a previously undisclosed 11-page narrative of the Pakistani bomb programme.

Khan prepared the notes for Pakistan's intelligence after his January 2004 detention for unauthorised nuclear commerce, the daily said.

According to the daily, it obtained Khan's detailed accounts from Simon Henderson, a former journalist at the Financial Times who is now a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and who has maintained correspondence with Khan.

In a first-person account about his contacts with Khan in the September 20 edition of the Sunday Times, Henderson disclosed several excerpts from one of the documents.

According to Khan, the daily said, the uranium cargo came with a blueprint for a simple weapon that China had already tested, supplying a virtual do-it-yourself kit that significantly speeded Pakistan's bomb effort.


The transfer also started a chain of proliferation: US officials worry that Khan later shared related Chinese design information with Iran,
in 2003, Libya confirmed obtaining it from Khan's clandestine network.

'The Chinese gave us drawings of the nuclear weapon, gave us 50 kg enriched uranium,' Khan said in a separate account sent to his wife several months earlier.

Khan said he and two other Pakistani officials --including then-Foreign Secretary Agha Shahi, since deceased --worked out the details when they traveled to Beijing later that year for Mao's funeral, the daily said.

'Over several days, Khan said, he briefed three top Chinese nuclear weapons officials -- Liu Wei, Li Jue and Jiang Shengjie -- on how the European-designed centrifuges could swiftly aid China's lagging uranium-enrichment programme. China's Foreign Ministry did not respond to questions about the officials' roles,' it said.

'Chinese experts started coming regularly to learn the whole technology' from Pakistan, Khan states, staying in a guest house built for them at his centrifuge research center.

Pakistani experts were dispatched to Hanzhong in central China, where they helped 'put up a centrifuge plant,' Khan said in an account he gave to his wife after coming under government pressure, the newspaper said.


'We sent 135 C-130 plane loads of machines, inverters, valves, flow meters, pressure gauges,' Khan wrote, according to the documents accessed by The Post.

'Our teams stayed there for weeks to help and their teams stayed here for weeks at a time,' he said.

In return, The Post said, China sent Pakistan 15 tons of uranium hexafluoride (UF6), a feedstock for Pakistan's centrifuges that Khan's colleagues were having difficulty producing on their own.

Khan said the gas enabled the laboratory to begin producing bomb-grade uranium in 1982.

SACHIN TENDULKAR

Sachin Tendulkar begins a third decade in world cricket next week, insisting he is still as passionate to play for India as he was as a wide-eyed teenager 20 years ago.

'My love for cricket and the honour of playing for my country have kept me motivated all these years,' said Tendulkar, 36, ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka starting in Ahmedabad on Monday.

'Cricket is my life and I am lucky and absolutely honoured that I have been able to wear the India cap for 20 years.' The Ahmedabad match will be Tendulkar's 160th Test appearance -- surpassed only by retired former Australian captain Steve Waugh's tally of 168 -- since his debut aged 16 against Pakistan in Karachi on November 15, 1989.

He has risen to become the world's most successful batsman in both Test and one-day cricket, a result of both his unparalled genius with the bat and amazing longevity in the game. The world was a different place when Tendulkar began. No one sent e-mails or browsed the world wide web, Nelson Mandela was still in jail, the Soviet Union had not broken up and mobile phones had not become a way of life.

When he started, Tendulkar's current captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was an eight-year-old schoolboy and team-mates Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli were barely a few months old.

'We call him 'grandpa' in the dressing room,' joked compatriot Yuvraj Singh. 'But he is just amazing. He has achieved everything there is to achieve, but still wants to improve with every game. 'Frankly, I can't think of an Indian team without Tendulkar.'


Among post-war cricketers whose careers spanned 20 years were Pakistanis Imran
Khan and Mushtaq Mohammad, West Indian Garfield Sobers, Colin Cowdrey of England and Bobby Simpson of Australia. But Tendulkar has scaled the summit, scoring more Test runs (12,773) and centuries (42), and more one-day runs (17,178) and hundreds (45) than any other batsman.

And he is not done yet. One of his cherished dreams is to win the World Cup in front of millions of worshipping home fans when India co-hosts the 2011 showpiece with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Tendulkar has appeared in five World Cups and helped India reach the final in South Africa in 2003, but Sourav Ganguly's men failed to emulate Kapil Dev's winning feat in England in 1983.

Tendulkar, born in a middle-class family of a Marathi novelist and named after famous Bollywood music director Sachin Dev Burman, is a multi-millionaire in a country where he is revered like a demi-god. But retirement has not even crossed his mind despite the wear and tear of a 20-year grind that has left him nursing injuries to the shoulder, elbow, back, hamstring and feet. 'I know there is lot of cricket left in me because I am still enjoying it,' said Tendulkar.

'I am not thinking of retirement. At some stage, I will have to, but I don't need to think of it right now.' Team-mates and rivals alike rejoice at his feats. Australian spin legend Shane Warne rated Tendulkar as number one on his list of 50 contemporary cricketers prepared for the London-based Times newspaper.

Former captain Ganguly calls him 'the king of cricket', West Indian great Viv Richards, one of Tendulkar's childhood heroes, regards him as '99.5 percent perfect.' Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara says the Indian is the 'greatest modern cricketer.' For his countless fans, Tendulkar is a joy to behold. For there may never be another like him again.AFP

PAZHASSIRAJA

The latest MAMMOOTY film 2009




Director: HARIHARAN
Screenplay:MT VASUDEVAN NAIR
Language:Malayalam

CARTOON

KAMALHASSAN

Chennai:Tamil superstar Kamal Hassan who recently celebrated his 50th year in the film industry, turned
55 on Saturday.

The actor who had won his first National Award as a child artist for his screen debut in 'Kalathur Kannamma' in 1959, spent a quiet day with his family away from the city, sources close to the superstar said.
IST: Saturday, November 07, 2009 6:04:43 PM

Hassan, known as the 'Universal Hero', had last year urged his fans to stay off any celebrations on his birthday, citing the plight of the Sri Lankan Tamils.

The actor who has worked in upto 150 films in languages including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi has played a myriad of roles in his five decade long career, including 'Dasavataram', the film where he played ten characters.

Known for his penchant for taking up challenging roles, Kamal, as he is fondly called, is reputed to be a 'perfectionist' and a tech-savvy professional who has
never hesitated to experiment in his ventures.
Kamal and controversies, more often than not, go together. The four time National Award winning actor is now engaged in a legal tangle with production house Pyramid Sai Mira, over his shelved project,'Marmayogi'.

Some political groups had objected to the title of his film 'Sandiyar' which had to be rechristened and released as 'Virumaandi'.

Kamal's 'Dasavatharam' also had to pass the legal test before hitting the screen as some religious groups raised objections against the title as well as some scenes.

According to reports, Kamal is planning his next venture with Tamil film director Mysskin, whose earlier films, 'Chithiram Pesuthadi' and 'Anjadey' had earned critical acclaim.

The Filmfare Award wining actor also has Bollywood hits like 'Saagar', 'Ek Duje Ke Liye'and 'Sadma' to his credit.
The actor's daughter Shruti Hassan has already taken to acting and music, debuting in Bollywood with the film 'Luck' and giving the musical score for her father's latest project 'Unnai Pol Oruvan'.

JOURNALISTS VIEW

Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza, Steffi Graf , Nadal or Federer

The Bangalore Turf Club had been hitting the headlines of all the major newspapers for a number of reasons and it seems that the government of Karnataka is planning to construct a park once the Club is shifted.But why is the Government of Karnataka only interested in more Parks? There are already a number of parks like the the Lalbagh Park, Cubbon Park and Bannerghatta National Park and as such there is no need for more parks to be built as these parks would bring in more litter and would also attract unsocial elements and illegal dealings in the form of drugs and other illegal activities. The Government of Karnataka should turn this vast area of land into a Spots Club as this would help our future younger generations. Don't we like to see someone like Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza, Steffi Graf , Nadal or Federer in the offing? I would like to see the Bangalore Turf Club being converted into a Tennis Club for Lawn Tennis and a slight name change would be enough for this purpose!!


BANGALORE A DREAM CITY –
By Manu Nair Bangalore,

Situated on the Deccan Plateau is endowed with a salubrious climate, never too hot, never too cold or wet for long, the year round. The four-season weather pattern of Northern and Eastern India is not easily felt here, as it is green all over, with tall and shady trees. It is as if this city of over five-and-a-half million people is camouflaged by greenery. Roads and lanes are lined with trees of every sort that particularly in summer, they burst with flowers of various colours. Bangalore rightfully earned its reputation, as The Garden City. It is truly cosmopolitan and home to many cultures and languages. Besides being the capital of Karnataka State, it's a hub of industrial activities. Many of the major national and international companies have their shops here. Products range from silk, fabrics, handicrafts, tools and machines, watches, heavy earth moving machinery, aircrafts, electrical and electronic goods and every bit of information technology and IT enabled services. Bangalore in fact is the home to giants in IT that it is also called the Silicon Valley of India. Quality educational facilities from primary to post graduate levels in arts, science, commerce, law, engineering, medicine, agriculture and at super professional levels exist. Pioneering research institutions, some of them jewels of the nation are housed here with their immense resource of scientists and technologists. Entertainment, hotel and tourism industry flourish in Bangalore with innumerable facilities. World class hospitals and medical centres are also available. Bangalore is well connected by roads, rail and by air traffic. No wonder, Bangalore is a preferred city to live in and work. Singapore is an extremely prosperous island city-state connected to Malay Peninsula by a causeway (a little longer than a km). It is about 616 sq.km in area with three million people. Literacy is very high, so also, the per capita income which is at least a hundred times more than that of Karnataka. Roughly 77% of the population is Chinese, 15% Malays and 6% of Indian origin. Singapore is the largest centre of trade, industry and shipping in South East Asia. International trade and finance is at the core of the economy. Singapore is altogether glamorous, strikingly clean, green and beautiful with plenty of shops, entertainment centres and business establishments. Naturally, the city is busy with traffic that it is unwalkable. Jay-walking is strictly prohibited, pedestrian cross-walks are inadequate and the traffic signals are too long. Cleanliness comes at a big price. Stiff fines are imposed on littering. Chewing gum is banned. Public toilets are clean and many. The roads are clogged with automobiles, comparable to those of Salsette Island (Mumbai). But, traffic management on Singapore roads is superior to that of any Indian city. Traffic controls and restrictions in Central Business District and the Area Licence Scheme are subjects of technical discussions. Yet, road accidents and casualties are high, the children and the aged are most vulnerable. Traffic regulations are stringent. Focused on Bangalore was Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, the dynamic former Chief Minister of Karnataka with a vision to transform Bangalore into the best of Asian cities by the year 2004-2005 on lines with Singapore. Been highly educated he wanted to transform Bangalore in the lines with Singapore. He was the right person to take Bangalore forward. The Government needs be a facilitator rather than an executive at a project. Once the infrastructure is there, the people will do the development on their own. The Government shouldn't interfere and throttle private enterprise. IT business in India bloomed because it was least controlled and influenced by the bureaucracy in the Government. But now could Bangalore be called the Garden City as the garbage are strewn on almost all the roads, traffic jams are an everyday affair, the metro rail has created more problems as we will lose out on the flavours of the Coffee and the sweet dishes which does water our mouth, across the Indiranagar and CMH Road. We will also miss the so called advertisements like the one on the Kurl- On (Indiranagar, Blr.) –“We have curtains for all windows except Microsoft Windows”. Potholes and pits have risen on almost all the roads.
A pity that the pedestrians would have to walk on the road risking themselves from the busy oncoming traffic too. Clubs and pubs are essential enjoyable part of city life. Bangalore is dotted with exclusive clubs, old and new for the benefit of the affluent. Bangalore is littered with pubs where alcohol and food is relished by a large section of the upper crust of the society. The pubs are frequented by the youth, both men and women. These are meeting places for both good and evil. Intoxication leads to crime and unruly behaviour. Nowadays, the Govt. insists on closing the pubs by 11p.m. to reduce crimes and drunken driving. The response is mixed.. Liquor is a major source of income for governments, be it in Singapore or Bangalore. Almost everyone agrees that Bangalore roads are very poor in standards. Somebody even suggested a guide map of potholes, humps and channels across the road will help. There is no disputing the fact that the existing roads in Bangalore need constant attention in maintenance by the concerned authorities. Potholes and pits have risen up on almost of all the roads. The drains on either side of the road get clogged. The water on the roads even otherwise cannot find its way into the drains.
Accidents do occur when there are many who don’t obey the rules by jumping signals especially by the two-wheeler riders which is becoming quite famous in Bangalore. Autorickshaw drivers take people for granted by asking for extra money above the meter but once in a bluemooon you will find a autorickshaw driver who will take you to the right destination, give back the exact balance but he will also observe you closely if you offer a smile to them they would be happy and would talk to you and even pray for you too! Repeated complaints by the people to cover the drainage near the RBANMS Ground near Shree Complex on St.John’s Road has fallen on deaf-ear potholes .If a student falls in this drain would the Student or would the Authorities be responsible? The green cover in our city has been lost since many trees are cut for one reason or the other but are we replacing these trees? No in these places tall and multi-storeyed buildings do rise up.
Yes Mallus (Malayalees) are living in Bangalore, but would they stay for long……..
Can Bangalore be transformed in another Singapore? And could time tell…….NO?
Off to New Zealand next year as Bangalore would be a city of HAVOC!
But the youths need to be proud of the city, 'THE GARDEN CITY' for its own individuality for the city has opened up challenges for the youth to THINK & ACT








THE OTHER SIDE OF BANGALORE

Bangalore the dream city…….. Remember……….surprised …..Part 2…… not likely!
The traffic volume was at its lowest ebb during the year 19998 but recently it has increased tremendously. At that time there were efficient traffic authorities to manage the traffic as not that of today, within or less than 20 minutes we could reach our destinations. Quite right Bangalore had been different those days where we use to hold cricket match practices on the main roads of Koramangala in order to prepare for tournaments which were held in stadiums and parks only, the tournaments were only for 22 overs each side.
Poverty is yet another feature prevailing in Bangalore and Karnataka, as it can be seen that the poor people do not have enough milk to feed their babies and neither from their mother’s breasts too (as a kid which I had also experienced on).
The lakes have almost subsided as earlier we had about 400 lakes and an equal number of tanks but now you could literally count the lakes and tanks on your fingers and indeed now we talk about rain harvesting? Where is the land or the space to do so?
Because of the above disappearance of the lakes and tanks the migratory birds are a few now. The Great Indian Bustard, Lesser Florican, Lores,White Eyes, Garblers, the Fly Catchers, the Stone Curlew, Black Bucks, Babblers, the Redheaded Merlin the Redstart, the Jungle Bush Quail, Wood Shrike, White browned Bulbul, Crow Pheasant and the Grey Partridge have disappeared from the city………naming a few………Few ? The disappearance of tank beds has been also responsible for their disappearance. Little Grebe & Green Heron are not visitors anymore! Rightly so, Bangalore has been a result of poor planning and management on hand as the lakes are filled with rubbish.
Education has been another feature. The middle class and the poor people in India are forced to study in inadequately equipped schools where there are no playgrounds and no toilets. Those fortunate enough to undergo education do not find teachers ready to teach them. Has enough been done for the teachers? Do we need to propagate education if this is the situation?
Thefts, robberies and crime have been other prevalent features of Bangalore. Bangalore has now turned into the city of crimes as the girls working in the call centres are either kidnapped or murdered. Elderly people, even sisters and daughters are not left alone which maybe either due to money or revenge. ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ prevalent earlier is not in prominence as the police have turned a blind eye towards the criminal activities of the criminals. Cases are not often registered by the police. The ‘Hoysala’ which was the main attraction is nowhere in the picture in the present days.
The citizens of Bangalore have become too lazy as they can now easily acquire money for themselves but have forgotten their love & compassion towards others for them to reach to their current position which been of primary importance. Money has been the necessary Evil corresponding to the Competitiveness Spirit of all the people of Bangalore. Political gimmicks have also added its flavour to Bangalore. Will our so called the younger generation see Bangalore………………as Singapore?
Namma Bangalore is known as the dream city, garden city, pensioner’s paradise, the silicon valley of India, granite capital, air conditioned city, pub city, the living city, the fashion capital, floricultural capital. But are these enough? Could we not do better by adding more names to the list?
Bangalore sure has a long way to go to become Singapore in the years to come!





HELMET- THE RIDERS' CONCERN

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Prakasha, admitted unconscious at NIMHANS with a head injury was pronounced dead a few days hence. He was well built, in his thirties, employed with the Govt. and liked by his colleagues. The helmet-rule was very much in force, the streets looked as if waves of commandos were on urgent missions. The traffic was thin, being the early hours of the day when Prakasha on his moped drew up at a wayside petrol pump, hung up his helmet on the handle bar, collected fuel and moved on. The moped tripped over the speed braker nearby, he fell headlong and that was the last his relation with the helmet that lay still fixed on to the bar. Somebody called it a freak accident, some others fate and yet others pondered 'Had he worn the helmet!'



Having made up his mind to dwell over the helmet-rule, the writer walked about for an hour on the main roads and the streets of a well laid-out part of the city to have a close look at the two-wheeler attributes. The pedestrians and other road users are taken for a ride. The first law that the speed of the vehicle must be controlled by its own condition, the condition of the road and the nature of traffic like the buses, trucks, cars, cattle and dogs, and pedestrians across is thrown to the wind. A good many of the two-wheelers ride zig-zag, do not keep to their own side of the roads at the junctions, some immediately cut from right to left or otherwise and also most of them try overtaking from the left. And, what distress that damsel is in to fly past so low, ground hugging with her dupatta fluttering in style and get caught in the wheel of a vehicle? It is almost by a whisker that others escape from rash riders. Hardly a few riders wear helmets. The pedestrians need helmets more, the way the two-wheelers navigate the streets. These observations are not meant an affront to the law-abiding, cautious many, older riders. Every invention, old or new is fraught with dangers, both to the owners and the public. Rules, regulations and conventions are set forth from experience of the use of these inventions to minimise, if not altogether avoid the possible dangers. Powered two-wheeler in general is an unstable rolling device which owes its temporal stability to speed within limits. Accidents happen because somebody in the complicated system of traffic does not go by the rulebook, need not necessarily be the rider. The rider must remember that he is the most vulnerable in the traffic system primarily because he rides on an unstable equilibrium. Pedestrians, quite a number of them illiterate and poor in a country like ours do not appreciate why they should abide by any rule of the road at all. More people are here on the road at any point of time compared to the advanced countries.



Accessibility by roads being generally poor in our country, more and more people throng to the available roadside to make a living. Road users are varied from cattle to modern high-speed limousines. Potholes, humps and channels (cut across the road) are constant sources of dangers for one and all. Unscientifically designed speed breakers (a host of them until recently on Bangalore streets) could easily off-balance a scooterist. Poorly lit roads at night and high beams of the on-coming traffic are irritants. Drunken driving and talking over the cellphone while in motion are other causes of accidents. Traffic signals are inadequate in numbers and in quality. Two-wheelers are seldom equipped with direction indicators to make known the rider's intentions to others. If all these drawbacks are taken care of, accidents can be reduced to a great extent.



Even in a scenario of minimum accidents taking place, the intensity of the suffering of the victims must be reduced. Head injury and consequent death or permanent disability is the worst that could happen to two-wheeler riders. Many scientific papers and statistical data have emerged from the work with NIMHANS that wearing helmets would lessen the intensity of brain damage. Overwhelming evidence and commonsense dictate the advisability of a hard protective cover over the head to save from possible brain damage in accidents. (Look, your favourite cricketer wears it too as it saves them from bouncers thrown at them).



Some people argue that the poor quality of helmet itself can cause brain injury in case of a fall or collision. True, but, the country is sufficiently advanced in material sciences and manufacturing technology to make safe helmets. Earthquakes do not kill people, but the buildings they live in do. People do not cease to live in houses on that count. Likewise, the use of helmets.



Wearing helmet is cumbersome, uncomfortable and uneasy for some. That is a valid point. Comfort and feel-good factor are essential to safe and relaxed riding. If the helmet is forced on their head they may have no alternative to abandoning the vehicle, once for all.

A mobike is a poor man's transport. Adding another thousand rupees compulsorily by way of a quality helmet to the galloping cost of the vehicle and its insurance cover is unfair to the consumers. Judging from the enormous number of two-wheelers on the street, a compulsory helmet-rule evidently favours the helmet industry. Should the Government promote such undue trade practices to help the producers squeeze out more money from the consumers? The law should at least look fair and even, and not again
another avenue for corruption.

Let the industry and the Government educate the rider on the benefit of wearing the helmet. Let the demand be controlled by the market forces and not by forcible intervention by the Government with other over-riding considerations.

If you want your life to be saved it is better to wear the helmet while riding a two-wheeler as there are the dare devils on the run and your life is most valuable! The traffic personnel need to impose heavy fines for the riders of two wheelers who do not wear helmets. Helmets are not a fashion to be worn by the motorcycles either on the handle bar or behind as to protect the number plates of the two wheelers as not to be noticeable by the traffic personnel. This is done on due purpose!


manunairjournalist.rediffiland.com