Back in 1984, in the sweltering heat of Dholpur (Rajasthan), Anamika Tomar would run on the edge of a hillock, in love with the idea that the warm loo winds would sweep her right up. She successfully managed to fall off this hillock, however, and tried again the next day, and the day after. And now she has a wonderful story that speaks volumes about her sparkly-eyed dynamic self.
A woman who built herself to success, Anamika singularly moved to Mumbai (Maharashtra) from Noida (Uttar Pradesh) in 2004 while working in the international trade and textile industry. With a natural inclination towards design and a stunning understanding of aesthetic appeal, she launched her own interior design brand - Anamika Design Co. not long after migrating. She bagged numerous prestigious projects all over the country and was repeatedly a jury member of the celebrated ACE Design Convention. She masterfully sustained herself as her business grew multifold until finally it was time to let her true passion make a place in her professional and personal life.
Anamika has had a demanding professional life that had a tendency to encroach upon her time in a way that made clocks futile. For a single woman to build a business from scratch in India is Herculean – kudos and salute to all who have broken barriers, irrespective of the labels that try to define them. To make space and time for something exciting everyday was a deliberate decision. She started Eco Adventure with the value she created for people through her skills and talent. The purpose was straightforward – combining passion with responsible and educational adventures that would add excitement to her life and to everyone else’s.
The prep for this new journey of fun and self-discovery was everything. Anamika invested in an Isuzu 4x4, with an eye-catching imprint of Eco Adventure’s brand design on it. And with this vehicle as her beacon she traversed up and down and here and there and everywhere she could, to the point where she had to be rescued from a canyon’s edge by a rescue team in Khandala (the child in her was laughing).
A rather memorable journey was to Spiti. Anamika took a road trip from Delhi to Spiti and back, and if that wasn’t enough excitement, she went ahead for one of the most treacherous treks of Spiti – Triund. The struggle of breathing at an altitude of over 4000 feet is an experience that results in many ephemeral revelations that have a permanent impact. It was a reminder of why she loves what she loves – willingly stepping outside your comfort zone is exciting. It separates you from the crowd. It offers profound learnings.
The learnings from multiple adventures to Rajasthan, Goa, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra culminated into numerous awards and widespread recognition. Fish that flow against the stream are easily spotted. With her Isuzu V-Cross, she participated in many off-roading events and was often the only female contestant. She bagged the first position in Force Motors’ nationwide women’s off-roading event. She also completed the rally lap of Ford Motors’ off-roading event in the shortest time. She was also the only woman to receive an invite from Apollo Tyres’ specially off-roading event amongst celebrities including Sachin Tendulkar. Seems like auto sports won’t be part of “a man’s world” in India for long.
Eco Adventure is Anamika’s beloved baby project, a foundling of years of self-growth and toil. To embrace a lifelong passion is a difficult achievement - not everyone is able to gather the means (or maintain the willingness) to make their dream an enjoyable hustle. The process was slow and undoubtedly painstaking, albeit extremely rewarding and fun.
Eco Adventure is an ode to the same Anamika Tomar who fell off a hill but couldn’t care less. She has always been the person to take a goat track off of an asphalt road. Anything extraordinary and purposefully difficult is exciting. Going with the flow may be the norm, but is it not more fun to raft against the current? The dare is an accolade itself. Time and again she has challenged what life threw at her and came out on top. This is not difficult for her - it’s in her blood.
In Indian history, Guru Shri Tegh Bahadurs personality shines resplendent like a bright constellation. He was born in Amritsar to Guru Hargobindji and Nankiji on Krishna Panchami in the Baisakhi month. As per the Nanakshahi calendar, Guru Tegh Bahadurs 400th birth anniversary falls on May 1 this year.
Guru Tegh Bahadurji was born into a tradition that challenged Mughals of Central Asia that had occupied vast tracts of Indian territory. He is a symbol of tenacity, sacrifice and his life is a wonderful example of physical and mental valour.
In fact, Shri Tegh Bahadur's life stands out as one of the greatest experiments in character-building. By reining in one's negative instincts, even ordinary men can follow the path of dharma. Those who are trapped in the chakravyuha of blasphemy, avarice and pride cannot remain stable in crisis.
Whilst the behaviour of ordinary men changes in the midst of joy and sorrow, men of great attainment rise above these considerations. Guruji proclaimed that one should be beyond "praise and slander, look upon gold and iron alike" and not be "touched by pleasure or pain, greed, emotional attachment and egotistic pride" (Shlok Mahalla 9 - page 1426 onwards of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib).
In his teachings, Guruji exhorted, "One should neither frighten away anyone nor be scared of anyone". The greatest fear is the fear of death, that goads a person renounce his values and turn a coward. Guruji said, "I cannot forget the fear of dying, and this worry has torched my body".
Through his preachings and selfless work, Guruji sought to create a society in which one could walk the path of dharma, free from worry and fear. Guruji's life is perhaps the finest example of attaining the four purusharthas (goals of human existence) e dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (desire) and moksha (liberation).
He successfully demonstrated excellent human values in his family and the society whilst accomplishing the goals of artha and kama in his domestic life. He attained martyrdom for the cause of dharma. He envisions hope and trust even in the worst of crises. Guruji famously said, "I have regained my power, my bonds are broken and all options are open on to me."
Guru TeghBahadurji's thoughts and actions had such an inspiring impact that they broke the bonds shackling the country and unlocked the path of liberation. His messages in the Braj language is a unique exposition of Bharatiya culture, philosophy and spirituality.
Guruji's abode, Anandpur Sahib, emerged as a centre of mass struggle against the injustice and atrocities of the Mughals. Aurangzeb wanted to make Hindustan Darul-Islam. Kashmir, an intellectual and spiritual centre, was his key target.
The people of Kashmir approached Guruji for guidance, following which he held a lengthy discussion. Situation everywhere was grave. How could the cruel Mughal ambitions be frustrated was the question.
There was only one route e a great man would have to martyr himself to protect his nation and the faiths of her people. Through this sacrifice, a tide of public consciousness would galvanize the nation and shake the walls of the foreign Mughal empire. Who would make this sacrifice? This quandary was resolved by Guruji's son, Shri Govind Rai, who asked his father if there was anyone who commanded more respect and stature than him.
Aurangzeb's army imprisoned Guruji along with his three disciples and brought them to Delhi, where they were subjected to inhuman torture and pressurised to convert to Islam. All kinds of alluring assurances were made. But, Guruji stood firm on the path of dharma. Angered by his defiance, the Mughals forced Guruji to watch as his disciples were tortured in Chandni Chowk e Bhai Mati Das was ripped with a saw, Bhai Diyala was drenched in boiling oil and Bhai Sati Das was tied and burnt in a heap of cotton.
The Mughal regime probably felt that he would be frightened by the treatment meted out to his disciples. Guruji knew that the very essence of dharma was to fight injustice and tyranny. As Guruji did not waver, the qazi ordered the executioner to behead him. This act of martyrdom led to a reawakening across the nation. On the martyrdom of his father, tenth guru Shri Govind Singh said,
"He protected the tilak (mark on the forehead) and janevu (sacred thread). His martyrdom is a significant event of the Kali Yuga. For the sake of saints, he laid down his head without even a sigh."
On a day when the whole country is celebrating Guruji's 400th birth anniversary, let us be reminded that the best way to honour his memory was to follow his path. Today, there is a scramble for enjoying material pleasures. Guruji, however, showed the path of renunciation and restraint.
Envy, malice, selfishness and discrimination are prevalent all around. But, the revered Guruji spoke about creativity, harmony and conquering disorders of the mind.
One of the lasting effects of his teachings was on the people he passed en route to Delhi, who refrain from cultivating tobacco till date. Fundamentalist forces are rising to gain dominance. But, Guruji showed the path of valour, selflessness and sacrifice. At a time when mankind is entering a new phase of change, the sacred memory of Guruji propels us to follow his path and build a new India that is rooted in its soil.
(Courtesy: IANS)
Shuttle diplomatic effort of the European intermediaries in Vienna talk to reinvigorate the joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA) by persuading USA for returning into the deal and Iran for ensuring full compliance has presented the major breakthrough in this way. Iran’s previous demand of nothing less than lifting all sanction has been a major restraint in this progress. But Vienna talk has opened a path, from where deadlock can be dismantled through negotiations and renegotiations. Although Iranian nuclear deal concentrates particularly on non-proliferation of nuclear weaponization, but a number of other strategic issues are inherent in it.
In spite of rest of the participant’s appeal to stay in the JCPOA, President Trump’s decision to withdraw the US unilaterally and subsequent re-imposition of economic sanctions for exerting “maximum pressure” over Iran to compel it for renegotiations have been conceived as the US betrayal by Iran. It has relegated Iran in isolation, which has culminated in the worsening the Iranian economy alongside fueling the bitterness. In fact, the US sanction restraining global economic activities with Iran has relegated it in the situation of self-help for his security and survival, the vital interests of any country, for which any country can go to even war.
More importantly, hostility between Iran and Israel has been relentlessly stimulating both the nations to further enhance its arms and ammunitions including an Iranian ambition to attain nuclear compatibility with Israel. With the obstructed economy due to global sanctions, in the self-help conditions, Iran has also been motivated to rethink about strengthening its security as well as uranium enrichment capability. That has been catalyzed by reduction in Iran’s commitment as a response to USA abrogating JCPOA. Consequently, Iran has developed the underground missile city in Tehran and started the production of Uranium metal and heavy water beyond the stipulated limit of the nuclear deal. Moreover, Iran has also cooperated with North Korea for the development of long-range ballistic missiles. Such cooperation of the countries facing strict global sanctions has been eye opener for the US economic sanctions strategy.
China-Iran strategic and economic partnership signed on 27th March, in which China has agreed to invest $400 billion in Iran over twenty-five years in exchange for a steady supply of Iranian oil in comparatively lower cost, has rendered the economic sanctions redundant. Furthermore, the investment plan in the field of banking, telecommunications, ports and railways as well as mutual consent for deepening military cooperation through joint exercises, joint research and weapon development, and intelligence sharing have explicitly undermined the Iranian isolation. Wang Yi’s assertion regarding Chinese support to Iran for safeguarding its national dignity and state sovereignty as well as his demand for removal of all US sanctions over Iran have placed China as “Iran’s friend for hard times”.
It is noteworthy that China’s venturing for mutual cooperation with Iran by defying all global challenges and spurning economic sanctions has strengthened the Chinese stronghold in the Iran- the strategic gateway for Eurasian countries. Wang Yi’s insistence for China’s help in resolving persistent disputes of Middle East including Israel-Palestine issue during his visit to Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Bahrain, and Oman has manifested the Chinese ambition to supersede USA in this strategic part.
In fact, The US economic sanctions have helped China indirectly in getting Iranian oil in comparatively cheap prices. But by contrast, it has obstructed the India's engagement with Iran. It has even impeded Indian plan to develop the International North South Transport Corridor- an alternative to the Chinese Belt and Road initiative. OPEC nation’s decision of cutting oil production along with lack of sufficient oil trade with Iran has exerted over pressure on Indian economy. Thus, economic sanctions have pushed Iran far from India but closer to China simultaneously.
So, the USA must strive to reconsider its policy of economic sanctions as well as Iran’s strategic situation emanating after latest Iran-china negotiations. Undoubtedly, Nuclear issue encompasses very profound stake in this entire diplomatic effort. But failure of the global sanctions in preventing the nuclear acquirement attempts alongside the strategic challenges after Chinese involvement has highlighted the need of policy review. There is a need to establish complex interdependence between Iran and rest of the world, that will not only dismantle the special environment for China but it will also remove all the restraints on Iran-India mutual cooperation leading to establishment of regional balance of power between India and China. Containing China in Iran is prerequisite to the continuous US hegemonic and strategic forwardness in the Middle East. So, removal of irrelevant global sanctions and subsequent cordial relations between Iran and USA is very necessary.
(The writer is JRF qualified professional and Post-Graduate of Political Science from University of Allahabad, India.)
Afghan war broke USSR. The Wuhan virus will balkanise China.
You will wonder, how is it possible? You will also say that the mighty military and economic power, coupled with the totalitarian regime will never allow this to happen. The very same questions were asked for USSR too. But USSR balkanised. It will happen, and happen soon to China too.
It does not matter if the Wuhan virus escaped from a laboratory, was deliberately made to escape or originated in wet markets; China will pay the price. The western powers have had a heavy death toll that surpasses the number of US soldiers who died in Vietnam War or the civilian casualty during 9/11.
To put things in perspective 2043 Americans were killed in Pearl Harbour, but Japan paid the price, multiple times when ‘little boy’ and ‘fat man’ were released from B-29 bomber. The Wuhan virus toll in the USA is nearing 70,000. Cowboy justice will be implemented. Very basic justice. You hit us we will hit you. Virus killed our people; we will make you suffer.
The sequence of events will be as under: -
(The writer is a China Expert and political editor of Opinion Express)
In the first of a two-part series on how the COVID-19 pandemic has raised consciousness about the dangers of biological warfare Ambassador Puri writes on how bioweapons and biosecurity have overtaken violent conflict as the primary global security concern.
The United Nations was founded at the end of the Second World War “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold suffering to mankind” and “towards that end to unite our strength to maintain peace and security.” Seventy-five years later, we are being ravaged by another scourge of war — the COVID-19 pandemic — and we find ourselves ill equipped as an international comity of nations to win over it. It has shaken our national and international economic, social and political order to its foundations. It has also exposed the weaknesses of the global health and biosecurity system and the overall peace and security architecture. It will require our going back to the drawing board and reimagining the world as we did in 1945, for the survival of humankind.
“It’s an ideal weapon because it only destroys people. It’s a virus — airborne, indestructible, self-perpetuating, multiplying beyond our calculations — and all life will cease to exist everywhere. Nothing can stop the Satan Bug.” Thus, did Dr Gregor Hoffman, the insane bio scientist in the 1965 Alistair MacLean science fiction book and movie The Satan Bug, ominously but not inaccurately describe a biological weapon. Despite being such a cataclysmic force, biological weapons, unlike other weapons of mass destruction or WMD — nuclear and chemical — have escaped public consciousness and scrutiny.
The advent of the COVID-19, originating in China, has suddenly awakened the world to the destructive potential of a pandemic and has painted a vivid picture of what a biological war would look like.
Biosecurity as a defense against biological warfare, bioterrorism, and pandemics has been underemphasised in national and international security agendas. The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, originating in China, has suddenly awakened the world to the destructive potential of a pandemic and has painted a vivid picture of what a biological war would look like. It has taught us many lessons which India and the world would do well to learn.
Significance of the COVID War
Compared to some other pandemics, like the Spanish Flu and smallpox epidemics of the 20th century and the bioweapons used in the Second World War, the death rate of COVID-19 is not high — 2-8%. COVID-19 has, however, not only hurt the country of origin, but has gotten exported to 212 countries and territories due to China’s extensive global economic and human footprint and connectivity. An alleged lack of transparency and absence of early warning as to its virulence is said to have contributed to COVID-19’s intractable global spread. With 3.9 million infections and 270,000 deaths and counting, it has been labelled a quasi-biological war in its scale, scope, duration, and impact.
Most leaders around the world refer to their strategies to prevent and respond to COVID-19 as an existential war and see themselves as health and biosecurity generals.
UN Secretary General, António Guterres, has called this pandemic the biggest crisis since World War II and some, like Bill Gates, have termed it a World War by other means. Most leaders around the world refer to their strategies to prevent and respond to COVID-19 as an existential war and see themselves as health and biosecurity generals. Understanding what a biological holocaust would portend has jolted us into prioritising biosecurity in national and international security in this turnpike year of 2020.
Menace and deception of bioweapons
COVID-19 has shown that we have underestimated the insidious nature of and the menace posed by biological weapons to humanity. It is difficult to anticipate new, highly infectious, and deadly bioagents like COVID-19. The absence of immediate bio-defences and the time lag in finding treatment(s) and vaccine(s) enables the invisible enemy to inflict high morbidity and mortality. The latency period and mutation into virulent and different strains, along with the chances of a recurrence in waves, makes disease detection and control more challenging.
Mass contagion and efforts to contain it, including through the Great Lockdown, has brought even the most powerful countries to their knees and economies to a grinding halt. It has pushed robust democratic societies into turmoil and has led governance into crisis. The pandemic has generated a psyche of fear, uncertainty, and helplessness among people everywhere.
The relative low cost and ease of developing bioweapons, including by rogue regimes and private labs, and the possibility of stealthy deployment of bioagents — through animal or human carriers or other special purpose delivery vehicles — raises the stakes.
Particularly worrisome is that any state or non-state actor or entity with hostile intent could develop and wield a bioweapon undetected, as production facilities require little space and microbial agents as well as technologies are easy to procure. The relative low cost and ease of developing bioweapons, including by rogue regimes and private labs, and the possibility of stealthy deployment of bioagents — through animal or human carriers or other special purpose delivery vehicles — raises the stakes.
We, therefore, need to identify extant and potential bioagents that exist in nature or that are human engineered to become dangerous bioweapons. Epidemiologists have categorised these as:
We must build our capacities to anticipate, detect, and defend ourselves in a timely manner from these dangerous bioagents, which will be a complex, resource intensive, but necessary undertaking.
Our biodefence/vaccine stockpiles for existing and eradicated diseases, like smallpox — which could be used as a bioweapon by Satanic entities in the future — should be replenished.
Additionally, to respond to unexpected and emerging biological threats, all normal labs, medical facilities, and hospitals should be made re-purposable so that they can transform into a seamless infrastructure for quick and reliable testing and therapeutics development. Public-private partnerships should be forged for vaccine development, testing, and deployment within telescoped timeframes. Our biodefence/vaccine stockpiles for existing and eradicated diseases, like smallpox — which could be used as a bioweapon by Satanic entities in the future — should be replenished. More evolved IT-based telemedicine and health status surveillance technologies, information networks, and contact tracing apps are more enduring bio and health security measures.
Dilemmas of Dual use bio agents
Micro-organisms and their related infrastructure are essentially dual in nature — their use in nature and in research and development for bio-defence, can easily be re-oriented for bio-offence. The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWTC) permits states to produce, use, and stockpile biological agents for medical, pharmaceutical, and defensive purposes; and in small quantities for prophylactic, protective, and other peaceful purposes. We need to overcome this “dual use” challenge that comes with the territory of scientific and technological development, and reengineer verification and certification systems for effective differentiation between bio-defence and bio-offence. This will also be addressed when a credible verification and compliance system under the BWTC is established.
Biosecurity and health security are two sides of the same coin
There is only a thin line between biological weapons — a WMD deliberately wielded — and a COVID-19 type pandemic caused by spontaneous or accidental virus release, in terms of their impact and the response required. Biosecurity and health security are two sides of the same coin. Those consciously infecting people with harmful intent are bio-terrorists. Those flouting health security norms in communities are morally culpable of the same harm. But the stigmatisation of those spontaneously infected or those on frontline duty, like those dubbed the “COVID-19 warriors”, is unconscionable and counter-productive. Citizens must be vigilant, responsible, empathetic, and perform their civic duty during a war against a pandemic — whatever the origin.
Military force and biosecurity
When we speak of wars, our first thought is of the armed forces. A war against a pandemic impacts the military in less obvious ways than a conventional war would. Bioweapons and pandemics considerably affect the preparedness of the armed forces to deal with WMDs, as well as conventional and terrorist threats. The double jeopardy of the armed forces getting weakened by the disease — witness the infections among police, border security forces, CRPF, army, navy, and air force in India — and their being deployed for pandemic response can pose major security challenges. Reports of increased terrorist mobilisation and regrouping on our border with Pakistan, and of infected COVID patients being infiltrated across the border are proof. COVID-19 triggered defence spending cuts affect defense preparedness too, as does economic infrastructure degradation.
Victories are won on and off the “battlefield”, with economics and politics becoming the battlefields of an unconventional modern war. This War is fought simultaneously in different spaces — local, national, regional, and global.
It is uncanny how the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officers Qiao Liang and Wang Xiasu’s book, on the “Unrestricted Warfare” strategy, seems to apply to the impact of bioweapons/pandemics on national security. We would contend with the “alternative methods” of war by disease being employed with the same or greater destructive force than military warfare, with unprecedented and multidirectional impact. Boundaries between military and non-military assets, operations and personnel, and between weapon and non-weapons are dissolved. Victories are won on and off the “battlefield”, with economics and politics becoming the battlefields of an unconventional modern war. This War is fought simultaneously in different spaces — local, national, regional, and global. Deviating from the centre and finding the enemies’ weak point is a key strategy — in this case sickening an entire population in a democracy — when a technologically stronger adversary is to be conquered.
Our bio-defence against such “unrestricted warfare” must take its cues from these basic premises. It must be agile and “multidirectional”, and must straddle the civilian and military, the economy and society, technology and communication, the local and global. While keeping our military guard up on all fronts, we need to incorporate biosecurity into our overall defence, security, and counterterrorism strategies and planning. There needs to be a critical and predetermined role for our defence infrastructure and its logistical capacity to meet any bio/health security challenge on a war footing.
China’s deployment of the PLA for lockdown enforcement and vaccine development is instructive even with our systemic differences.
A dedicated National Rapid Deployment Biosecurity Force comprised of the armed forces, the police, and health responders — who are well-protected and equipped against contagion — should be set up with frontline, security and pandemic related, disaster reduction, relief and response functions. China’s deployment of the PLA for lockdown enforcement and vaccine development is instructive even with our systemic differences.
These lessons about pandemics/bioattacks being in the nature of “unrestricted warfare” and the China experience will no doubt inform our current fight against the COVID pandemic. It must also shape preparedness strategies for fending off and responding to biological attacks from both hostile states and bioterrorists in the future and prompt a churning in current military doctrines and security architectures — nationally and internationally.
It was in appreciation of Pradip Shah's technical help following a talk in the US, that an Israeli ratings agency honoured him by planting a garden of 100 trees. This eco-cultural gesture was the beginning of a social entreprise that has planted over 87 lakh trees back home, weaving personal and corporate greetings into the act of social and environmental good.
Grow-Trees.com provides a unique Greet with Trees service that allows individuals and corporates to commemorate special occasions by planting trees on behalf of family, friends or employees, in projects initiated by the organisation in the rural sectors of India. Explained simply, Shah created the concept where one could pay as little as Rs 50 for a sapling plantation in honour of a friend or relative, and send those 'eTreeCertificates' as warm greetings.
The social enterprise is affiliated with the United Nation's Environment Program's Billion Tree Campaign and WWF's Cities for Forests Campaign, says the website.
To earn trust of its customers, Grow-Trees.com instituted independent audits of the tree plantings.
"Our vision was to offer a positive way by which each person could fight climate change. Towards this, we wanted to inculcate the habit of planting trees to greet dear ones, making the process convenient and affordable. We, therefore, made this web-enabled people could plant trees with a few clicks, starting at Rs 50 per tree, the cost of buying and mailing a decent greeting card," says Shah, co-founder of Grow-Trees.com.
IANSlife speaks to Bikrant Tiwary, CEO, Grow-Trees.com ahead of the World Environment Day on June 5:
Q: The forest cover in India, especially in the urban areas, is inadequate to say the least. Your thoughts on the repercussions this has.
A: With industrialisation and globalisation also come their disadvantages. Not only does it lead to massive deforestation but also disrupts the balance of nature. In the last few years, we have seen Indian cities pop up amongst the top 10 most polluted cities in the world. It comes as a reminder of how we have impacted our environment. The exploitation of natural resources at such large scale will eventually lead to their degradation with minimal access to clean water, breathable air, and wildlife habitats. Our ecosystem is an interconnected web of resources, where degradation of one may lead to a collapse of the others as well. Without trees, replenishing groundwater can be challenging, more natural disasters will strike and life on Earth will be in peril. In order to rectify some of our mistakes, Grow-Trees has initiated plantation drives in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Jamshedpur, attempting to create carbon sinks. These trees will assist in depressurising the current resources and maintain the ecological balance.
Q: How is the pandemic a setback to climate action, if at all, for you?
A: The pandemic came as a shock for humans as well as the environment around us. Initial lockdowns allowed wildlife to come out of their spaces and gain access to more land. We saw the return of endemic species and flocks of birds for migration, seeming like the restoration of ecological balance. However, the positives were short-lived. Thousands of climate actions across the globe had to be halted to make way for the emerging pandemic. Most of the global resources had to be preserved or diverted towards providing supplies to cater to medical needs. Both government and corporates have shifted their focus to the need of the hour. Understanding the bizarre situation that the world is in, we must stand united, while also keeping in mind the larger battle we have to fight.
Q: The love for kitchen gardens, potted plants and green spaces saw a rise in lockdown. How can we translate this sentiment to love for forests and wildlife?
A: It's a delight to see people connect with the environment and take initiatives towards regreening. However, we are yet miles away from the goal. Steep actions are required to spread awareness about the need for tree plantation and large-scale initiatives. While kitchen gardens and potted plants beautify our homes, we are in dire need of forests to heal the environment. Forests are the natural source of carbon sequestration, home to millions of species and the solution to our climate crisis. We need to imbibe the feeling that the earth belongs to all living species and we must all thrive together, making space for each other.
Q: Your key message on the World Environment Day.
A: This World Environment Day, we'd like to remind people that the environment will be susceptible to degradation again once industry and travel ramp up. We need to realise our responsibility, as a nation, to revive our dwindling biodiversity and rehabilitate our ecosystems. Planting trees, opting for sustainable practices or regularly cleaning up our rivers and coasts are the simplest ways to ensure that we're giving back to the environment that sustains us. Let's work together to restore environmental harmony and remedy what we've wronged.
(Courtesy: IANS)
International travel is likely to remain affected for quite some time but domestic tourism may witness a surge in the near future
The Covid-19 pandemic is all about social distancing and curbing travel to the extent of restricting movement beyond the front door of homes. Travel in these times is almost an oxymoron. With no end of the pandemic yet in sight, the options are either to sit at home, or move about with precautions and restrictions or be an eternal optimist and plan for the post Covid-19 era when pent up desiresto go out would suddenly find an uncontrollable opening.
I clearly remember the 30th and 31st of January last year when the first rescue flights took off majestically from the Delhi airport for Wuhan, to bring back the stranded Indians. There was a nationalistic fervour and a feeling of accomplishment when the Boeing 747s took off and there was no feeling of fear. Who could have imagined that bright wintry morning that the coronavirus would soon start wreaking havoc.
March 22, 2020, when the lockdown was first announced is a date difficult to forget. Suddenly we were confined indoors. But people adjusted fairly quicklyto the first wave of coronavirus and eventually resumed going out, even out of cities on short-term holidays. Going to Maldives, a nation that remained unaffected by the virus for a long time, became a fashion statement. But the virus returned with a vengeance this April.
International travel is likely to be affected for quite some time, atleast till the vaccination drive gathers momentum and covers the majority of our population.Till then domestic tourism may witness a surge. Many of us visualize a distinct change in the travel habits of people with the majority seeking an experience within the country's tourist destinations, at least in the short-term.
The “Aas Paas” brand of tourism piloted by the state of Madhya Pradesh almost a decade ago is likely to witness a resurgence. People are more likely to feel safe and confident in exploring nearby places and seeking a different experience within drivable distances from their homes. Delhi and its surroundingswould perhaps witness a lot of road travel to hill stations in Himachal and Uttarakhand. And similar could be the state of affairs almost all round the country. Cross-country movement for tourism in all probabilitymay witness a decline by train or road in favour of air travel.
Rail travel in my view may take a long-term hit. Majority of passenger trains are docked since Covid-19 onset and there is palpable fear among people of getting infected in this mode of travel. This fear may weigh heavy on the minds of travellers who are likely to prefer air travel that takes much less time and is safer with controlled air flows and HEPA filters. Short distance Shatabdi type travel may sustain but long-distance travel is likely to be impacted in the short to medium term.
Domestic air travel may even go up now, but international travel may continue to be impacted for sometime. And both aircrafts and trains would have to aggressively follow Covid-19 sanitation protocols regardless.
Visits to tourist sites would definitely remain affected though tourist destinations especially of the hill station varietymay start thriving. People may travel for a different experience, a change of environment and feeling the outside, but they may not exactly like visiting tourist sites. And obviously for reasons of social distancing, resorts would take precedence over conventional hotel type accommodation and traffic to non-city hotels may witness an increase as compared to city hotels.
The efforts of International Air Transport Association towards initiating Covid passportsare commendable and need to be implemented at the earliest after working out the modalities.
The operation of private passenger carrying trains may in the future give a new dimension to passenger comfort and overall experience. And the planned rapid pace of adding to the fixed infrastructure is likely to alleviate decades of congestion on the tracks and increase overall capacity. On the aviation front, the UDAN scheme has already given a new dimension to air travel and going forward would add to the same in increasing measure.
Regardless of the forecasts by different soothsayers, we need to prepare for a future that would definitely witness a resurgence in tourism, albeit of a changed mix. We need to focus on and build tourist infrastructure innovatively and put in place systems for improving tourist information and facilitation. Incidents like the ongoing pandemic must be regarded as temporary setbacks; the sector would bounce back much faster than others once things improve. With vaccination gathering pace, good times have to return.
The author is former Chairman & Managing Director, Air India and former Chairman, Railway Board. The views expressed are personal.
(Courtesy The Pioneer)
How the global pandemic reinforced the philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'
Since the outbreak of the Corona virus in 2020, different waves have come to affect different countries in different ways and degrees. The impact of the second wave,which has recently hit India, is much greaterthan the first wave. India successfully managed to contain the virus vis-à-vis- the more developed countries, including US and Europe, in the first wave.In this prolonged phase of global pandemic, what are the main lessons that the global community has come to learn, particularly from Indian initiatives? During the first wave, India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only succeeded in tiding the challenge but also providedmedical and other assistance to more than 150 countries. And vaccine to 95 countries. Such gestures display the true spirit and strength of Indians and that India cares for the world apart from protecting her own interests. This is a way of reinforcing the Indian philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is one family). In the first wave, the response of the international community towards India's initiatives was positive. The second wave of the pandemic, unanticipated as it is, engulfed India in an overwhelming manner.Given the virulence of the virus, a high number of people got infected in the second wave within a short time. As India grappled with shortage of essential medical requirements during the second wave, there weremany criticisms on the way India addressed the situation.
One has to consider, and even take a relook, at many aspects of the situation. First,many developed countries, including US, though possessing advanced infrastructure found it tough to address the situation in the initial phase of the first wave.Implied, given the virulent nature and transmission rate of the virus, infrastructural needs are falling short to tackle the situation everywhere, including India. Critics opine that vaccine diplomacy has impaired India's interests.It should not be overlooked that the assistance that many countries received on account of India's Vaccine Maitri facilitated the process of vaccination in the world. This ensured the shared goal of creating equal and affordable access tomedicines and vaccines, particularly for people living in the world's poorest countries-a reflection of the philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
As India reels under the second wave, many leaders, including Australian Prime Minister and US President, applauded generosity displayed by India. Following India's footsteps, a number of countries have come forward to provide help to India, including Australia, US, Germany, Saudi Arabia, France, UK, Kazakhstan, Singapore and others. Since the last week of April when the pandemic situation in India turned serious, India received international assistance in the form of supplies such as ventilators and oxygen concentrators and medicine. There is no doubt that the global pandemic has provided valuable lessons to the entire humanity. Challenges in contemporary times are becoming more complex and cannot be addressed solely by any single country. It requires collective efforts of all countries. As such any act of compassion can go a long way to save the family. Undoubtedly, India has shown the world the path of compassion and to openly embrace the world as a family, which is the core philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. Now, the world has come to realize that the global pandemic warrants collective and coordinated efforts.
(The author is Senior Researcher, Public Policy Research Centre, New Delhi. The views expressed are personal.)
(Courtesy The Pioneer)
The Congress leadership had time and again tried to impress upon the PM the need to take timely and cogent steps, but the suggestions weren’t heeded
The raging COVID pandemic is a test of leadership all over the world. There are countries that have battled the virus and emerged stronger and there are those that have been found lacking in preparedness, empathy and governance. It is regrettable that India falls in the category of countries where the government completely abdicated its responsibility and looked the other way as millions were left to fend for themselves, fight the virus and die. This unprecedented crisis worsened on account of the government's ignorance, ego and incompetence.
There are four ways to combat the Covid- 19 virus - testing, tracking, treatment and vaccination. It is a foregone conclusion that for a country like India, the biggest global manufacturer of vaccines, inoculating our people on priority would be what any elected government would opt to do. But not the Modi government. So the focus here would be on what could have been our most potent ammunition in this battle - vaccination- how we failed - and there are no signs of course correction yet.
After first warning of the COVID Tsunami as early as February 2020, Rahul Gandhi had suggested in August last year about a sound vaccine strategy, that ensures equitable vaccination for all. The Prime Minister and his team even failed to calculate the dosages of vaccine required for our population. They had no idea as to how much vaccine could be produced in a month and were clueless about the investment and incentive manufacturers would need. So while most countries bought ample vaccines and had finished placing their fourth and fifth rounds of orders by August-October 2020, Indian government placed its first order of just 1.60 crore doses on as late as January 11, 2021.
The world tapped multiple vaccines in the market but the Modi government ended up creating a State duopoly - relying on just two vaccines - Covaxin made by Bharat Biotech in partnership with ICMR and Oxford University-Astra Zeneca's Covishield produced by Serum Institute of India. Even these two sources were not fully utilized. India is presently vaccinating under 16 lakh people everyday, which is steeply down from the peak in April.
False claims won't mask the truth. As on May 23, only 15.29 crore people got their first shot and only 4.31 crore Indians have been fully vaccinated, which is around three percent of our population. This pales in comparison to America's 39% fully vaccination rate or UK's 33%. What is even more worrying is the fact that under one crore out of 62 crore Indians between the age group of 18-44 years have received the first dosage, a task that has been callously left for States to perform. While this goes to print, States like Delhi and Telangana have suspended vaccination drive for those under 45 years, due to the paucity of vaccine availability.
But even as Indians have to wait impatiently before being inoculated, Prime Minister Modi exported over 6.63 crore vaccine doses overseas. And no, not all of these exports were under international diplomacy, large volumes were commercial consignments. How can an elected government commit the sin of prioritising anyone before its own citizens? All of this for momentary glory and applause for Mr Modi?
Before moving any further - let's take stock of the vaccine availability in India. Serum Institute's present production capacity is about six crore doses every month, while Bharat Biotech produces about 60 lakh doses a month. Both companies can ramp up production only by end of July or beginning of August. Sputnik V, the Russian vaccine approved by the government will be manufactured in significant quantities by Dr Reddys and six other labs also by July end. No other foreign vaccine has yet been approved for use or imported for inoculation. Pfizer was dragged for lack of permission in February itself. This explains the complete lack of vaccine strategy that would ensure enough and equitable distribution of the vaccine.
The only way to increase vaccination is to either manufacture more or allow more foreign vaccines to be imported. Both suggestions have been repeatedly made by the Congress leadership. But such letters haven't even been acknowledged - and sometimes insolently responded to by junior ministers.
Meanwhile, a confused Modi government, which is lobbying for patent waiver by global vaccine majors at the WTO, argued against compulsory licencing at the Supreme Court, a position it changed after much public furore. Sections 92 and 100 under India's Patent Act 1970 provide for Compulsory licences. Simply put, government can declare compulsory licensing for any patented product during national or extreme emergency-which will allow domestic manufacturing of patented items and ensure steady supply. Royalty to the patent holder is paid by the controller general of patents or the High Court, if negotiations fail. After procrastinating for nearly a month, the government finally invited applications to manufacture patented vaccines, but who is responsible for precious time that has been wasted and the lives this indecision has cost?
The Central Government's shameful neglect of duty has resulted in the States being forced to outbid each other. This insane competition among the States is a creation of the Central Government's failure to procure vaccines for our people and instead putting the burden entirely on States - both monetarily and in terms of availability. Ironically, at a time when African nations have formed a Union to procure 22.2 crore doses of vaccine from Johnson and Johnson, a move that collectively gives them better bargaining power, India's Central Government has created a fastest fingers first situation for India's States. Putting the onus on States to pay higher prices for vaccines is immoral and unethical.
It is the irrational and premature celebration that one needs to warn against. Even as vaccination numbers fall steeply, the government's ambitious claims of 200 crore vaccine doses to be available by December seems unreal. Experts are not willing to buy this yet. Some senior virologists have in fact already raised the red flag on nasal and DNA vaccines that are being spoken about and given the past track records, they are rightly apprehensive of the targets being achieved.
To top it, a beaming picture of the Prime Minister on the vaccine certificate is a grim reminder of the single nuggets reason why India has failed - OVER CENTRALISATION. Be it procurement and mapping of oxygen, distribution of vaccines, essential drugs and ventilators - the central government has refused to treat States as partners in this battle. PM's monologues after every meeting with the Chief Ministers exemplifies why dialogue is so essential.
It is ironic how India, the largest manufacturer of oxygen, drugs and vaccines has lost precious lives due to acute shortage. It isn't just the opposition but people all across the country are enraged and want to know why were Serology Surveys, warnings from experts, scientific advisors even the Parliament's Standing Committee on Health ignored? Why did we waste a year electioneering when we should have instead been preparing for the second wave? Why is the government so averse to sound advice? Why did Dr Shahid Jameel, an eminent virologist on government's genome task force quit? But the question that is on everyone's mind now is about how prepared are we going to be for the third wave, that's expected to hit children hard? What paediatric arrangements are being made, given the many warning bells that have been issued?
Unfortunately, instead of focusing on the task at hand to save lives, the government, its key ministers and the BJP has chosen to indulge in cheap politics. Even after its lies have been called out, its forgery flagged and its fraud termed as manipulated media by independent fact checkers and social media giants like Twitter - the ruling party refuses to give up. It has now resorted to intimidation. But it will refuse to answer pertinent questions on the disease, series of missteps, misgovernance, acute shortage of life savings drugs, vaccines and oxygen. It has no answers for mismatch in ground realities and the official death figures across some of the BJP-ruled States. The party is tongue tied about dead bodies buried across river beds. Its sheer shamelessness to level charges against the opposition is a desperate attempt to divert attention- but its all in vain - the destruction on account of government's apathy is apparent all around us.
Mr Modi, call yourself what you may. But you are the system that has failed us all.
The author is All India Congress Committee General Secretary and Chief Spokesperson of the Congress Party. The views expressed are personal.
(Courtesy The Pioneer)
As the farmers’ stir completes six months today, it’s high time that it was simply called off
Wednesday, May 26, marks the completion of six months of the ongoing agitation by the farmers, who have been out in strength against the Union Government. They have steadfastly been speaking out against the Centre “unilaterally” passing the three farm laws. Their main demands have been that the three contentious laws be repealed and that the Centre assure them in writing that the concept of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) would be left untouched. They have been adamant on these demands, studiously and laboriously rejecting any overtures by the Government to call off their stir. In the meantime, a handful of State Governments, mainly belonging to the camp of the Opposition parties, have been overtly or covertly egging the cultivators on. The six-month history of the farmers’ agitation has seen its share of hardships, violence, blood and gore. Since the days they first pitched their ramshackle tents on the Capital’s periphery as the mornings started getting chilly to mounting the ramparts of the Red Fort in the forenoon of January 26 this year, the agitating farmers and their leaders have come a long way.
At one point in time, when it seemed that the farmers were getting frustrated with the ongoing impasse and had started turning back from Delhi’s borders, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait’s copious tears succeeded in halting their homeward progress. Be that as it may, the partial lockdown and the ravaging second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic drew away from them whatever little attention or sympathy they had been garnering. Now, seizing the chance that the half-year milestone provides them, the farmer leaders are out of their self-imposed hibernation. They are ostensibly making grand plans to mark the occasion and, to this end, various protests have been planned across the country to observe May26 as “black day”. Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has been flying a black flag on his house; SAD chief Sukhbir Badal says that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be talking to the farmers; Kisan Morcha leaders have renewed their call to observe Wednesday as “black day” and at least 12 Opposition parties have come out in support of the farmers’ protest call. But in this critical period of the raging pandemic, is this what the nation really wants, deserves? Shouldn’t we utilise our energies, our resources to do something better for our nation and its citizens? Think about it.
(Courtesy The Pioneer)
Ramdev’s attempts to run down other streams of medicine are not in good taste
The controversy surrounding yoga guru Ramdev refuses to die down. It is his own doing. He has ranged himself against the world of allopathy by claiming that the alternative science of ayurveda that he practices is superior. He chose an unfortunate time — right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic — for his derision of allopathy. The yoga guru called the allopathic treatment of Coronavirus a “tamasha (farce), bekaar (worthless) and diwaliya (lame duck)”. That was not all. Ramdev ridiculed the clamour for oxygen cylinders, wondering how can there be shortage of oxygen when God has filled the atmosphere with it. The doctors took umbrage at his words. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) formally protested and sought action against him. Top doctors said the disparaging remarks were frustrating to frontline medical workers. The doctors should not fall ill at all if allopathy is all-powerful, Ramdev remarked, his attack against allopathy unceasing. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan finally intervened and wrote a letter to Ramdev, criticising the remarks and asking him to withdraw them. The Minister said the yoga guru’s remarks were demoralising the medical force, hurting doctors and people alike and that his explanations were unsatisfactory. Ramdev must have realised he had gone too far this time, for he promptly issued a statement withdrawing his remarks. The withdrawal was, however, not unconditional, with him insisting that he and his workers have also, by using ayurveda and yoga, saved lives during the pandemic and this should be respected as well.
The very next day, he posted an open letter on his Twitter handle, posing questions to the IMA if allopathy offered permanent solutions for ailments like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, thyroid, arthritis and colitis. The post raged along those lines, repeatedly pointing out that allopathy was unable to find permanent cures despite being a 200-year-old science. Strange that Ramdev chose the pandemic to run down allopathy. There appears no reason other than trying to brand ayurveda as a superior science by criticising allopathy and promote his own products. He had no option but to withdraw his remarks, though he never meant to be sorry, given his combative tweet. It is but natural for competing alternative sciences to posture, but that is never at the cost of ruining the reputation of the other. In India, where medical care is handled primarily by allopathy, there is a Ministry for propagation of indigenous, alternative medicine systems called the Ministry of AYUSH — Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy. Would the yoga guru have recommended any one of his own people suffering from COVID-19 to reject allopathic treatment and seek only alternative medicine therapy? This is the time of the pandemic when all medicine systems are doing their best to control it or any aspect of it. These systems do not compete with one another, but complement one another, just as they ought to.
(Courtesy The Pioneer)
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