Sustainable Development? But, For Whom?

When looked from space, Earth is a beautiful planet – there are continents and oceans, and there are no countries and borders.

From space one can see vanishing rainforests, melting ice caps and expanding deserts – they have no respect for borders, because there are no borders. They engulf us all.

Earth is one planet of its kind, and the only home we have at present.

It was in 1962, with the publication of Silent Spring, a book by Rachel Carson, that the environmental movement to protect our planet began. She documented ill effects of pesticide such as DDT on environment, and raised concern about malpractices adopted by chemical companies.

In 1972, UN held a conference on Human Environment, at Stockholm. Same year USA banned DDT, and India enacted Wildlife Protection Act.

But, the concept of Sustainable Development was not yet on the table until 1987, when the Brundtland Commission, in its report named “our common future” gave a widely used definition of sustainable development:

“development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

It is apparent from the definition that ‘future generations’ mean human race.

The question is, sustainable development for whom? only for human race?

With glaring inequalities everywhere, for whom does within human race the concept of sustainable development apply?

And what about our planet? its environment – flora and fauna?

In the neoliberal world we are living in, the concept of sustainability is twisted to meet the demands of businesses.

Sustainable economy, sustainable agriculture and sustainable markets: they all sustain poverty, malnutrition, and inequality.

After the publication of Brundtland report, UN held Earth Summit in 1992. It adopted Agenda 21, Rio Declaration and formed Commission on Sustainable Development.

Since then little has changed in the attitude of nations and industries, and much has changed in our climate and environment.

Carrying capacity of the earth is being tested to limits, the list of endangered species of plants and animals is growing, pollution of atmosphere and ocean is increasing, yet there has been little action to mitigate or avert impending dangers to our own existence.

Governments encourage businesses either under lobbyists’ pressure or in the hope that they bring development. But at what cost?

Both environment and people without power suffer in the end. When disaster strikes, the powerful will have means to escape, but the poor will perish.

Sustainable development doesn’t apply to poor tribes, it doesn’t apply to the forest they live in and worship.

Earth as a whole must be cared for, and united action by nations remembering for a moment that they live on a borderless planet is what needed to sustain the planet and its inhabitants.

Conflict between rich and poor countries, rich and poor people only make earth poor and unsustainable.

The Myth of Bloated Bureaucracy

Today’s The Hindu newspaper reports that there are 1,622.8 government servants for every 100,000 residents in India. It also says that Indian Railways employs 44.81% of entire Central government workforce. Also, 59.69 per cent public servants belong to Group C and 29.37 per cent to Group D.

In USA there are 7,681 servants for every 100,000 residents. Four times more than India’s. The Hindu says that this figure busts the myth that India’s bureaucracy is “bloated”.

Do we need stats to prove a point even though it is apparent most of the times that things are not working properly. Take for example the percentage of malnourished children; people below poverty line; farmer suicides etc. – though media neglects these issues, it is visible in the countryside that all is not well. Government awakens (but doesn’t take any action) only when a report is published and publicized.

Coming to much maligned and abused bureaucracy, it was not a white elephant as it was projected. The fact is that there are not enough number of qualified, skilled and talented workforce to guide, support and inspire Group C and D workers – who have grown thick skins in the absence of such talent above them.

It is these class of workers who are part of actual white elephant.

3 months ago I applied for a new BSNL land line and broadband connection. I got this connection only 10 days ago, thanks to lackdaisical attitude of BSNL staff. It took active coercion through regular calls’ mails and threats of consumer court stuff from me to make them work. The reason for delay, if I have to believe the engineer in charge, was that there were no people to dig and erect a pole to draw phone line to my home!! And also he explained some confusing stuff that he has to call tender and allot contract etc etc.

Here is a public sector loss making company which has excuses to make instead of delivering services to its customers. What is the meaning that there are no people to dig? Visit any office of BSNL, all you see is lazy Group D employees chit chatting. When they finally came to install connection, when I enquired the reason behind delay, a staff said that recruitment for the C and D posts hasn’t took place for long time, and old staff is reluctant to involve in manual labour as they have been promoted and are earning handsome salary now!!!.

In some cases these workers ‘outsource’ their job to daily wagers. It costs them less than 20% of their salary.

If MGNREGA has failed it is because of lack of skilled man power at panchayat level. Instead of pouring thousands of crores in the heat of publicity, government should use common sense to equip panchayat with necessary infrastructure and manpower first. They should be trained also. It costs fraction of allocated budget. They pour money into a bottomless system, and later complain that the money did not reach the poor.

It is common sense that proper implementation requires proper people in proper places.

Musings On Solitude

Ignorance may be bliss, or a good distraction may be a boon in times of personal crisis. Best way to beat emotional distress is to get busy with something – may be pursuing a hobby or meeting friends etc. In spite of multitude of remedies, we tend to be unhappy in life. Loss of concentration; wandering mind restless to search for means to get away with depression; and ultimately weakening of spirits because of elusiveness of the happiness we are searching for. Not withstanding the cliche that happiness is within us, humans would never stop looking for it outside their own body and soul.

Many philosophers and  authors have always tried to escape the cacophany of the material world and recluse themselves into a secluded world where they could unleash their creative geniuses to weave masterpieces or to just get some mental peace. Henry Thoreau wrote his classic Walden, or Life In The Woods, when he was under self imposed exile conducting experiment with simple life in Walden Pond, near Concord, Massachusetts. American poet Robert Frost wrote of Thoreau, “In one book … he surpasses everything we have had in America.” And that masterpiece was the outcome of his experiment with simple and solitary living in the woods.

But was he happy to be alone in the woods? I don’t know, but the book, his creative child would have definitely brought him much joy later.

Jawaharlal Nehru wrote Discovery of India when he was imprisoned in Ahmadnagr fort during 1942-46; also his other classic Glimpses of World History, a collection of 196 letters he wrote to his daughter Indira, were written while he was imprisoned in various jails between 1930-33. Mahatma Gandhi, a prolific writer(his Complete Collection of Works run into some 40,000 pages!!!), was always at peace in his ashrams where he weaved unforgettable quotes for the mankind to find solace in times of hardships.

Peace of mind is what brings best out of every human being. Quietness, and distraction-free hours to contemplate are the needs of the time we are living in. Surrounded by gadgets of all kinds which have invaded our personal life leaving us little or no space of our own to ponder over or muse about simple things that life offers us, we have virtually become slaves of materials that do not emote. Solace which we need is expected from machines, and people living next doors or people living within our very own indoors are neglected and forgotten.

Antonio Gramsci, important Marxist thinker and political philosopher of 20th century wrote some 3000 pages of essays, analyses while he was imprisoned in Rome by Benito Mussolini. When he was awarded imprisonment, his prosecutor said of him, ‘ we must stop his brain from functioning for 20 years’!. Yet the imprisonment helped Gramsci contribute immensely to the political philosophy of the world in the form of Prison Notebooks. The prosecutor, little did he realize that brains function best when put away from worldly distractions.

Invasion of technology into our lives when becomes pervasive will only breed contempt. We are social animals, but that is to mingle and breed. In the end it is very own personal space that will give us our joy.

Montaigne wrote his Essays locking himself in his library in the famed Tower of Chateau.  These essays are considered as path breaking literature of its kind and a world classic. He wrote about himself:

‘……… long weary of the servitude of the court and of public employments, while still entire, retired to the bosom of the learned virgins, where in
calm and freedom from all cares he will spend what little remains of his life, now more than half run out. If the fates permit, he
will complete this abode, this sweet ancestral retreat; and he has consecrated it to his freedom, tranquility, and leisure.’

He was a rich man but was afflicted by the poverty of happiness. He resorted to solitude.

Solitude brings freedom. This freedom will help in realizing one’s creativity and bringing it into fruition in some artistic form. Any freedom from worldly distractions will spark creativity. Buddha attained enlightenment in solitude; Swami Vivekanada meditated to get nearer to the god. He once said, ‘that man has reached immortality who is  disturbed by nothing material’. That is only a saying for he himself could not rescue from the material world. ( read The Monk As Man). But he attained greatness unsurpassed at a very young age. That is indisputable.

Earlier I used to sit for 3-4 hours continuously and read. Now it is not happening thanks to internet, tablet, laptop and TV. Still these can not beat aroma and substance of real books. Fortunately with which I am still in touch.

What we need is long lonely walks; few hours in a room full of books where cell phone is switched off and internet is absent; or if you don’t like books, replace them with people you love, talk to them switching off TV and PC. Solitude is not entirely loneliness, it is about giving ourselves substantial time out of 24 hours to rescue us from being engulfed by unnecessary pursuits that will bring harm in the long term.

If at all you are wondering where your creativity has vanished, try solitude, contemplate – free yourself from facebook and get into a real book. Or if you don’t like books just talk, cook or meditate. Best, just sleep.

Lid On Free Thinking

I haven’t read Satanic Verses, but I may read it in near future thanks to the hype and controversy created around it. It is scary to read works of Salman Rushdie not because they are blasphemous, but because they are difficult for me to understand at first reading. I read Midnight’s Children twice to get some idea of the book.  Former chief justice of India, Markandeya Katju has called Rushdie a substandard author. That is his opinion. He gave this statement in the context of controversy surrounding Jaipur Literary Festival regarding opposition to Rushdie’s purported participation in the fest and the media frenzy over the issue which has blown it out of proportion as usual.

People forgot what the festival was about amidst the chaos generated by splinter groups protesting for and against Rushdie’s presence. My curiosity to read Satanic Verses is fueled by the question that why it has stirred hornet’s nest and how it has hurt sentiments of certain section of our society.

23 years ago the book was banned in India under a section of the customs act that prohibits its import and distribution in the country. Strangely, this law doesn’t ban the reading of the book. I can venture to read it if I can grab a copy (ebook).

Now coming to the question of free speech, authors have always been the victims of political decisions. Governments don’t understand that by banning the book they are making it inaccessible materially, and not proscribing the idea of the book which is indestructible. These measures will only make the book more popular and ignite curiosity of new generations like mine who had no clue of the controversy  surrounding the book.

Ideas live and thrive. They can be blasphemous, derogatory and offensive to some section of the society – be it be art or literature, suppressing them will only create wider publicity and of course infringement on free speech. This idea of free speech is the victim of political expediency from time immemorial. People in power or with some influence get away when they make or create such abusive ideas – for example, politicians in South Asia or heads of religious groups frequently make hate speeches but they are still widely followed and are scot-free most of the times – laws are flexible for them, can be bent or broken to protect them – whereas an author or an artist is ostracized  and forced to live in exile.

Democracies and dictatorships alike resort to such measures of banning books or allowing certain sections (civil society, pressure groups) of the society to influence their policies for political and propagandist reasons.

If Satanic Verses is blasphemous then create awareness peacefully to not to read it. If an art is blasphemous then don’t see it (analogy can be drawn with Slut Walk!! ) leave it to the faculty of individual judgement, don’t deprive those interested  from an opportunity to cultivate the habit of free thinking and free will.

Governments do not hesitate to deregulate economy, but when it comes to free speech and information they will never hesitate to regulate these – for they are aware that information is such a powerful tool that can strengthen voices of downtrodden, and shake the foundations of power.

Two Stories, Same Plot

It is a story of remarkable coincidence, but a sad one.

In July 1985, a news story from Orissa caught the attention of whole nation. It was about a woman, Phanas Punji who sold her 14 year old sister-in-law  to a ‘blind old man’ for Rs.40. She told everyone that it was an extreme measure she took to save her own starving children.

Phanas Punji and Family (Image: Everybody loves a good drought, P. Sainath)

This happened in Kalahandi district – infamous for starvation, malnourishment and extreme poverty – along with few more surrounding  districts (KBK corridor – Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput).

Media extensively covered the story. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited the district and announced special packages.

Nine years later, P. Sainath visited Phanas, her ‘sold out’ sister-in-law, Banitha – and he was appalled to see their conditions remain same. Banitha now had three children from her ‘old blind man’, and she was working in Anganawadi earning Rs 25 a day – insufficient to feed three children, and unemployed blind husband. (P Sainath says that the man was not old, but was in twenties when he ‘bought’ Banitha for 40 rupees – media, in its frenzy had vilified him).

After that story broke up, government ( J B Patnaik was CM) announced slew of relief  measures for the region.

Even today, under KBK plan, 8 districts get Rs 130  crore every year from the central government along with many other funds from state government.

KBK plan is now brought under BRGF – Backward Regions Grant Fund.

This story attracted my attention because of a similar story published in The Hindu today.

A woman belonging to scheduled caste from Chitradurga district in Karnataka has put her daughters for sale – to raise money to bribe officials who have rejected her application for the post of anganawadi worker even though she is eligible.

She has scored 62.5% in matriculation, belongs to a priority category and is a widow.

Chitradurga is one of 5 districts in Karnataka declared as backward region and eligible to recieve funds under BRGF scheme. (other districts are: Davangere, Bidar, Raichur and Gulbarga).

My friend who was working as Panchayat Development Officer in the district used to narrate stories where the fund was systematically siphoned off from corrupt officials from bottom to top.

This is not 1985.

In 2012, in LPG India (Liberalized, ‘Politicized’ and Globalized), hysterical media has no appetite for such stories anymore. Media houses are owned by businessmen and politicians, and their agenda is profit maximization at the cost of ‘real’ stories.

Vanishri, the woman who has put her daughters on sale will not receive the audience of any of our politicians, not even DC of Chitradurga. (PM’s visit is beyond imagination)

What it tells us is that funds never reach people at the bottom. Rajiv Gandhi knew it better.

Vanishri and Her Daughters (The Hindu)

Vanishri needs that job to feed her daughters and secure them a future. She may not know the story of 1985, but her method of protest tells us that though separated by 30 years of time and thousand kilometers of  distance, her story has a same plot and a climax.

After reading this story today, I referred P. Sainath’s award winning book Everybody Loves A Good Drought – stories from India’s poorest districts, and found the story of Phanas who had to sell her sister-in-law then in 1985.

Fortunately for Sainath, India’s poorest districts are still abound with such stories.