A Revolution by consent.

A Revolution by consent.

“ Revolution is not a dinner party”  is a famous observation by the  Revolutionary Chinese Communist leader, Mao Tse-Tung. He was just highlighting the pain and suffering that a revolution involves. Every revolution has costs, and people suffer. If, at the end, the revolution brings better life for the people, the people will feel that the suffering is worth it. So it is with the demonetisation of higher currency by the Modi government.

The Communist Revolution in China was a bloodbath while the revolution that Modi government has ushered in with the demonetisation of Rs.500 & Rs.1000 notes is a revolution by consent. Yes, there are costs - some people lost wages, some had to stand in a queue for long hours, some unscrupulous people have used their workers to exchange their currency.  By and large, people have welcomed the move as it is in the larger interest of the country.

PM Modi had promised to unearth black money hoarded in India and abroad during the election campaign. The NDA manifesto had mentioned it as all Congress scams were fresh in the minds of the people  - 2G scam, mining scam, CWG scam etc.

Modi had taken it up at the international fora and had made changes in the bilateral agreements with many countries to trace it. He had provided a window to the holders of black money to declare and pay taxes and penalty. He had also spoken about other stringent measures as well.   

Bouquets and brickbats

Dr.C.Rangarajan, the former governor of the Reserve Bank of India and Bric Bank Managing Director K.V.Kamath have welcomed the demonetisation. “ By far the most important outcome will be that ,” said former RBI governor, D.Subbarao, “ as the shadow economy merges with the formal economy, it will spur economic activity into a virtuous cycle.” Way back in 1923 Dr.B.R.Ambedkar had recommended replacement of Indian currency every ten years to curb corruption and inflation in his book, “ Problem of Indian Rupee”. It has been hailed by Bill Gates of the Microsoft and Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President of the European Commission.

There are voices of dissent as well. Some have said that black money would be generated after a few months or years. Most of the opposition parties such as Congress, CPI (M),SP and BSP have supported the objective of demonetisation but have spoken against its implementation which has inflicted hardship on people. While the government is ready to have a discussion on the issue, the opposition has stalled both the houses of parliament demanding that the PM be present and reply to the discussion.  

The Trinamul Congress and the AAP have called for “roll back” of demonetisation and have even organised protest rallies, and have made representation to the President of India, who has hailed it.

Only two opposition parties have welcomed it -  Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar JD (U) and. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik (BJD). Overwhelming people of the country have welcomed the move of the Prime MInister to stem the tide of corruption in the country as revealed in polls conducted by an agency, V-Voter, and by the PM’s office. The local body elections held in Maharashtra and Gujarat have confirmed the support of the people for the demonetisation.The applause that Modi gets at his public meetings also indicate people’s support.  

Lok Nayak, Jaya Prasad Narayan had called elections as “ gangotri” ( source) of corruption. It is to be hoped that Modi government would come out with a legislation to fund election by the government, and make it mandatory to have internal democracy among the recognised political parties to clean-up our political system. Internal democracy of the political parties is essential safeguard our democratic ethos.     

Some critics have opined that it could have been done without disrupting the normal economic activities of the people. “ Demonetisation politics, “ observes Pratap Bhanu Mehta, president of Centre for Policy Research, “ unfolds a vast morality play.” It's imagination unleashes the state on you, in the name of protecting your own virtue.”  He quotes approvingly the suggestion of Suyash Rai of NIPfP ( National Institute of Public Finance and Policy) to replace old currency with new within a period of three months to avoid costs to the public and the government itself. He has mentioned the cost of the exercise - cost of disruption of life, especially of the poor; cost printing and exchange of currency; loss of production in the industrial and agricultural sectors. This was also theme of the Former Prime Minister Dr.Man Mohan Singh when he spoke on this in the Rajja Sabha. He said there could be a reduction of 2% in GDP; it was a ‘monumental mismanagement’; a case of organised loot, legalised plunder of the common people; it may weaken the faith of the people in the banking system.

However, we all know that after years of planned economy, initiated by the Congress, and supported by the Communists and Socialists, India became virtually ‘the permit-license raj’ where selected businessmen and public sector companies had a monopoly to produce goods & services, and sell the shoddy goods at monopoly prices. The result is, 400 million people are below the poverty line. This is the real legalised plunder and mismanagement of the economy.

Things changed dramatically when PM Narasimha Rao liberalised Indian economy. The ‘unbound India” changed the face of Indian economy. Within a few years there were no queues for scooters, cars and telephones, and many other consumer goods. Indian economy raced forward to 8% GDP growth. “ Indeed the Congress, which had control of the economy for over 60 years,” states the Former Cabinet Secretary of the GOI, T.S.R.Subramanian, “ brought the country to its knees, and was primarily responsible for the hardship of the populace. Yet, it has shed the most tears for the ‘common man’. who was treated with great disdain hitherto.”

Rationale of demonetisation

“ There comes a time in the history of a country’s development,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi In his address to the nation on demonetisation on November 8, “when a need is felt for strong and decisive step. For years, the country has felt that corruption, black money and terrorism are festering sores holding us back in the race towards development.”

Corruption and black money are the curses for all countries, especially for the developing countries like India. Shadow economy in the US is estimated to be  8.6% of GDP ( about USD 1600 billion) by the Word Bank. It is 12.7% ( about USD 1400 billion) in China; 11% in (USD 480 billion) in Japan; and 22.2% ( USD 500 billion) in India. When people do not pay their taxes to the government, they cheat not merely the government but the community as well as the tax money is used to provide social services to the common people - to build schools, hospitals, roads, railways etc. One of the main reasons why our country has so many people below the poverty line 79 years of Independence is the menace of corruption and black money. It has well-said that  taxation is the price we for a civilized life.  

There is  black money ( money on which tax has not been paid) and there is fake money ( counterfeit money printed by criminals and enemy countries). While the black money is a curse on the people, fake money is a great threat to the country, and its people. The black money and the fake money has been used by the terrorists, motivated and trained by Pakistan; Naxalites who prevent economic progress to reach the poorest of the poor; and the separatists in the North-East and Jammu & Kashmir. Then there are drug mafia and the anti-social elements. According to the Finance Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Government of India, there has been a quantum jump in the suspicious transaction reports (STRs) during the last five years (2006-10 and 2010-15) - from 17,000 to 2,23,000. There has been an increase of 6.7% in the detection of counterfeit notes by the Banks and the RBI in 2015-16 -  6,32,926 from 5,94,446. The government wants to choke these activities.

The RBI  has stated that almost 81% ( Rs.11.35 lakh crore) out of the Rs. 14.17 lakh crore currency in circulation has come back into the banking system as on December 7,2016. It has supplied new notes worth Rs.3.81 lakh crore. It has also released lower denomination notes ( Rs.100, Rs.50, Rs.20 and Rs.10) amounting 19.1 billion pieces, more than what it supplied in the last three years. Demonetisation decision was taken to deal with the high quality counterfeit notes and to unearth black money held in cash, stated RBI Governor,Urjit Patel. The decision was taken after detailed deliberations.    

There are reports that some people have thrown the old notes in rivers, and some have used their workers to put them in their accounts. Some bank staff have helped in converting the black into white at a commission. The money in the Jan Dhan accounts have swelled from Rs.45,636.6 crore to 74,321.55 crore since November 9. Government of India and the Income Tax Department have a big task to filter the accounts and punish the guilty.

Origin of black money

It all started with rationing during the second world war by the British. Not merely cereals but writing paper and things like that were sold in black market at that time. Scarcity is the mother of black money. After Independence, prohibition of liquor and the ban on gold import, later nylon yarn/cloth gave phillip to black money, smuggling, corruption, and gang-wars. Weapons and drugs were also smuggled by these gangs. Gangs also got involved in real estate to threaten the tenants. This money also went into film business.

The web of black money and corruption has seeped into all activities in our country. Is there anybody in this country who has not paid black money to get a house/flat ?  Is there anybody in this country who has not paid speed money ?  What about the donation to get seats in the medical colleges ? Why our roads are in poor conditions ?  Why people have to wait to get a birth certificate for weeks ?

Efforts have been made to deal with it. Many previous governments have given amnesty to black money-holders. They have not brought about much change in the situation. Modi government too tried to persuade black-money holders to come clean. The demonetisation of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes has dealt a death-knell to these people. All their cash has become pieces of paper on the night of November 8.

Root causes and cure for black money

Root causes of black money are two - scarcity and high rate of taxation. When there was abundant supply of scooters, black money for scooters disappeared. If there is enough seats for higher education, donations will disappear. Black money got an impetus when the marginal tax on income reached 97% during the regime of Indira Gandhi. After the liberalisation of the Indian economy, when P.Chidambaram brought down the taxation rate in his ‘dream budget’, income tax revenue increased. Chanakya had said that the ruler has to collect tax like a honey-bee which collects it without hurting the flower. Ruler should not kill the hen that gives golden eggs.

The demonetisation revolution has offered an opportunity to all our citizens to start with a clean slate. If all major payments are made by a cheque, or the internet or by a mobile phone, it will minimize black money creation. If all government services are made available through the internet, interface between the bureaucrats and the people is reduced, speed money habit would come down drastically. It was started by CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh, has now been adopted by many others.This should be spread all over India.

Modi, like Mahatma Gandhi, believes that fundamental changes can be made only when  people are inspired by an ideal. Modi, believes he can bring prosperity to the people by abolishing corruption and black money and seeks cooperation from the public Let’s join the battle for a better India.  

December 14,2016

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The case for a holding co.

The case for a holding company.

Manish Sabharwal, Chairman, Teamlease Services, has written an excellent piece on Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in the Indian Express (dt.June 30,2016. The Public Sector Undertakings (PUUs) have a total invested capital of Rs.17,44,321 crore and the paltry returns on this capital is the main reason for the disrepute of socialism in India. He tells us that only 163 out of 290 PSUs are profiable. They are over-manned and they are being run like the government departments.The solution, as suggested by Sabharwal, is to professionalize its management. They should be converted into public limited companies with the participation of general public to ensure more accountability. There could be more than one holding company instead of one based on the sector of manufacture. The management structure should be such that the company makes full use of capital - financial, physical and human capital. Articles of  Manish Sabharwal always contain new ideas and are full of insight.  

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-case-for-holdco-psu-holdings-2884298/

July 4, 2015.

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Two years of Modi government.

Two years of Modi government : New Ideas, Initiatives & Dynamism.

Promise of democracy is not merely counting of heads instead of breaking them, it also provides an arena for the battle of ideas. Ever since Independence, India is ruled by one party and with one idea - eradication of poverty through socialism ( planned economy, commanding heights of the economy in the hands of politicians and bureaucrats ).  There were many slogans - socialist pattern of society, 'garibi hatao' , nationalisation of banks & insurance companies. The slogan of 'garibi hatao' remained just a slogan. Things started changing after Prime Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao liberalised Indian economy in 1991. He was forced to do so by the economic logic. There was no foreign exchange to pay for some essential imports. The Congress and their friends continued that policy as it increased the growth of the Indian economy and helped the governments to spend more money on the welfare activities. The change of policy was not because of conviction but because of convenience.

During the 2014 general election campaign Narendra Modi, NDA's prime ministerial candidate, offered the Indian people change and development based on his experience in Gujarat and his conviction. He believed in 'minimum government and maximum governance' and empowerment of the people.  During his tenure in Gujarat, he provided water and electricity to all the villages of the state. The semi-arid state  notched almost 10 percent agricultural growth for 10 years. His slogans, " India First " and " sabka saath, sabka vikas" were the result of his experience  and they won him the confidence of the electorate. He won with a clear majority - a majority no other government had received in the last 30 years.

New ideas and new initiatives

Modi government seeks to empower the people, especially the poor. Jan Dhan Yojana, a zero-balance bank account, enables the poorest of the poor to save his hard-earned money and avail credit needs as well. The government was able to enroll 21.56 crore poor in this scheme. It redeems the promise of the nationalisation of banks - helping the poor. The JAM ( Jan dhan, aadhar,mobile) scheme thought of during the UPA regime, is being implemented now. This scheme has the potential to stop leakages in all the government programmes for the poor. Modi government has introduced Life Insurance and Accident Insurance schemes for the poor with small premiums. There is a pension scheme for the old. This again is a promise made long ago by Shrimati Indira Gandhi. Modi can claim ' I have come to fulfill, not to destroy'.

To meet the needs of the small traders and businessmen, the government has launched Mudra Bank which provides loans from Rs.50,000 to Rs.10,00,000. An amount of Rs. 1.25 lakh crore has been disbursed to 3.30 lakh small enterprises. This section of our people depend more on a money lender than a bank. Mudra Bank is a bank for the unbanked.

Agriculture has received special attention. Crop insurance with a low premium and distribution of urea with neem-coating has benefitted the farmers. Under the programme, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, an amount of Rs.50,000 would be spent to improve irrigation in five years.Priority is being given to drip and sprinkler irrigation. Soil and seed testing facilities are being provided in 2000 outlets of fertilizer companies. Another major initiative is the e-auction in mandis all over the country. This will enable the farmers to sell their produce at the maximum price in the market.

The number of approvals/permits which delay the implementation of industrial units have been brought down to enable Indian and foreign businessmen to invest in India. India is today second only to China under the ' Ease of doing business' index among the developing countries. Many states have relaxed labour laws to attract more investment. Foreign investment in insurance industry has been increased to 49 percent to widen insurance coverage in the country. And the increased foreign investment ( 49 %)  in defense sector will bring in new technology and employment to India. Now India imports almost 70 percent of its armaments from foreign countries which is rich source of corruption.  

The Modi government has initiated some 30 programmes such as Digital India, Make in India, Smart cities, Skill India, Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao Yojana covering all aspects of national life. The government has injected new energy, purpose and dynamism in the moribund Indian Postal Department and the Railways. With a network of post offices in most of the Indian villages it has the potential to be the lead banker of the poor and the farmer. Efficient, clean and fast railway network would reduce carbon foot-print. For the first time the railway network is being expanded with funds and technologies from Japan and Spain.    

Modi himself has visited many countries to get more investment. Many countries such as USA, Japan, China have pledged to invest in India and to provide technology as well. His passion and fervour has changed the perception of India in the world. India is truly is 'on the go.'

Modi has not forgotten his promise to stop black money growth in the country and bringing back black money held in banks in safe havens abroad by Indian citizens. Many countries, including Switzerland and Mauritius, have agreed to share information on Indian citizens who have bank accounts and bank deposits in their countries. Recently, the government has been able to amend the double taxation avoidance treaty with Mauritius which is supposed to have been used by some businessmen to bring their black money to India. Many schemes such as Digital India, JAM, neem-coating of urea are aimed to reduce black money in the economy.  

This is a good beginning for any government, and good beginning, is, indeed, half done. Most of his initiatives will bear fruit within the next few years.

Assessment by experts and critics.

India Today, a leading weekly, has a comprehensive report on the two years of Modi government under the head, 'Now Go For Gold', with the sub-title, 'Two years on, Modi still sets the pace, but could have done better'. Aroon Purie, editor-in-chief, concludes, " It's good that the era of corruption and policy paralysis is behind us. It is now time to up the run rate. As the government enters the middle overs,Modi is still our best bet."  He says the Indian political class has no appetite for big bank reforms and that there is more focus on streamlining processes than on structural reforms.

Purie forgets what Modi said long ago that he has brought a changes in Gujarat with the same bureaucrats and the same laws. " Modi government@2 : Small changes have unlocked big bottlenecks", says Neelkanth Mishra, India Equity Strategist for Credit Suisse, and adds, " execution of plans has improved". This is exactly what he did in Gujarat. He motivated and encouraged the bureaucracy to give good results. He had 'chintan shivirs' with the top bureaucrats, and he asked them not to think in 'silos'. Many programmes are delayed because one arm of the government coming in the way of another. Everybody knows government is the biggest litigant in the country. His government has removed many bottlenecks for economic growth. Forest department, environmental department, tribal department and many others always carry on their differences for ever without any pragmatic solution.

Aroon Purie notes that there are no big-ticket scandals, and there is more transparency in the government through public auctions of natural resources. His foreign trips have helped change the image of the country globally. He bemoans 'the poor bench-strength' of the cabinet and his  silence on 'decisive issues'.

" While the Modi Sarkar has done well on economy, infrastructure and foreign policy," writes Raj Chengappa, Group Editorial Director, " it has been dragged down by setbacks on the political and social fronts." Modi deserves high marks for his management of the economy, and the government has increased investment in railways, highways, ports, power plants and in the petroleum sector. India is buying oil wells in many countries. He personally monitors the progress of these sectors, he observes. His fiscal prudence, notching up 7.6 percent GDP growth in spite of two consecutive droughts and maintaining low inflation does credit to him and his team. Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari,Suresh Prabhu,Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan have called "Panchratna" ( five diamonds) by the writer.             

" All things considered," observes Surjit Bhalla, a leading economist, " it is only fair to conclude that economic performance during the first two years of Modi were second-best in the last 20 years. Now think about this : If the Monsoon in 2016 is as expected, then the first three years of Modi will be the best three years since 1996, and possibly the best three consecutive years for Indian economy since Independence."

" The sense of defeatism has abated " writes Pratap Bhanu Mehta ( President, Centre for Policy Research), And adds, " But India is far from a deep transformation."  He says several schemes, like taking LPG to the poor, are potentially life transformative. There is no sense of a framework for the single most important challenge for India: Jobs. This is manifesting in social challenges bubbling from below.  

This analysis will not be complete without mentioning the evaluation by the farmer Finance Minister, P.Chidambaram, who writes in his column, Across the Aisle, " The once-in-a-generation mandate had endowed the government with enormous political capital that could be used to implement any reform, including some long-pending and difficult reforms. Alas, two years after May 2014, the government has become a punchline for jokes." He calls Modi government's land acquisition bill, Aadhar bill and GST bill as 'legislative misadventures'. Congress-mukta Bharat, pseudo-nationalism, toppling governments and clean chits to terror accused are attempt to target Congress. Foreign policy is a failure in Nepal, Pakistan and China.

One may agree or disagree with the bouquets and the brickbats  by the economic and political observers, a few things are irrefutable. Modi and his team have maintained high probity, notched a high rate of GDP growth in spite of two consecutive droughts, have stuck to the fiscal deficit norms and controlled inflation, have attracted more foreign investment,  and people of the country are optimistic about the future under their government. He and his team have continued with their development agenda in spite of obstruction by their friends and their foes.      

Two years is a short time.

Two years is a short time to evaluate Modi government. All schemes take time to bear fruit. However, one thing is certain : Modi has generated optimism about India's economic growth among the people of India, and even abroad. He exudes dynamism whatever he goes. He has 'out-of-the-box' ideas. He invited all the prime ministers from the SAARC countries for his oath-taking ceremony signifying his efforts to start a new chapter of friendship. He has reached out to neighbours and all major countries of the world without any 'hesitations of history'. He wants India to play its legitimate role in the world.

Modi appealed to the rich and middle class to give up subsidy for LPG and enable the government to give it the poor. Almost one crore responded. Five crore poor will get LPG within a short period.  This would save the eyesight of the poor and improve environment. His appeal reminds us the similar appeal by Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to miss a meal to feed the poor during the drought. People respond when a genuine leader asks people to sacrifice for a genuine cause.

The response for  ' Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' has been heartening. One survey mentions 52 percent found it making impact. Number of public toilets have increased, and now many houses in the villages have toilets. Infrastructure - railways, roads, power generation - are doing well. The power ministry is expecting to provide 24 X 7 electric power to all over India by 2017. GST is likely to be passed during this fiscal year which is expected to add one to two percent to GDP.

The most important change Modi is striving to do is to change the mind-set of the people. He wants people to be the change-makers. He always talks about mass movement for all changes in the society and the country. He has taken a leaf from the life of Mahatma Gandhi who awakened the people for swaraj through mass movement. The 'ma-baap' sarkar curbs the initiative of the people. Empowered people create a future for themselves, and that is why the government has set up Mudra Bank, Skilled India, Digital India, hubs which offer government venture funds to young technocrats with new ideas to set up enterprises, and create employment opportunities. Who wants charity and subsidy if he gets opportunity to build his own future and his own fortune ?           

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Freedom of Expression in USA.

Freedom of expression in USA.

It is a bit amusing to read the remark made by the President of the Princeton University, Christopher L.Eisgruber that his university would allow students to commemorate Osama bin Laden ( Indian Express.March 17 & March 19) He was responding to the comment by the Union Minister M.Venkaiah Naidu who asked whether US would allow students to celebrate the martyrdom of Osama bin Laden. Eisgruber said that people would be angry but the university would not discipline somebody for that. Public memory is proverbially short but it is not that short. Indian people still remember the opposition to the participation of Narendra Modi in a seminar on India organised by the Harvard University, and the invitation was eventually withdrawn by the University. People also remember that Dr.Subramaniam Swamy, who did his PhD in the University, and later regularly  took summer classes in the same university, was not allowed to lecture after his views on Muslims was published in a newspaper in India. We know Harvard is not Princeton, and may have different views or interpretation of 'freedom of expression'. Fact of the matter is, USA is not a paradise of freedom of expression in the world. Remember Senator Joseph McCarthy and his crusade against intellectuals ?     

http://epaper.indianexpress.com/751596/Indian-Express-Mumbai/17-March-2016#clip/9159303/771da0cd-2f0e-48a6-abd8-abfac30aa42e/179.66666666666666:284.5387840670858

http://epaper.indianexpress.com/753675/Indian-Express-Mumbai/19-March-2016#page/14

March 22,2016.

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An ordeal by water ( Jal-Pariksha) in Chennai.

An ordeal by water ( Jal-Pariksha) in Chennai.

We happened to be in Chennai on that fateful day - December 1, 2015. I and my wife were staying there with my son and his family to celebrate the 5th birthday of our grand-daughter in one of the bungalows on the ground floor in Krishna Enclave, a new cluster of buildings in the suburbs of Chennai - Manapakkam. Adyar River was just two furlongs away. Ever since our arrival on October 30, there have been rains intermittently throughout the month. Everybody said we have brought rain to the city.

In the last week of November there were floods in some areas of Chennai. We saw on our TV screen people going up the terrace of buildings and waiting for the helicopters to drop foodstuffs and water bottles. It never occurred to us that our colony  could be the next one to have a similar experience. I have seen many such videos on the TV screen from all over India during the heavy rains.

On December one, we had no electricity, not even from the inverter. It was dark, and we lit a candle in the evening and chatted about my village life and the joint family with many cousins.

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board had denied power to our area several times to protect us from short-circuit, and so we did not suspect anything will happen to us. We all slept at about 11.30 p.m. Early in the morning, my wife went to the restroom and felt that some water was coming in. Suddenly all of us were awake, and decided to go up to the upper floors. We took some essentials like toothpaste and brush, purse etc. We all thought water will not inundate our three-bedroom flat. Later, when we saw water gushing up, we took some eatables, milk, some clothes etc.Our flat had water up to six feet and submerged all our rooms and kitchen including fridge, washing machine, microwave, most of our clothes, TV set, laptop, bookcase, rice, vegetables, and many other things. Car was also submerged in the garag.

We stayed on the second and later, on the third floor the whole day. Next day morning, when the water receded, the volunteers of Sri Ram Chandra Mission, an organization which offers meditation course - Sahaj Marg ( The Natural Way to God), which has an Ashram nearby, helped us wade through the knee-deep water in front of our house, and took us to the flat of one of their abhyasis (members). We stayed with his family for a night, and next day we were accommodated by them in a school bus to Bengaluru - a journey of nine hours with two breaks. We reached Bangalore at 1 a.m. and one of our good friends picked us up  and took us to the house of a close relative. This 'three-day and two-nights' were unforgettable for us. Thank the Lord, who gave us, both senior citizens, strength to bear the privation - little water, little appetite and little food, disturbed sleep and no bath. Our experience with the Chennai flood fury is nothing compared to the deaths and destruction wrought by the flood on the poor, especially those who stay in the hutments that surround the canals and roads of Chennai.

The Deluge….

If only the local governments - both municipal and state - had given us some advance notice of a few hours, we could have saved most of the things that we lost. Apparently, release of water from Chembarambakkam Lake was announced by the authorities, and we were not aware of it as there was no power, no TV, and no communication through the landline/ mobile/ laptop. We were literally in the dark. I wish the authorities had announced the message through loud-speakers or through NGOs in the area. Much of the deaths and destruction could have been avoided.

We are fortunate to have escaped with our lives but many have paid with their lives. The newspapers mention some 400 deaths, and it could be more.  Lakhs of people were displaced. Flood waters surrounded schools and hospitals, and people had to depend on boats to go to safer places. Some three hundred students of an International School in Chennai which was inundated had to use boats to evacuate the children from India and abroad. Some of the hospitals had to close down their operations due to power failure, and they could not keep even dead bodies in the mortuary. This dance of death and destruction is more man-made than created by the nature. Uncertain and unusual rain is also man-made, and it is called 'climate change'.

The deaths, the destruction and the climate change are the results of man's greed - the politicians blinded by power, bureaucrats who break and bend the law, and the builders for whom one inch of land is more precious than a life. This reminds one the great bard Shakespeare's stinging words :

As flies to wanton boys are we to th' gods,They kill us for their sport.

( King Lear, Act 4, Scene 1).  

……..And after

After the deluge all governments - city, state and central -  started the relief operations.The Chennai city officials claimed to have put up some 199 rain-relief camps all over the city, and have removed over a lakh tonnes of sludge and garbage from the city. Some 300 pumps were used to pump water from 859 localities. The total loss to the city and other parts of state is estimated to be of the order of Rs. 50,000 to Rs.100,000 crore. The central government has announced an amount Rs.1000 crore and the state government, Rs.500 crore for the relief of affected people. The Chief Minister has announced a grant Rs,10,000 for all displaced persons as a measure of relief. How much of this meagre sum reaches the right people is to be seen now. Relief measures, whether it is a flood or a drought, gives opportunities to unscrupulous to fleece the poor.    

Many NGOs and even individuals have organised relief operations before the officials reached the flood-affected people - with food-stuffs,water, blankets etc. Some 20 to 30 units of the NRDF ( National Disaster Response Force) had rescued more than ten thousand people and they deserve all the encomiums heaped on them. Army, Navy and the Air Force earned goodwill with their relief services - food and transport.   

It is not just the failure of governance but there was also lack of milk of human kindness.. It was reported that some political parties pasted photo of their leaders on the relief materials coming from other cities & towns, and delayed the distribution of the same. It was also reported that candles were sold for Rs.60 each, tomatoes for Rs.140 a kilo and onions for Rs.100 a kilo by some shop-keepers.

In times of crisis both the good and the bad in man manifest themselves.  

The reasons for the flood fury.

The Centre for Science and Technology (CSE) has pinpointed the reasons for devastation caused by the floods in Chennai. It said that Chennai could have fared better if it had protected and preserved its natural water bodies and the drainage channels. Chennai had more than 600 water bodies in the 1980s, and the master plan published in 2008 mentions only a fraction of them in good condition. CSE points out that Chennai is not just water-scarce city but is prone to floods as well. It is to be noted that Chennai has 2870 km of roads and that it has only 950 km of storm-water drains (39%).  

The politicians, the builders and the bureaucrats have built over most of these water bodies instead of around them as is the case with some other countries. I have seen it in Minneapolis, USA, where everything is constructed around the lakes which abound in the city. A boat ride in the canals of Amsterdam provides the glimpses of the city to the visitor.  Venice is famous for its canals. Here in Chennai, canals have become dirty channels for sewage and garbage. Chennai has two small rivers - Adyar River and Cooum River, and Buckingham and Captain Cotton Canals. There are about 12 waterways and canals which pass through the city. There was a PWD project costing Rs.80 crre to clean some of the canals in 2014. Nobody knows what happened to it.

One wonders why nobody, not even the leading architects, the captains of industry and the environmentalists take up this issue with the authorities. How one wishes that Rs.1000 crore of the Central Government and Rs.500 crore of the State Government could have been used to clean up the rivers and canals, and prevented the flooding instead of using it to rehabilitate the dishoused and distressed after the floods.

The betterment of the city cannot be entrusted to the whims and fancies of politicians, bureaucrats and the builders alone. People have to take it as their social responsibility. The corporate sector can take it up as their CSR activity. Funds may also be available from the Central Government's 'Clean India' campaign funds. Now is the time for the public-spirited citizens of Chennai assert their right to clean city and dignified life. Responsible citizenship demands active participation by people, especially the elite of the society - captains of industry and business; professionals like doctors, lawyers, teachers; NGOs as concerned citizens.

Everybody knows who are the culprits, and nobody has owned responsibility. There is conspiracy of silence. Success has many fathers but failure is an orphan. Common people have passed the agni-pariksha with flying colours but the administration has failed

How to control flooding in Chennai ?

" It is the standard practice", says A.Srivathsan, professor, CEPT University,Ahmedabad, " in cities across the world to prepare for 100-year flood recurrence period."  In some cities in Canada are preparing once in a 500-year flood possibility, he adds. In view of this, the argument that Chennai floods happened after 100 years holds no water.  Writing in the Indian Express (Mumbai,Dec.12,2015) under the title,' In Chennai, a disaster foretold', he emphasises the need for reclaiming the natural water bodies. He says that preparing the hazard map is the easiest thing. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has collected data for three decades on this for Chennai and other cities of Tamil Nadu. This could be the starting point. However, he observes that the state government has repeatedly condoned building and land use violations, and the coastal regulations have been overlooked. The compliance of these regulations is the challenge for the state and the local governments.

Srivathsan says the first task is to enhance preventive measures. Flood zones could be mapped with field surveys, historical records and satellite imagery. This data could be shared with the citizens to help them decide the location of their house. This data could be used to regulate construction. In England, he says, cities have clearly demarcated flood zones based on the level of flooding - development is allowed in a zone of low risk area and construction in other zones is strictly regulated. Construction in areas where flood depth exceeds 600 mm, the construction has to be wet and flood-proof.

India has experience and expertise in planning a city. Most of the cities have data on the land and have a set of regulations. The challenge is to obey the rules. If we do not follow traffic rules, we will have accidents sooner or later. If we do not follow environmental regulations, we are bound to have environmental disaster such as Chennai floods. Truly, where there is no vision or no regulation, people perish. However, the sad truth is, it is the poor and the vulnerable who bear the brunt. The time has come for people with conscience to stand up for them.

Journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. Who will take the lead ? Duniya jhukti hai, jhukane wala chahiye. People follow if there is a leader. Is there a leader ?

Jan.15,2016.

        

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