Tightening screws on NGO sector to push development

TEAM TOI





Modi government's relationship with NGOs, par ticularly those funded by foreign donors, has been troubled from the word go. But home ministry officials say the action against NGOs in the past year is an extension of UPA's policy of tightening the screws on organizations against development projects, negatively impacting GDP growth. Work on the IB report that prepared the ground for action against Greenpeace, for example, was undertaken during UPA's tenure. The report's damning revelations left the Modi government little choice but to invoke FCRA to put Greenpeace International funding under prior permission category .One is bound to look at the action against NGOs through the prism of the troubled relationship that Modi had with them during his days as Gujarat CM. That was when NGOs targeted him for his alleged “complicity in the 2002 riots“.
Although a large number of NGOs are associated with the Sangh Parivar, it's always eyed foreign-funded organizations with suspicion, see ing them as a nuisance for India's sovereignty . VHP has issues with NGOs that get funds from abroad working in environment, which insist on implementing norms that aren't seen as feasible.This, it points out, impedes growth. Some of these organizations, the Parivar objects, are allegedly involved in proselytasation.
While UPA may have felt that NGOs were too big -22,702 of them together received Rs 11,546 crore in 2011-12 -to be left unpoliced, one gets the impression that under Modi, there's a new-found keenness to enforce the rules, winked at by earlier governments.
Ford Foundation has been in the NGO funding business for long. But it's only now that it's being asked to comply with FCRA.It had defaulted on these provisions, funding non-FCRA registered NGOs in Gujarat, some of which had associated with campaigns against Modi when he was CM.
The offloading of Greenpeace India activist Priya Pillai from a London-bound flight in January was part of the government insistence on making NGOs play by the rules. Though Delhi HC directed the government to expunge the `offload' remark in her passport, home ministry says they were right in restraining her from indulging in an anti-national campaign on foreign soil, briefing British MPs on the “negative“ impact of the Mahan coal project at Singrauli.
Add to this the cancellation of licences of 10,117 NGOs, inspection of accounts of 165 and freezing of accounts of 34, civil society's mistrust of the Modi government has only grown deeper.

Was Rana Pratap great, or just heroic?

Akshaya Mukul

New Delhi:





Politics Puts History Under Stress

History is under great stress these days with not a single week passing when a new narrative of past events and individuals is not being introduced. Latest is from home minister Rajnath Singh regretting that Rajput warrior Maharana Pratap has not got the same respect as Akbar despite putting up a great resistance against him.Singh's angst was immediately noticed with the Haryana government issuing public advertisement remembering the Rajput warrior. In this attempt to canonize Pratap, reputed accounts have taken a back seat and emotions are running high.
`Veer Vinod' based on Me war Records is one historical account that is taken seriously by professional historians.Writers of `Veer Vinod' knew both Persian and Sanskrit and the text does refer to Rana Pratap as a heroic figure.Somehow, that account does not put him on the same pedestal as Akbar, who had a panIndian presence.
Eminent historian Irfan Habib says, “This controversy was first created by Ashirbadi Lal Srivastava in the 1940s when as a biographer of Akbar he said both Shivaji and Rana Pratap were great figures.“ He says even Colonel Todd, the author of `Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan' also called him heroic. “No one denies he was not heroic.Even his opponents admit it.But that is it,“ Habib says, adding that one reason for Pratap's lack of stature was internal conflicts of Rajput principalities like the Mewar House and Jaipur House. For instance, Man Singh was on Akbar's side and part of Jaipur House. Under Man Singh Akbar's army crossed Indus.
Habib says this is an attempt to re-invent history and remembers former NCERT director raising Rana Pratap debate during Vajpayee's time too. However, Sardindu Mukherji, member of the ICHR and vocal among right wing historians, has his own narrative which he blames India's “progressive left for distorting history“.“They are jihad friendly ,“ he says, adding that history of Hindu resistance has not been recognized and therefore Rana Pratap has been relegated, what he claims, to the margins. Mukherji also does not think too much of the fact that Rajput generals were at the helm of Akbar's army and dismisses them as “co-option of few defeated people“.To an analogy that Rana Pratap was like Arvind Kejriwal whose ability as a campaigner is limited to Delhi, Mukherji says, “National reach has to be balanced against national resurgence.“ He also says, without citing any source, that Akbar called himself a `ghazhi', one who kills unbelievers in jihad.
Delhi University historian Seema Alavi finds the comparison between Pratap and Akbar disconcerting. “I feel historical figures are being invoked for political gains,“ she says, adding that based on a set of documents any historical figure can be projected in a certain way . “A larger context is built through inter-textual and inter-disciplinary research. One cannot talk about any historical figure through one archive,“ she explains.
Farhat Hasan, another DU professor, is more direct and says there is very little evidence to back the claim that Rana Pratap was as big as Akbar. “It is an attempt to communalise history , distort history, appropriate history to promote right-wing ideology's divisive agenda,“ he says, adding that “heroes are created only through fabrication“ in which bazaar gossip becomes historical narrative.

St.Stephen’s admission procedure announced

The admission procedure for 2015-16 has been announced by St.Stephen’s College. The college does not need to be following Delhi University’s admission policy and uses its own, it is following the same schedule for application. The entirely online process begins on Thursday, May 28, 2015 on the college website, www.ststephens.edu. The last date for submitting applications is June 15, 2015.
candidates will be shortlisted on the basis of best–four–subjects (BFS) aggregates or physics-chemistry-mathematics aggregate (PCM) but there will be “short written aptitude tests” of 30 minutes duration before the interviews. “These tests carry 5% over-all weightage,” says a statement from the college announcing admissions. The college prospectus will be posted online before May 28. The written tests will be conducted at 7:30 am for candidates who’ll be interviewed in the pre-lunch sessions. Those appearing for interviews after lunch will write their tests at 1:30 pm.

“The final selection will be based on composite merit, which comprises Class 12 marks (85% weightage), aptitude test (5% weightage) [and] interview (10% weightage,” says the statement. Explaining the needs for interviews, the statement says, “St. Stephen’s values interviews as a special and important means entrusted to us to assess students in an all-round manner. We are keen to exercise this sacrosanct right with utmost responsibility, transparency and objectivity. Every effort shall be made to put candidates at ease so that they can be assessed at their best, and not at their nervous worst. Most candidates in the past have recognized these interviews as a “surprisingly pleasant” experience, in retrospect”.

It may be mentioned that recently, a resolution was passed by St Stephen’s College’s Supreme Council stating that its alumni have not right to interfere in its internal matters. This development came in the backdrop where a group of former students, Association of Old Stephanians, alleged “rampant illegalities” in the functioning of the college. The college’s Supreme Council, which is the decision making body of the institution, resolved that certain alumni are resorting to “false propaganda” and the college shall not be forced to deviate from “its time-tested traditions, conventions and convictions, nor forego its Constitutional rights, through any tactic or strategy based on it.”

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NRHM 10 yrs on: Short of centres by 20-30%, of doctors by 70-80%

Former Union health secretary Sujatha Rao links the problem to poor spending. “In all these years we have spent Rs 6,000-7,000 crore on physical infrastructure in NRHM while the gap is of Rs 70,000 crore. Our total health spending has never been more than 1% of the GDP; the US spends 18-20% and the UK 9-12%,” she says. “Seventy per cent of the disease burden and bad health indicators are in 250 districts. The central government has to fund healthcare there.”

Former Union health secretary Sujatha Rao links the problem to poor spending. “In all these years we have spent Rs 6,000-7,000 crore on physical infrastructure in NRHM while the gap is of Rs 70,000 crore. Our total health spending has never been more than 1% of the GDP; the US spends 18-20% and the UK 9-12%,” she says. “Seventy per cent of the disease burden and bad health indicators are in 250 districts. The central government has to fund healthcare there.”

Inevitably, the shortfall puts severe pressure also on existing infrastructure. A rural sub-centre is supposed to cater to a population of 3,000-5,000. In India the 1,52,326 such centres would be responsible for 5,473 people each, going by the 2011 population census. A PHC is supposed to cover 20,000-30,000 but the average coverage of the 25,020 PHCs in 2014 stood at 33,323. A CHC is supposed to cover 80,000-1,20,000; India’s 5,363 provide services to an average 1,55,463.

During the entire 12th Plan, 3,960 new SCs, 971 PHCs and 530 CHCs came up. The current shortfall is 36,346, 6,700 and 2,350. The CHCs are 70-80% short of trained physicians and surgeons.

Since it was launched in April 2005 with the purpose of improving rural health infrastructure and services, NRHM has been renamed National Health Mission in the hope of extending the model to urban areas. It has, however, not been able to start even one of the basic requirements of a universal healthcare model — a free generic drugs programme. Some states are worse off than others. Bihar, for example of 91% short of CHCs and 48% short of sub-centres while UP is 40%, 33% and 34% short respectively, according to Rural Health Statistics 2014. Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala, on the other hand, have a surplus of rural health infrastructure.

The data, according to Dr Mohan Rao, professor at the Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health at Jawaharlal Nehru University, shows how health has been a victim of …continued »

Real-time identification of algal blooms a reality

Researchers will now be able to quickly understand how parts of North Arabian Sea turn deep green and straw yellow at times.

Without venturing into the sea and through in-situ observations, ocean researchers can now quickly understand how parts of North Arabian Sea turn deep green and straw yellow at times.

The real-time assessment and species identification of algal blooms, which add colour to the oceanic waters, has been made possible by using a satellite-based remote sensing technique. Researchers have also developed an algorithm for the process.

A group of ocean scientists from the Centre for Marine Living Resources (CMLRE), Kochi, of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, who had been tracking the algal blooms in many water bodies, claimed to have perfected the algorithm for identification of Noctiluca scintillans, the algal bloom and a diatom, which gives dark green colour to the oceanic waters.

The team led by R. Dwivedi of CMLRE consisted of researchers from CMLRE, the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Goa, and Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, has described the “approach for detection of bloom-forming algae N. scintillans and its discrimination from diatoms using moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer in a mixed species oceanic environment.” The research paper was recently published in the journal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment.

The algorithm could be applied for real-time identification of the algal bloom anywhere in Indian waters, said Dr.K.B. Padmakumar of CMLRE.

Efforts on

The new approach will help ocean researchers in quickly identifying algal blooms without venturing into the water. Efforts are on for identification and discrimination of more algal blooms and associated diatoms, he said.

The present “analysis has been carried out by utilising species-specific response of phytoplankton from remote sensing reflectance spectra obtained with a Satlantic underwater profiling radiometer.” The capability of “species identification in near real time can help in planning field campaigns for guiding the ship to an appropriate location for in situ measurements”, the research paper said.

The bloom, also known as green tide, occurs during the winter–spring (mid February–end March) and spreads to the entire northern half of the basin. Researchers had been regularly monitoring the bloom since 2009. During their cruises, researchers had found the colour of water was remarkably dark green in ocean depths exceeding 2,000 metre.

Though not toxic, it is classified as harmful algal bloom as its spread can lead to depletion of dissolved oxygen in the bloom region. The decay of the high biomass can lead to the release of ammonia and steep reduction in dissolved oxygen, which may force other marine organisms to move to safe regions, he said.

Keywords: algal blooms, Arabian Sea, Centre for Marine Living Resources

Vedanta - Adapt and Evolve

DEEPAK RANADE





Belief in destiny provides us with back-end logic to arbitrarily occurring events. It absolves us of our contribution to failure or with having to deal with `effort to outcome' incongruence. Belief in the preordained would be a discredit to evolution. It would discount phenomenal human endeavour that has shone through the darkest clouds of despondence.Has free will given us the power of adaptation? Adaptation delves into the deepest recesses of creativity . Overcoming adversity stimulates growth and development. Failure lures the weak to succumb to fatalism for it is convenient to give in to passive submission.
Free will can empower. It provides us with the freedom to spread our wings; to endeav our to soar in the vast skies of achievement, to experience, grow, create. The in domitability of the human spirit has nurtured evolution and helped us overcome our limitations.
Facing situations squarely requires a realistic appraisal of the problem and assessing the entire spectrum of available options diligently . Assigning cosmic design or inevitability to events is defeatist. Evolution of the human brain has provided us with the power of intelligence and discrimination.
We can prevail over our hormones, instincts and beliefs.Free will is also a double-edged weapon that can breed fear and doubt. The flower doesn't need anyone to predict its blossoming. The hatchling is oblivious to speculation of its flight.
Free will gives the freedom to alter and manipulate inputs. It doesn't empower us with control over the outcomes. Certainty shackles and stifles spontaneity . Uncertainty liberates.

the speaking tree - Reflections On The Nature Of Being

Kishore Asthana





Tonight, before sleeping, i'll meditate on the nature of consciousness. `I am not my body' is not difficult to internalise. `I am not my mind' takes more time but i have come to terms with it after some practice.That leads me to think that i am my soul, my consciousness. But i might well be wrong on two counts. The first mistake is in speaking in terms of `my' soul ­ if the soul is `mine', who is the `I' who uses the possessive? So, the soul is not `mine', I am the soul. The second mistake is in equating the soul with my consciousness.Consciousness is a tool, a powerful yantra, of the Soul-I-Am, to be manipulated to create and mould my perceptual world. The Soul-I-Am, is an independent entity `possessing' this consciousness. Hence, i am more than my consciousness in the same way that the painter is more than his paints and the poet is more than her pen. All my body-mind experiences are paintings and poems i have created using my consciousness.
The Soul-I-Am cannot be confined within my body . The body is in the Soul-I-Am and not the other way around. This very realisation makes something unexpectedly flip in the forefront of my brain. I find that this changes my perspective and, when i look in the mirror, i do not feel that what i see is all I am. Somewhat unsettling at first, it becomes normal soon.
I believe that the Soul-IAm is of a higher level of magnificence of which, in this physical avatar, my mind can sense a very small part.In it exist all the lives I've experienced on this plane and perhaps on other planes as well, and all future lives. Other potentials belong to it as well ­ worlds my brain knows nothing about, creativity of an amazing order and understanding beyond the grasp of my limited mind.And it uses consciousness as a tool to actualise and experience whatever it wishes to experience.
Why did the Soul-I-Am separate from the universal All-That-Is? My physical brain has built-in limitations and i will only understand some secrets when i have the ability to move beyond it and directly use consciousness, the tool used by the soul.
Yes, this relationship between the soul and consciousness is fascinating and, tonight i'll meditate upon it before i sleep.Perchance my dreams will show the way .
And once this is settled, i will meditate upon whether I, as the Soul-I-Am can be confined within this plane of existence, mediated by my bodily senses and their limited view of the world as processed by my brain.If all this physical equipment that passes for my body-mind is inside the Soul-I-am, obviously what I am is larger than my body-mind. My physical self sees the world around me within a narrow spectrum and, interprets it within its limitations.There is no logical reason, then, for the Soul-I-Am, with its own unlimited awareness to be confined to the space-time and world view which my physical self projects.
Yes, i'll meditate upon the different dimensions in which i perhaps `really' exist, beyond the obvious three spatial ones and Time. And, talking of Time, it strikes me that this is a kettle of fish by itself. Perhaps its secrets will astonish me as so many other experiences have done ­ experiences which i could not have imagined before i embarked on this path. However, it is early yet. I will meditate on Time when the time is right.