Rampant corruption

Under  Pinarayi administration corruption is rampant in every walks of life. The latest is the  cabinet decision to appoint K V Manojkumar as the chairman of the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Manoj is the son of former CPM Thalassery Area Committee member KV Balan and is only a law graduate.

It is alleged that the appointment was made by flouting norms and the eligibility criteria. Earlier, the chairman and the members should be postgraduates and should have atleast 10 years experience in child welfare and protection activities. Manoj is only a graduate and has little experience in child welfare activities.

A slightly qualified chairman and highly qualified members in a State Commission reveals a corrupt government that had lost its hold on the affections of the people.

K A Solaman,

No need of mute police

It is  shocking to see the police remaining mute spectators to rallies when  participants make aggresive slogans claiming murder of opponents in the past. If a participant publically claims his or his party's involvement in past killing he can be arrested and questioned

This I say because there were such rallies in Kerala recently glorifying their  past killings and claiming they are ready to do it again. This sort of provocative slogans would create discontent among opponents. Hence, the offenders should be immediately questioned  by the police instead of standing mute.

K A Solaman

Privatise KSEB

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) chairman N S Pillai asking the consumers  to pay the electricity bill of lockdown period in five instalments, is amusing. Does he mean that consumers have no job other than to stand in queue before the KSEB Section office?

In the absense of Electricity minister, Chairman NS Pillai has become a media maniac uttering nonsense. What consumers needed is a rollback of the heavy current bill issued to them. The consumers are of firm belief that bills were prepared maliously to charge extra. The Karnataka government has waived off current bills for five months. Why Kerala could not waive off two months at least?

The Chairman also says  even if these bills are not paid, power connection will not be disconnected. This kind of talk is authoritarian and against the existing rules. The autocratic way of KSEB would come to an end if it is privatised and its present chairman is sent to corner.

K A Solaman

Abandon online classes for tiny tots.

The Karnataka state government decision to stop online classes for children from Kindergarten (KG) to Class 5 is a welcome one. However, in Kerala, the government has no decision making in this direction. The Kerala government is searching ways to hand over smart phones and other electronic gadgets to  little ones.

The online teaching for LKG, UKG and primary classes has become a misadventure for tiny tots and their parents. These classes will adversely affect the  mental health of very young children and hence must be stopped in all schools whether government or private. Let the children enjoy their holidays for one more month till all are free from Corona scare.

-K A solaman

Dam makes ecological damage

The Kerala state government has granted permission to KSEB to proceed with Athirappilly hydroelectric power project. Following this, the authority has decided to issue NOC for technical-financial and environmental clearance for the project. Interestingly this project was previously  deferred by the government.

The reason for such a decision is the huge commission that would generate in the purchase of cement and steel rods. Also, there is an eye in the sale of trees in the dam site.Whatever it may be,  this crafty plan under the mask of Covid-19 is unlikely to work out in Kerala  in the immediate future because the new generation is not unaware of the ecological damage that dams make.

What Jairam Ramesh said in this regard is correct. He said:By approving Athirapally hydel project despite opposition and expert advice, Kerala govt is inflicting ecological disaster. Indira Gandhi saved Western Ghats by stopping the Silent Valley project in 1983. That commitment, concern & courage (3 Cs!) for environment is missing today.

K A Solaman

For better relationship

All war is a symptom of man's failure as a thinking animal. So it is a welcome move by India and China agree to continue military and diplomatic talks to resolve peacefully the border issue in accordance with bilateral pacts and guidelines. 

A month-long standoff in the line of control in Himalayan region has created tension among citizens of both the countries. An early resolution of the issue would contribute to the further development of the relationship between the two. "India - China bhayi bhayi" is a better slogan than any others.

-K A Solaman

Needed apolitical Commission

Kerala State Women's Commission chief M C Josephine's statement that her party CPM is functioning like a court and a police station, is controversial. She has no right to remain as the chairperson of an impartial government body like  the Women's Commission. 

Of late all the actions of  WC in Kerala is partisan. A legislative decision is needed to make the Commission  apolitical by selecting its chairperson and members from judicial forums and non-political organisations. No commision  should be permitted to violate the principles of the Indian Constitution.

.-K A Solaman

Youth Commission in action

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The Kerala State Youth Commission has charged a suo motu case on the incident in which the teachers were insulted through various social media platforms. Chintha Jerome, the chairperson of Youth Commission, noted in a Facebook post that those who make derogatory comments about the teachers who led the online classes  are a disgrace to Kerala and its culture.The Youth Commission has asked the State Police Chief to arrest the culprits as soon as possible and take legal action against them. 

Admittingly, one would like to say that not only teachers no one should be harassed via social media. However, Youth Commission's stand in this case seems questionable as it had a blind eye to the death a girl in a convent in Kollam and suicide of a ninth standard girl in Malappuram. The girl in Malappuram was died because of denial of online classes to her where the culprit is none other than the Education Department. The Commission that was dormant for years now coming with a single incident, is curious

Trolls ard tik-toks are the order of the day  and that could not be restricted by a partisan and inactive commission.

K A Solaman

When #JacobThomas #retires

Jacob Thomas IPS, the troubleshooter turned troublemaker officer of government of Kerala, initially placed all his loyalty on  chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan under the presumption that he was the last action hero against corruption. With what was called yellow card, red card he  boasted in channels that he was going to fight against corruption. 

As a part of his fight against corruption he raided the residence of Chief Secretary KM Abraham, who was working in a higher position and that too was in the absence of Abraham and scared of his aging parents. The incident turned out as a bark on the wrong tree. The cunning political leadership who always played it safe, realized this stupidity and decided it was better to corner Jacob Thomas.

In the case of EP Jayarajan's cousin's appointment, rather than intelligently intervening, he placed emphasis on unnecessary initial publicity. He forgot that the ban on corruption is not just a sham. The book "Swim with sharks" is not pleasing to the government.

However, in the last days of his service, the government showed him injustice. The world is vast and the future is long. Let Jacob Thomas launch his crusade against corruption. Evidences in plenty can be found in his personal file.

K A Solaman