AMMA not a big issue

All burning issues of the State has been put aside by the cleverly drafted story of AMMA admitting actor Dileep to it. Though the foul players behind the ugly epsode are Mukesh and Ganesh, the wrath of the public is  on Mohanlal, the newly elected president of AMMA. It is to be doubted that there is petty politics behind the issue to tarnish the image of Mohanlal, who recently expressed his willingness to associate with BJP. Mohanlal is now a speck in the eyes of comrades.

The Youth Congress,  KSU, AIYF activists are all birds of same feather as they have nothing meaningful to do now other than protest against Lal. That is why some  of them marched to  Mohanlal’s house and others burned him in effigy. The police are seemingly mute spectactors to the issue. The protest march  against Mohanlal and AMMA  by various political parties are intended to get media attention.

AMMA is a privately run  agency where no political party has any contribution.
AMMA has its own set of rules and hence the question of asking Mohanlal to vacate from president’s post is unwarranted. It is better for all youth organisations, the KSU ard others to protest against police attrocity, girls missing, ration problems, price rise, placement ban , liquor menace, dengue fever, nurses strike and else what. AMMA is not a big issue for Kerala public.

K A Solaman

New friends

The meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un has been welcomed by many. The summit has raised hopes in certain quarters that a permanent resolution to the Korean crisis is not far away.

Nevertheless, it is important to note that Trump is the first American president to meet a North Korean leader. One may, therefore, ask, why did Trump's predecessors not try to engage with their North Korean counterparts? It is not hard to guess that the former did not want to provide legitimacy to the dictatorial administration in Pyongyang by hobnobbing with North Korean leaders. Sadly, Trump did not gain anything more from the interaction than a vague commitment on the part of North Korea to work towards denuclearization.

K.A. Solaman,
Alappuzha, Kerala
(The Telegraph, Kolkata
18 June 2018)

How to compromise insult on womanhood?

Having created much hue and cry a  compromise has been reached in the case registered against MLA KB Ganesh Kumar for allegedly manhandling a youth and abusing his mother. Of late, the main function of Nair Pontiff at Perunna is to bring peace between assualting nairs as
compromise was reached in the talks held at the NSS headquarters. As a result both the parties decided to withdraw the cases.

Then the question is: what is the fate of  secret submission before magistrate by the mother of the youth whose womanhood was insulted by the imprudent MLA,  notorious with series of criminal cases? Are the magistrate and court system are toys to play for the criminal gangs?

K A Solaman

E-bus to Kerala

It is good to hear that the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has  rolled out its first electric bus making Kerala the sixth Indian state to run the service. KSRTC will carry out a trial run for 15 days  out of which 8 days will be in Thiruvananthapuram and 7 days in Ernakulam, following which it will conduct services in Kochi and Kozhikode. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan  said that if the services are successful, they will roll out around 300 electric buses for service throughout the state.

However, people have genuine doubts about purchase of electric buses as each bus costs around 2.25 crore ruppees and total costs for 300 buses will be 675 crores. How is it  possible for the cash crunchy KSRTC to spend immediately this much amount? If it is a term loan, would it be possible for KSRTC to repay back loan timely? KSRTC is already in a debt trap and there is no proper repayment. The oil companies are always in war path with for non- payment of cost of fuel that they had supplied to KSRTC.

The insiders of KSRTC keep a view that the very reason for KSRTC loss-making is the uncontrolled purchase of spares such as window panes, tyres to small small buses (now none runs)  etc. which are still kept unused in various garages. The commission to higher-ups is the attraction for those thoughtless purchases.

Here in this case also the commission for  300 electric buses is not small and to whose packets it would go, is a significant question. The tailor-made gentleman MD of KSRTC, of course, knows about  the commission for bus purchase.

The labour unions including persioners are silent as they now get salary and pension regularly. Once this payment breaks they will start enquiring about the purchase of electric buses. So, it is better for union leaders to have look into  the new launch as it may sometimes affect the job security of them.

Is electric bus a mean to  the sustainable development concept of Kerala? Only time could say about it.

K A Solaman

Trump-Kim Summit

The summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Is historic. It can be considered as a welcome development. It is hoped that resolution on denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula will bring peace across the globe.

With  Trump and Kim signing the comprehensive document seven decades of hostility between the two countries has become a past story. Nevertheless, why any other president of the last 30 odd years could not have met the dictator of North Korea, is a pertinent question. It is because they did not want to legitimise N Korea without concrete commitments to something beneficial. Trump has legitimised Kim, getting nothing in return, apart from a promise to work toward denuclearisation.

Further one has to look at the agreements Trump makes and breaks often. And in this respect there is no marked difference between Trump and Kim. However, next Nobel Prize for peace will go to Trump - Kim duo.

K A Solaman

Economic super power

It is stunning to hear that Indian coasts, including that in Kochi, are rich in natural gas reserves. The new discovery by American Geological Survey, would help India to meet its energy needs for another 300 years.

Kochi Coast, Krishna-Godavari basin and Cauvery basin were found with almost 130 million cubic feet hydrate gas accumulations. The survey also reports that one-third of this reserve was found on the Kochi Coast. It is believed to be the biggest Natural Gas Reserve till date.

In order to reap the reserve in full potential  India would work on with its own advanced technology and not on with the assistance of private companies as did in the past. India along with ONGC. GAIL, Oil India, Indian Oil Corporation could make wonders in this regard. The presently found hydrate gas reserve would make India an economic super power.

K A Solaman

End Postal strike.

The  India Post Payments Bank which started with much fanfare has ended in disaster. Those people who opened  accounts with IPPB have abandoned their accounts. As and when the postal strike ends the clients of IPPB will close their.accounts.

The Union government shows scant regards towards the ongoing strike by postal employees. The government takes no steps to resolve the crisis,
The pensioners are deeply concerned about a possible delay in getting their monthly pension through post offices on time owing to the ongoing strike. Those who had Post Office savings accounts are a worried lot as they were unable to withdraw cash. Many unemployed youth, who have been awaiting appointment orders from the State Public Service Commission by registered post, are disappointed. The readers of various publications are denied their legitimate rights by the postal strike. The attitude of the Postal Department and the concerned ministry that they are least bothered about the strike, is condemnable, The government should take initiative to settle the issue immediately.

K A Solaman