More severe storms?

Severe cyclonic storm 'Gaja' has claimed the lives of six persons in Tamil Nadu. Around 82,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas as 'Gaja' crossed TN coast, bringing with in heavy rains in coastal regions. TN has taken utmost care to contain Gaja

Here in Kerala too gusty winds due to the cyclonic storm has resulted in hundreds of trees and electricity poles being uprooted. There were heavy rain also.
But not showing scant regard to Gaja,  the Kerala government has not taken any precaution and  is running after Trupti Desai and Sasikala. Seemingly Trupti and Sasikala are more dangerous storms than Gaja for Pinarayi and company.

It is unwise to rely fully on Kerala weather forecasting: is the lesson we learned during August flood.

K A Solaman

Review on Sabarimala verdict.

The apex court had decided to consider the review petitions on Sabarimala Verdictt in an open court on January 22.
Till then it is the prime
duty of the Government not to do anything harmful to the faith of believers. All forceful  attempts by women below 50 to enter Sabarimala should b e restricted.

A court sentence for execution of a person will not be effected if there is SC sanctioned  review on it.

K A Solaman

Higher Farce

Yet another Tuglak model is on the anvil in Kerala Higher Education sector. It is the move by the Department of Higher Education to appoint teachers in the colleges and universities on tenure-based contract for five years.

The Higher Education sector in Kerala is in a highly delapilated state as majority of the courses are run with the help of guest teacherട. As guest teachers deliver little to the present system of teaching most of the courses are run with low standard. The government saying that  it has no financial capacity to fill the permanent vacancies, is a farce

The conditions that contract validity is for five years and continuation of the post will be decided after assessing the service of contract teachers during the five years etc.,  appear curious. Of course the select committee will be from politicians & union leaders who are capable of doing wonders.

K A Solaman

Injustice by the Government

Hartal in Pathanamthitta district today is the result of thoughtless act of State Government of Kerala. The hartal was declared after an Ayyappa devotee was found dead at Laha. The mystery behind the death of devotee should be probed into.

It is true that SC has permitted woman entry in Sabarimala based on constitutional grounds but certain traditions prohibit women there. It is the women to decide whether to visit or not the holy place. The verdict did not ask the government to give protection to each and every woman in Sabarimala and it is quite unbecoming on the part of government to send police troop along with every woman visitor to Sabarimala. If any untoward incident happens then it is right on the police to interfere. But what happened in Sabarimala is police high-handedness which might have resulted in the death of the devotee. Earlier another devotee ended his life because of sheer despair caused by the action of Govt.

There is, of course,  injustice on the part of government in dealing with Sabarimala issue.
K A Solaman

Totally unnecessary

The new order by Kerala Finance Department relating to salary challenge by excluding no-consent letter of employees and making consent letter mandatory, is a puny attempt to save face from the humiliation that it received from SC. The new order was issued on the basis of supreme court verdict over salary challenge. As per the new order those who are willing to donate one-month salary to Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund  have to give a consent letter to the department.

By this time, those employees who were willing to contribute to CMDRF have already done it  But the callous attitude of Finance Department has made the situation worse. By the new order the government is unlikely to bring any good result.  Donate or not to donate, is a ones' personal matter and no agency has right to compel anyone. Collecting of consent letter from employees will make a divide among them, which is totally unnecessary.
K A Solaman

Do not divert fund

The huge fund collected  to rebuild the state in the aftermath of the worst flood disaster, is likely to go otterwise. The  proposal Rs 80 crore apartment complex for state legislators should be viewed in this direction. The proposed plan is to demolish an old building in the Legislators Complex and build a multi-storeyed housing complex in its place.
It looks like that Legislators Complex was demolished in flood.

The  flood caused severe damage and  brought in untold miseries to people of various districts. Thousands of people went homeless.  Estimates say the floods has caused a destruction of over Rs 40,000 crore. The people from all walks of life have contributed liberally to relief fund. So it is not right right on the part of  government to divert the amount for other purposes

K A Solaman

Fire cracker use

The Supreme Court alloweirg sale and use of firecrackers with specific conditions, is in the right direction. A total ban ot fire crackers is undesirable as many people earn their livilihood by working with fire cracker industry.

Supreme court fixing  8 pm to 10 pm time schedule for bursting of firecrackers on Diwali and other festivals, is also welcome as rest of the day can protected from high dB sound. However, the big handicap is, most users of fire crackers will not follow the time schedule. No police officer is seen to take iterest in checking sound pollution, The permission  for sale and manufacture of "green" crackers which have low emission seems good but a clear demarkation between green crackers and others, is practically difficult.

Interestingly all agencies function with least regard to sound pollution rules.
So the SHOs should come forward with calibrated sound meter equipment to measure the decibel levels. If anyone found violating  the rule regarding time schedule and dB levels of crackers, he must be brought to book regardless of  religious or political backing.

K A Solaman

Last Action Hero.

Tomin Thachankari, the MD,  is seemingly the last action hero of  KSRTC. The lightning strike  by KSRTC employees and the subsequent withdrawal, is the solid example of mismanagement in KSRTC. The misinformed MD will likely to ruin KSRTC.

KSRTC employees in various districts had called for a lightning strike in protest over the decision to assign Kudumbashree to handle the reservation counter. Bus service from these depots was disrupted. Then the question is: who entrusted Thachankari to take a decision that adversely affect the normal functiohing of the Corporation.

Perhaps Thachankari is of opinion that woman entry to Sabarimala is a hot topic of discussion and the government sponsors it. So if a similar woman entry is made in KSRTC through backdoor he will also get acclades. May be this wrong perception put KSRTC in trouble.

Kudumbashree also need discipline to not enter the sectors where there are permanent employees.

K A Solaman

Helmet programme not feasible

Bizarre are the inventions of Kerala police. One such is the issue of  ISI-marked helmets to replace the damaged helmets in accidents. This will be given if the mishap happened within Kozhikode city limits. The helmets are given away under a programme by the Kozhikode city traffic police in co-ordination with Suzuki Motors Pvt Ltd.

The interesting aspect is, in order to avail the new helmet, one just has to reach the police station after the accident along with a complaint and the broken helmet. In fact, this programme is unlikely.to run as there would be no buyers for helmet from police station after a serious helmet broken accident.

If the Kozhikode police so desire to announce their name in public let them come with programmes such as  giving black tea to night drivers etc. Think practically and introduce feasible programmes.

K A Solaman

Setting everything right?

Kerala won’t reduce tax, then what Is the  fun in asking the Centre to reduce tax?

Finance Minister Thomas Issac saying that the state government will not reduce tax on petrol and diesel, is deplorable. The Centre has reduced Rs 2.5 per litre  on petrol and diesel. It is then obligatory for State Government to bring down price proportionately. Instead of doing this, the F M saying that  the Centre first reduce the full amount it hiked and the state government would then think about reducing tax, is ridiculous.

If thirteen states of India could adhere to  the words of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asking the state governments  to reduce Rs 2.5/litre of VAT, the Kerala Government that is determined to set everything right, also should reduce the fuel tax.

K A Solaman

Serious lapse

Adminstration of contaminated  oral polio vaccine to children in Maharashtra, Telengana and  Uttar Pradesh, is a serious lapse. The makers and distributors of this vaccine should be punished. Along with there must be  surveillance to trace any aftereffect due to the use of this vaccine among children.
It is a pity that in many countries disease kills people and its medicine kills more.

K A Solaman

Review petition is imperative.

Sabarimala, the hill abode of Lord Ayyappa, is one of the most important pilgrim centres in the country. It is the most famous and prominent Ayyappa shrine.  At  Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa is worshipped as a Brahmachari.

Devotees are expected to observe a mandatory fast of 41 days, beginning on the first day of Malayalam month Vrishchikam, from mid-November. The fasting highlights the significance of abstinence and austerity. Every devotee visiting Sabarimala temple shall wear a garland made of Tulsi or Rudraksha. Rituals start with the wearing of garland. A devotee who has visited Sabarimala more than 18 times, called as Guruswamy, will give the mala after performing a pooja. The devotee is then called as Swami or Ayyappa.

A swami should take bath twice a day.
As the Lord is considered as a brahmchari, it is a must that devotees visiting him should observe celibacy.
The devotee should subside hunger and control food intake during the period.
An Ayyapa is expected to speak the truth and commit no sin during the 41 day period. He must be fully devoted to Lord.  Swamis usually wear black, saffron or dark blue dress and will walk barefoot.

Then, the significant questions are :
Who will be the guruswami among women to perform pooja before giving mala to devotee? 
Since male devotee is known as Ayyappa, what will be name of woman devotee?
Is the name brahmachari applicable to woman devotee?

Presumably, these and other practical difficulties may not have considered by SC before pronouncing the present verdict.

Seemingly the Left government of Kerala has not placed these issues before the court and that resulted an adverse judgement which strongly affect believers' sentiments. It is, therefore, imperative for the Devaswom Board or State government  to file  a review petition with the SC for reconsideration of the verdict on Sabarimala.

It is to be remembered that strength of
most people lies in their faith
K A Solaman

Thou shalt commit adultery!

"Thou shalt not commit adultery" is one of the Ten Commandments in Christian belief. Adultery is sexual relations in which at least one participant is married to someone else. Sexual relations are designed to unify husband and wife and it is a source of enjoyment and to result in children. This commandment puts a firm basis for all happy familiy relationship in all civilised groups across the globe.

Now, in India five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court  unanimously ruled to scrap Section 497, which deals with adultery, of the Indian Penal Code. Calling the law archaic and saying that it violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution the justices said adultery couldnot be a criminal offence.

In fact the verdict gives license to married couples for adulterous relationships and hence sanctity of marriage ends up in peril. As men are the most offenders in such cases the making of Section  497 gender neutral is, out and out, an anti women decision.

K A Solaman

All should be for truth

The nun, who now lives Kottayam, called Jalandhar bishop a rapist and in return the bishop accused her of unholy relation with a man. The nun alleges
she was assaulted after summoning her on the pretext of discussing an important issue in 2014 and raped her 13 times since then. Bishop, on the other hard  rejected the allegations, calling them a conspiracy against the church. Nun called Bishop Mulakal a predator and alleged at least 20 nuns were forced to leave the congregation due to his sexual advances. The sisters who are in support of nun went on public strike.

On seeing this all become judges and went to support  sisters leaving scant regards to the words of Bishop. Is it right, is a big question before us?

The alleged incident took place 4 years back and it is quite natural that the probe will take its own time. Then who are these people like actor Reema, her husband, Joy Mathew and other activists to denounce the bishop and ask the police to arrest Bishop. These people need publicity and hence hijack all sensational events for their gain. Their act as self proclaimed judge, is condemnable

The police submission  that there are  contradictions in the statements of the victim, witnesses and the bishop should be taken into account by the activists before they leap.

All should be for truth, no matter who, nun or bishop tells it. All should be for justice, no matter who it is for or against.

K A Solaman

Six-six hartal

The Monday six-six hartal, called by the ruling  LDF and  opposition UDF to protest against the rising fuel price, was a big hit. With this the new Kerala mission has been completed successfully as the state is fit to give up one day Income by abandoning all work. Shops and commercial establishments remained closed and vehicles kept off roads. Attendance in offices and educational institutions was not a matter for all would get salary of hartal day without doing any work.

No major untoward incidents was reported except one at Pattanamthitta where State Women Commission member Shahida Kamal was assualted by a few hartal thugs. This congress turned comrade was excepting this for quite long and hartal day was the best opportunity for it. More interesting is: leaders of both fronts making it clear that flood relief works in the state had not been affected due to hartal. The implication is, they were happy with bottles and snacks at home. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President and known hartal hater M M Hassan,  urging the party workers to hold the strike without disrupting normal life and relief works, is very interesting.

How long the ordinary people Kerala do suffer from hartals, is a peritinent question. Any man can make mistakes, but only  idiots persist in their errors.

K A Solaman

Fuel price hike

The fuel price rise is alarming. It is increasing day by day. In Kerala, petrol price is Rs 83.30 per litre in Thiruvananthapuram and diesel price is
Rs77.18. If this trend continues price of all essential commodities shoot up. Once the price of commodities has gone high it will never come back.

However, the Congress party called  Bharat bandh on September 10 will do nothing against fuel price hikie. Instead it will paralyse the normal life of poor  people, especially daily wage owners. All nationwide shutdowns affect not the rich but the poor.

K A Solaman

Viswom's futile exercise

CPI leader Binoy Viswam approaching the Supreme Court against the Centre’s stand of refusing to accept foreign aid for rebuilding flood-hit Kerala, is ridiculous. Accepting or  refusing foreign aid is a policy matter and any amendament regarding this should be discussed in the Parliament. Instead of placing it before the Parliament for discussion, Viswom personally approaching SC is a futile exercise to show that he has done something for the flood victims of Kerala.

The Kerala Government has not yet estimated the property loss in the flood. The govt. doesn't know the exact number of victims staying in rescue shelters. However, the Centre has drafted an aid in tune  with Rs 22000 cr and Viswom's interest should be in getting implemented the package. The state government should be asked to present inmediately the exact loss suffered by the state. Whether the country needs or not theforeign aid, is question to be resolved by the Indian Parliament.

All the MPs individually approaching the Court questioning policy matters is a poor practice.

K A Solaman

Attention medical fraternity

People have started to return to their homes from relief camps. Water at many of the flood hit places are highly contaminated. There are chances for spread of diseases like cholera, jaundice etc.

Kerala Health Department has issued warning  against the spread of jaundice in the wake of cases being reported from several parts. The diseases spread mainly through contaminated water and food. The debris and waste materials after the flood pose a big threat.

So medical teams including doctors, health inspectors and nurses should be deputed by Health Department to help people. Private hospitals also owe responsibility to address the needs of those flood-hit people.

The Military, Navy and the fearless warriors of fishermen community  have saved thousands from downing  and it is now the turn of medical fraternity to avert further causualities.
K A Solaman

Needed more Central fund

In a fine gesture Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appreciated Kerala for fighting against the flood havoc. He complimented the state authorities for their efforts in the adverse condition. NDRF, BSF and RAF are deployed to fight the devastation in the state, stated PM.

Along with, the timely help of people of other areas of Kerala should also be admired. The fishermen of Kerala coastal belt rescued more than 4000 people with their fishing boats.

The financial loss incurred by harvest loss, cattle loss and loss of property is huge. The financial assistance in tune with Rs 760 crore issued by Centre is inadequate. More central fund is immediately needed for bringing flood affected people to normal life. The PM may take quick decision in this regard, it is hoped.

K A Solaman

Free service is no service.

Heavy rains and floods hit normal lives in Kerala. Death toll has crossed 160. The military, police force and many voluntary organizations are rendering possible  help.
Even fishermen from coastal belt have gone to Chengannur, Pathanamthitta  etc. with their boats to help the flood-hit people. The telecom companies including BSNL, Jio, Airtel, Vodafone and Idea have assured to provide free call and data services to the people.

Interestingly, the service of Vodafone and Idea are not available in many parts of Kerala. This is, of course, a sort of cheating by these phone providers. Free service is no service for them. The government must look into the matter.

Arother important point is, the police should be vigilant about thieves in flood affected areas. As most of the houses are abanded by people, thieves will target these places. If not surveilled by police valuable materials would disappear when people return to their homes. It is unwise to think all are good people.

K A Solaman