EDITOR'S COLUMN

Friends,

We are truly into monsoon season. It’s been wet and pouring all over, including Mumbai, where rain god smiled and it flooded the other day. Met men have predicted normal or more than normal rain for the season. Following months will prove them right or wrong. But the erratic nature of the rain has been in vogue since some years now, indicating uncertain future rain scenario. Among other uncertainties the world is facing, this could as well be an addition to the list. Let’s hope it may not be a difficult year with water.

June 6th has been the World Environment Day. As usual there have been seminars in schools, symbolic tree planting and speeches by ministers. But the seriousness with which it needs to be addressed leaves much to be desired, especially when it comes to India and Indians in general. Deforestation and massive cutting of trees in the name of development has been going on in one form or the other. Nearer home, in Karnataka, in the name of providing water to parched land of Kolar and Mandya, there is an ongoing to attempt to reverse the west flowing Netravathi River. There has been massive destruction of forest in the Western Ghats for the purpose of laying pipe lines and culverts, despite expert advice to the contrary.

Chipko Andolan of the 1970s led by Sunderlal Bahuguna, was the precursor of save environment movement in India, did bring about awareness in the protection of environment, aforestation etc.. The state of Uttarakhand, where this movement began over 40 years ago ironically was in flames recently which destroyed thousands of hectares of forests. So much for the seriousness with which our governments prioritize their environment related policies. Pollution levels, especially in major Indians cities have reached alarming proportion taking heavy tolls on the health of city dwellers. There is a serious lack of concerns from all stake holders, whether government, industry or general public.

Month-in-Perspective has, as usual, covered some of the happenings of the month with our take on it. Many issues however, were left untouched for the want of space.

The ruling of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in treating the Delhi teenager, whose Mercedes which ran over 33 year old Sidharth Sharma, as an adult for the purpose of trial, in the hit-and-run case, is a welcome development. A precedent had to be set to put these delinquents in the dock to make them accountable for their clearly adult crimes. The Mathura Jawahar Bagh episode leading to violent end of over 30 lives, including a Superintendent of Police is a classic case of political patronage where police and local administration was rendered helpless due to political connections. In this case members of Mulayan singh Yadav family. For some family, parts of India is their fiefdom, and our gullible public is their capital. This is Yeh Mera India.  

The incumbent government of Abki baar Modi Sarkar, has completed its 2 years of the five year term. Being a government with no coalition pulls and pushes, it will be there for the full 5 year term. Accounting for the 2 years that have gone by and the remaining 3 years, how can it go on has been the issue in public space this time round. We have therefore tried to cover the 2+3 years of Modi Sarcar under Focus. We have taken views of a cross section of readers. Hope readers will like it. Do revert with your inputs. We do value them.   

J. Shriyan