THE YEAR OF THE TREE = WORLD ENVIROMENT DAY – 5TH, JUNE,2011 = A REQUEST TO SRI JAIRAM RAMESH

THE YEAR OF THE TREE

(WORLD ENVIROMENT DAY – 5^TH, JUNE,2011)

5^TH, OF June,2011 was celebrated as the WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY, 2011. India was the first time Global Host, and the theme for the WED,2011 was - “Forests: Nature at your Service”.

There were different types of pertinent celebrations. But, at the end of the day, the Challenge remains, as ever. The questions remain as ever.

1.  Who will plant trees in the Forests and ensure that our Forests become bigger and bigger?

2.   Who will ensure that people do not cut away forest trees for personal gain?

3.   How will the economy survive without cutting away –forest trees?

4.   Are we not going to use Forest produce at all – like, say honey, herbs etc?

5.   How then will be we ensure that there is always a net addition to the forest cover – on each day?

6.   There are no accurate statistics on our Industrial Production itself. How are we going to produce  reliable statistics on our Forests?

Such questions always dog our minds. It is clear that each passing day – the environment is suffering huge adverse consequences of HUMAN ACTION, which in turn results in huge adverse consequences for HUMAN BEINGS.

We are foolish. Collectively. 

This collective foolishness should first go. In its place, the collective wisdom that tree is our savior must clearly arise in our hearts.

We breathe oxygen and leave out carbon dioxide into the environment. The tree absorbs the carbon dioxide and leaves oxygen into the environment for us. We have two lungs to breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. The Tree has “our” other 2 lungs with it, to produce the oxygen that we breathe.

The tree is our counterpart. If it doesn’t live, we also don’t live. 

But, if we don’t live, the tree lives better!

The Tree gives us food, clothing, medicines, fresh air, oxygen, and protection from the Sun. And, many other things.

We are dependent on the Tree. Not the Tree on us.

Let us stop being foolish – to stop our own oxygen supply, our own food supply, our own medicines supply and so on.

How to ensure that the Forests grow well? There is only one way. Human beings should stop meddling with them. They know how to Grow – if we keep off from them.

But, that is not enough. I am therefore giving below a few ideas for the  world environment Protection.

1.   Every house must have at least one, or more Big trees. This is where human action is required. The Government – at each level, specially at panchayat level, must reach out to each house, and if it does not already have a few trees, identify a place in the house, and make the resident plant an appropriate Tree. Not a flower Pot please. A good, useful tree. This is the type of action that Panchayats need to undertake. This initiative would work better, if it comes from the Union Ministry of Environment.

2.   We have huge funds being spent on schemes like NREGS etc. This year, the projects on which the amounts must be spent must be – (1) planting trees on either side of roads – and watering them till they grow (2) Planting trees on either side of tank bunds and other water sources – even as protection for the tank bunds and the water sources – and again, taking care of their growth. (3) planting trees near hills – and taking care of their Growth.

3.   Involving students on one Sunday in 3 months – which means – 4 Sundays in a year – in planting trees – and then allowing the NREGS workers to take care of those plants.

4. This year must also be dedicated to Trees in another way. For this one year of 2011, no one must be allowed to fell any Big Tree anywhere, for any purpose, without mandatory permission from the Panchayat. Subsequently, this awareness will stay in the public mind for ever.

5. No Big building plan must be approved without adequate space for Trees. These trees must be actually grown subsequently around the Building.

6. We must also have a clear Goal-Post, say,50 crore additional trees, to be planted and grown (by watering and manuring) in 2011, the year of the Tree.

These are all practical ideas, which can be implemented directly by the Government – as part of its projects and with normal budgetary allocations.

I request all Ministers at the central and state levels dealing with Forests and Environment –led by Hon’ble Minister at the Centre, Sri Jairam Ramesh, to declare FY 2011 as the YEAR OF THE TREE – so that budgetary allocations for current year can be appropriately used to achieve huge environmental gains even before this year end.

= Yours

Sd/-

VIJAYAMOHAN.  V

BABA RAMDEVJI’ = ANNA HAZARE = DR.MANMOHAN SINGH = CRUSADE AGAINST BLACK MONEY & CORRUPTION

BABA RAMDEVJI’S CRUSADE

AGAINST BALCK MONEY & CORRUPTION

I had attended Baba Ram Devji’s week long “Yog Subir” at Hyderabad several years ago. He was highly effective in communicating yog to all educated and uneducated men, women and children who attended the Sibir. 

Let me affirm that many of the modern speakers fail – in being so effective because of the sheer difference in the commitment to the cause.

I pooh – pooh the political and other leaders who try to ridicule him.

Better become a Nationalist like him – I would urge them.

I have not seen any one who has done “Bharat Darshan” so totally (after Mahatma Gandhi) and with so much commitment and involvement,  as Baba Ram Dev Ji.

Every where, he has spread yog, health and Ayurved – in a way that no one else can even hope to repeat in future. His commitment to people is total. His contribution to people’s health is also total.

Much like Anna Hazare – Baba Ram Devji also used to talk of social issues like corruption in his Yog Sibirs for a long time. Therefore it is good that both Anna hazare and Baba Ram Devji are now fighting corruption and Black money, though from two different platforms – so very vigorously. I only wished that the civil society leaders used services of eminent people like Baba Ram devji and N.R.Narayana Murthy, who have done yeomen service to the nation in their own ways. In an earlier blog post also, I had emphasized this need.

Baba Ram Devji may use certain terminology – which may look like extreme solutions – like hanging for black money hoarders.  But, suppose some one (an Indian) has hundreds of crores in  foreign banks unknown to Government of India  – it is obviously acquired  by committing all sorts of crimes in and against the nation. If all of their crimes are brought out – they may well deserve even hanging. But, that is not the important thing. The law will punish them as they deserve.

What is important is – the needed resolve of the Nation to arrest the birth of Black money and its deposit in foreign banks – concealed from the Indian Government. All concealed money in foreign Banks obviously is illegal money. Government must declare it so – and seek their repatriation to the Government of India. Why there should be two opinions on it? Can such concealed money be legal by any stretch of imagination? This is exactly what Baba Ram Dev Ji says.

And, I strongly feel – he is very right.

If all the Black money comes back to India and further generation is stopped – our nation becomes a great nation. A lot of poverty in the nation will disappear. Baba Ram Dev Ji is very emphatic about it.  

There can’t be two opinions on – whether all Black money should be rooted out and brought back to Government treasury. It has to be.

Corruption has to be curbed totally.

Now, we have, in my opinion, a very respected, honest, upright, learned Prime minister – like Manmohan Singhji – in the Government,   and we don’t know how the future Prime ministers will be like – but right now, we have one who deserves the Post eminently, but for some of the Political shackles that are binding him.

We all vote on the basis of caste, religion, Party affiliation and so on – but – how many vote for such an eminent person like Manmohan Singh – if he is not backed by a Political Party? This is the unfortunate problem in this country – which must change.

But right now – Anna Hazare and Ram Devji are crusading for rooting out corruption and Black money – and Dr.Manmohan singh, in my opinion, may be more than willing to put in place the required legislations and efforts, with their help.

In my strong opinion – their agitations – will be greatly helping Dr. Man Mohan Singh, in bringing legislations and other measures that are close to his own heart and in silencing the detractors.

What is needed at this crucial juncture - is pressure on Government from all the people of India– and  total support to Ram Dev –Anna Hazare - ManMohan Singh combination – in achieving this Goal.  

There are some voices which are trying to distract – by ridiculing these trio. One of them says - Why a sanyasi should be doing all this?  

Sage Vishwamitra took Ram specifically to kill the Raakshasaas and taught Ram all martial arts for the purpose. Sage Vasishta supported him totally. Sages want that Dharma should be established and adharma should be rooted out – and they took all necessary initiatives for it, always, in India. Ram had then fought and killed the Raakshasaas. Let Raam Devji do it now. Or, with help from Ram Devji and Anna Hazare, let Mana Mohan Singh Ji  do it.

People of India have tolerated corruption and Black money long enough and allowed the country to come to this rot – but now is the time to speak up and support.

Let all of us speak up.  

Please do – NOW.

= yours

V.VIJAYAMOHAN

LOK PAL BILL DRAFTING COMMITTE = ARRESTING SMEAR CAMPAIGN = WHAT PRIME MINISTER CAN DO = WHAT CIVIL SOCIETY MUST DO

LOK PAL BILL DRAFTING COMMITTEE

SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST

MEMBERS FROM CIVIL SOCIETY SIDE

Why could we not pass the Lok Pal Bill in last 42 years?

It is said, that the first Lokpal Bill was passed in the 4th Lok Sabha in 1969 but it could not get through in Rajya Sabha; subsequently, Lokpal bills were introduced in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and in 2008, yet they were never passed and its pending.

Some body is definitely interested in introducing. But, some body is  definitely interested in stalling. So, it could not be passed.

But, who is interested in stalling the Bill – and why?

Now, there is a momentum from Government side and from civil side both, to draft the bill and get it passed in Parliament this year itself.

But, some people here and there are obviously and definitely interested in carrying on a smear campaign against the civil society members and other “fighters against Corruption” and see that the drafting of a strong Lok pal bill will not fructify – before the deadline or even after that.

Now, they want to find at least some small charge against all crusaders of corruption!! Even if it relates to periods long ago.

The main question therefore is – W H Y   EXACTLY   N O W  ??

I tell them - My dear Sirs, you won’t gain any thing if you win – in proving X or Y from the civil society or some one fighting corruption to have been corrupt in some sense in a small way at some long time in the past.

But, the whole country will lose – forever. What could not be passed for 42 years will remain without being passed for next 42 years too.

Yes, Sir. No one in India can perhaps be 100 percent free from all corruption. May be, you can prove it also against most Indians.

I am not denigrating my fellow Indians in this. We, the 99.9% of Indians want to be honest. But, the moment I step into the street, just to protect myself, feed my self, do the smallest things for my family, I have to indulge in corruption today, in our great Country. Don’t you see that at all? And sir, do you want that to continue in India, forever?

There is a stinking atmosphere of corruption all around us today – and therefore the civil society members have come forward to fight this in some way through the Lok pal Bill.

There are many, many others also fighting corruption, as Individuals, in their own small way, all over India. Don’t we see that many RTI activists are even getting killed – merely for seeking information about corrupt people and guilty people? And, what is India doing about them?

I therefore very strongly appeal to every one – stop all of your smear campaigns against ALL LOK PAL BILL DRAFTING COMMITTEE MEMBERS – FROM CIVIL SOCIETY SIDE, AND GOVERNMENT SIDE – and support the Bill whole heartedly and ensure that it becomes a reality. If you have any real problems against any member – fight your private battles later, after the Bill becomes a reality.

But, all the same – I know that, some one or other will be attacking all the active members fighting corruption on some ground or other – because, that was how, Lok pal bill could not become a reality for so long.

Therefore, I am making the following proposal /appeal to ensure that a strong LOK PAL BILL becomes a reality in India.

AN APPEAL TO

THE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA

I appeal to the Prime Minister of India, Shri Manmohan Singh, in whom I do have immense confidence, to confer the status of Cabinet Ministers on the Drafting committee members, till the Bill is drafted, introduced in Parliament, argued in Parliament and approved finally and made into a Bill. This is essential to confer on them some immunity from any Petty cases that the smear campaigners may try to lodge against them for their ulterior reasons.

MY FIRST APPEAL TO

CIVIL SOCIETY MEMBERS

My First appeal to you is – Kindly support vigorously my above appeal to the prime minister, so that your  aim, my aim, many others’ aim about the success of Lok Pal Bill becomes a reality.

I request every reader of this Blog Post to convey this with their strong support -  to the Civil society activists and drafting committee members and those in the Government.

MY SECOND APPEAL TO

CIVIL SOCIETY MEMBERS

Today I saw, Swami Agniveshji saying some thing like this that – we did not level similar charges against the Government members in the committee (and probably retaliate thereby – which seems to be the implication).

I do welcome this statement, and say that you need not and should not retaliate against government members of the committee, who are reasonably clean.

But, please find a way to fight the smear campaigners - as a unified campaign. You, I and all of us  must protect all of us  from the smear campaigners.

You can’t leave the Bhushans or Anna Hazare or Santosh Hegde or any other fighter against Corruption to fight lone battles, even assuming some small mistakes by any of them. 

If We Don’t Protect the 

“Fighters Against Corruption”,

Their will be no 

“Fight Against Corruption”

The whole of India needs to remember this – and Act.

Arise, Awake, and stop not – till the goal is reached ! (Swami Vivekananda)

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