To get rid from the issue of Open defecation

India - the largest democracy in the world and a fast growing economy is often being referred as ‘the land of paradox’ mentioning to its stunted and malnourished women and children and the lack of basic sanitation facilities where 54% defecate in open when 61% have phone and television (UNICEF, 2013) that causes declining of human capital and produces chronic health consequences like diarrhea, encephalitis and various other health ailments. According to a UNDP-Water & Sanitation Program report, it is estimated that the total economic impact of inadequate sanitation in India amounts to Rs. 2.44 trillion (US$53.8 billion) a year — this was the equivalent of 6.4 per cent of India’s GDP in 2006. Adding more agony to this, the plight and peril of manual scavengers seems a ‘national shame’. This issue of ‘toilet crisis’ needs to be addressed and tackled with a time bound action plans.

Analysis shows that lack of individual understanding and initiative, scarcity of drinking water and water free toilets, inadequate government spending for sanitation, lack of effective awareness, no proper maintenance of sanitation infrastructure, and non availability of area specific designs are some of the major causes behind open defecation in India. Though community based toilets are available in many villages, people hardly use it because of their ignorance and wrong notions on health and hygiene. Also women are forced to be the ‘prisoners of day light’ due to no access to a safe latrine facility in the day lights that creates hard illness, assaults and low dignity. These findings exhort us to emphasis on a paradigm shift in the attitude of people through a problem specific and solution oriented intervention process.
In this back ground, I propose three time-bound and result oriented proposal for achieving defecation free villages in India.
1. Mr. Health (21 Day Habit)
This proposal is based on the Dean Spears’ paper ‘Effects of Early - Life Exposure to Sanitation’ on Childhood Cognitive Skills suggests that low-cost rural sanitation strategies such as India’s Total Sanitation Campaign can support children’s cognitive development. Experience from the ‘project Super Amma’ proved that emotional messaging has manifold impact among children to change their habit, that caused 37% increase in the washing habits of children (can help prevent diarrhoea that annually kills 8,00,000 children aged below five years). Research shows that it takes 21 days to develop a habit. Hence this project aims at developing health and hygiene habits among children through creative gaming techniques that in turn influence family and at last the society at large.
2. Complete Health Village (Dry Toilet)
This project envisages to tackle the issue of water shortage in the villages and to provide site specific and emotionally appealing designs. Though it is community based, it creates a paradigm shift in the attitude of society.
3. Health Plus Home Project
Considering the physical and mental agony of women community due to the ‘prisoners of day light’ phenomenon, I propose a project to achieve Healthy Individual, Healthy Family and Healthy Society through the installation of cost effective toilets in every houses. 

Major challenges of this project will be are the ‘resistance to change’ of the community and funds for the development of dry/home based toilets. The former will be resolved by innovative gaming methodology of awareness and the latter will be addressed by Public Private Partnerships (PPP), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ventures and Common Village Fund (CVF) programs. Finally technology adoption will be done with credible and experienced agencies like Sulabh International, Melinda Gates Foundation and BioTech.

Reference

1. (2010). A Guide to Supporting the Local Actions of Children and Young People, With Special Emphasis on Girls and Young Women. New York: UNICEF.
2. (2011). Human Development Report. New York: UNDP.
3. Kumar, A. (2012). Towards a Healthier India,. Yojana, August Edition , 13.
4. Lamba, D. S. (2013). Effects of Early-Life Exposure to Sanitation, Evidence from India’s Total Sanitation
5. Campaign. Ganeva: The World Bank Sustainable Development Network Water and Sanitation Program Unit.
6. Sharma, A. (2011). Women Empowerment Mile stones and Challenges, . Kurukshetra, August Edition , 21.
7. (2011). WHO Training Package for the Health SectoR, Children's Health and the Environment. Geneva: World Health Organization, , www.who.int/ceh.

International Innovation Corps (IIC), Rural Innovation Fellowship – 2014

It is my pleasure and privilege to apply for the International Innovation Corps (IIC), Rural Innovation Fellowship – 2014, which I consider as a rare opportunity for the change agents to test their mettle by planning and implementing most innovative solutions in response to the pressing social concerns of

India.

Being an individual hails from a rustic backdrop and brought up in an agrarian household, the hardships of the rural crowd society forced me to think about the ways to bring a grinding halt to their miseries. This quench for change made me to initiate an array of project for my village under the banner of the organization I founded Navajeevan Community Development and Innovations Network (NCDIN). Also adorning the role as the State Team Leader of Responsible Tourism initiatives of Government of Kerala was tested my commitment and result-oriented approach. My second environmental edevour at Thiruvalla Municipality flourished with fruit after one year of its inception; our area achieved its ambitious goal ‘waste free city’ and was officially declared as the first ‘Zero Waste Municipality’ in Kerala.

International conferences, Youth Empowerment Programs and various other action-oriented projects with national and foreign participants ignited my mind and provoked my thoughts. The innovative proposals emerged after churning of ideas and storming of brain in these platforms of ‘unity in diversity’ wondered me many times.

As a highly self motivated person thrills in action/result oriented and time bound projects, it’s charming for me to be a part of a challenging plan that requires quick results amidst complex and diverse situations. I firmly believe that my practical and academic experiences, integrity, research aptitude and critical thinking, and the ability to in-demand skills, the ability to work in unique groups contribute for a global engagement for change. I also believe that IIC Fellowship will guide me to the real wisdom of a passionate social servant. I want to take my organization ahead along with my dream of sustainability with steer determination and real passion. With the strong expectation of experience at ICC – F cater to my need, I eagerly looking to be a fellow for heralding the goodness and to expand my boundaries for a sustainable and inclusive India.     

Indian Railway with records of paradox

Indian Railways - one of the largest railway networks (115,000 km) and the 8th largest employer in the world has nothing to worry about any environmental laws and  is free from the clutches of Pollution Control Board.

When people shed crocodile tears over pollution and environmental destruction, many of us turn our eyes blind towards this largest open defecation initiative in the world. Thanks to Indian Railway. The World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimate that half of Indian population still defecates in open. Also, the last Census report states that the percentage of households having access to television and telephones in rural India exceeds the percentage of households with access to toilet facilities. The economic impact of inadequate sanitation is about Rs. 2.4 trillion ($38.4 million), or 6.4 per cent of India’s gross domestic product, according to the Water and Sanitation Programme. It is an accepted fact that human excreta contains large number of germs, which cause diarrhea, Cholera, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, other water borne diseases and parasitic infections and the parasites like the Hookworm, Tapeworm, Roundworm, and Pin worm result in the wide-spread of communicable diseases.

While aware about all these facts our Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh once quoted Indian Railway as 'the world’s biggest open toilet’. Findings may be mind blogging, if we undertake a study on Indian railway and its impact on environment. Unfortunately, so far no one has dared to take this challenging job.  

Noise Pollution, Vision Pollution, and Environmental Pollution (Plastic bottles, food waste, toilet wastes etc.)  of Indian Railway should be treated in par with all other business enterprises. When all the industrial units in India require specialized mechanism to control and manage their waste, negligence of Indian railway to manage their waste is an open violation of law. Law of the land proclaims 'polluter's pay principle'; but when it comes to the matter of their own, they intentionally try to disown it.

 

The recent CAG report throws direct light in to this matter;

"Noise levels were in excess of the prescribed limit at all stations and there was no system of monitoring. No instructions had been issued by the Railway Board regarding noise control measures like erection of acoustic barriers, reduction of speed and avoiding whistling within and along the municipal limits and habitation zones".

We all are experienced the cacophony at railway stations. A few days ago, I was waiting at the Chennai Railway station where there is no control over voice, noise and announcements. Advertisements are at the peak without any regulation and railway officials strive to announce the timings of trains  without ceasing the unending and uninteresting advertisements. The mental trauma created by this terrible sound seems unacceptable and may produce severe physical and psychological consequences. 

There is no question in the fact that solutions are with us and there is no need for further explanation. Railway authorities and Politicians should show the will power to implement to for the welfare of common man.

Remembering Our His Holiness Ignatius Zakka Iwas

Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas has reposed;Remembering Our His Holiness

It is a sad moment for us to hear the message of  the passing away of our His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East into eternal life; who loved us till his last breath and was kind enough to visit us four times amidst illness. We the people of India thank him from the bottom of the heart and pray that  may God rest him in peace. 

His Holiness is the 122nd successor to St. Peter in the Apostolic See of Antioch, completed his 34 years in the Patriarchal See and was reached his 80 on 21st April, 2013.It is the high time to remember his remarkable contributions in Ecumenical Movement as the a President of the World Council of Churches (WCC). With respect and fear, we introspect a statement which made by our His Holiness;

"We find today no real basis for the sad divisions and schisms that subsequently arose between us concerning the doctrine of Incarnation. In words and life we confess the true doctrine concerning Christ our Lord, notwithstanding the differences in interpretation of such a doctrine which arose at the time of the Council of Chalcedon"

It is apparent that he was a little bit disturbed by the sad plight of unwanted divisions and conflicts among churches. As true Christians, let's remember our Lord Jesus Chris; his crucifixion made two enemies King Herod and Pilate friends; and together pray for the actualization His dream - togetherness in Ecumenism.  

It is also very hard to realize that during the recent years of the tragic suffering in Syria and Iraq, His Holiness has been a source of consolation and support to his spiritual children both near and far. Shall we together pray for the peace of Syria. 

Let our God sustain and support the Holy Church of Antioch through this time of sorrow and loss. In this time of mourning and lent days, We also pray for the peace of His Church  and for the blessings of God to select a worthy successor to shepherd the flock through the challenging years that await us.

Paul V Mathew

St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Church, Poothrikka

Kandanadu Diocese

Kochi, Kerala, India

Broad Band Policy India, Phase 2

Broad Band Policy India, Phase 2 - Policy Recommendations

Prepared by the Policy Research India (Think Tank)

1.      Introduction

The National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) aims at providing broadband connectivity to over two lakh

(200,000)  Gram Panchayaths of India at a cost of Rs.20,000 crore ($4 billion) which intends to enable e-services and e-applications nationally by 2017. The Policy Research India  (PRI) proposes a government controlled private led initiative to achieve this objective. 

2.      Methodology

This policy recommendation paper prepared on the basis of  thorough literature review on an inter country broadband policy development and implementation process and an expert consultation process. 
  

3.      Recommendations

• Government controlled private led Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for the implementation of NOFN
• It aims at ensuring affordability and accessibility of broadband for every citizen

(A targeted subsidizing (directed towards the players involved) in the second phase must  be implemented,(via; amortization of license fee, Provision of period permitting a tax holiday, Rebate on subscription to shares/debentures, Scope for tax exemption on financing through venture capital, and Import duty rates to be reduced for various telecom equipment)

• A mixed approach with use of wireless and copper wires
• Allow private agencies to provide international internet gate ways both satellite and landing stations for submarine optical fiber cable
• Incentives for Infrastructure sharing have to be allowed providing end to end band width dark fiber, RoW, Towers etc.
• Spectrum sharing and Trading shall be allowed
• OFC, High Capacity Micro wave, satellite connectivity to be extended to remote and inaccessible areas 
• Government mediated services such as content in regional languages should be developed for promoting rural broadband 
• 
• Rural Broadband Service Providers (RBSP) at SME level to be encouraged
• Local Self Government (LSG) shall be responsible for the deployment in their territory
• Post offices shall act as the nodal centers to facilitating browsing and support other broadband applications such as video chat, video conferencing, telemedicine, and online learning.
• Public libraries as the network centre (Kiosks) shall be worked as the centre to avail broad band facilities. 
• Education Institutions shall work as the learning and training centre which will focus on capacity building exercises
• Funding model to be utilized to be able to create amenable conditions for subsidy
• As an extension of above recommendation, cleaning up of interconnection issues that may arise between the state incumbent and newly introduced private players

4.  

          



Discussion Points

·         Process of Rural Community Partipation

·         Modus operandi of stakeholder consultation

·         Incentives and subsidy Equations

IIEST for CUSAT; It's our rigt

We would like to bring to your kind attention to an urgent matter which we were eagerly looking for the last 5 years - the promise of IIEST status for CUSAT, Cochin.

In terms of total number of research papers published during 1999–2008 according to the SCOPUS database, CUSAT is ranked 10th in India (above few IITs and all NITs). Given the limitations with CUSAT like lack of infrastructure and funding as compared to IITs, this performance in terms of research is outstanding.

It was in the wake of its national importance, Ananthakrishnan Committee recommended IIEST status for CUSAT.

Although many political leaders promised us the IIEST status many times, we are now apprehensive about CUSAT's being out from the race of IIEST.

Albeit, the plan of elevating CUSAT in to IIEST status has desperately failed to enter in to the 12th FYP, elevation of an able and well-known figure from Kerala as the Minister of State for HRD, raised our hopes to the acme. With IIT being whisked away from Kerala, this was our last resort and a ray of hope. When the budget session is now over, we are disheartened about our dreams never being materialized. 

BESU has recently got IIEST Shibpur tag in which the major contribution is from their real stakeholders. But scant political will and lack of commitment for quality education make the IIEST dream of CUSAT remains only in papers.

Despite apprehensions, we the stakeholders of CUSAT still hold the glimmer of hope that our representatives will comfort us by making our IIEST dream a reality.

Hence, we demand Our Politicians especially the Lok Sabha candidates to make a credible promise through their Election Manifesto and Campaigns that CUSAT will be upgraded to IIEST in the next session itself.

Why IIEST for CUSAT

Why IIEST for CUSAT

Paul V Mathew

About IIEST

To meet the increasing demand of technological and scientific workforce in the industrial and service sectors of India as well as the growing need for qualified personnel in research and development, Government of India in 2007 proposed Indian Institutes of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) which are to be created by upgrading existing engineering colleges or universities under the various State governments of India through an act of the Parliament of India and would  be granted the status of "Institutes of National Importance", on the lines of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the National Institutes of Technology (NITs).

Followed by the political confusion over the S.K. Joshi committee proposal to upgrade seven universities to the level of IIT, the MHRD appointed Anandakrishnan Committee to decide the modus operendi of the proposed transformation. The committee proposed creation of IIESTs and five universities proposed for upgrade in to IIEST which are as follows:

• IIEST Shibpur Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur (BESU)
• IIEST Varanasi [Banaras Hindu University - Institute of Technology] (BHU-IT)
• IIEST Cochin Cochin University of Science & Technology (CUSAT)
• IIEST Hyderabad Osmania University College of Technology
• IIEST Visakhapatanam Andhra University College of Engineering

A Brief History

BESU in West Bengal converted in to IIEST by the passage of bill in the Rajya SABHA in February 2014. BHU-IT also has been converted to IIT (BHU) through an amendment of the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961. Even though CUSAT was also in the race with BESU, it lost its golden opportunity due to the lack of political will and the inconsistent approach of policy makers. Ruling left government at the time of up gradation adamantly rejected the Central government offer by demanding IIT Status. At last neither IIT nor IIEST for CUSAT and still people continue with their pious wishes by merely looking at the mere political promises.

Aspirations and Apprehensions

There is no question in the fact that CUSAT deserves IIT or IIEST status. Rajiv Tripathi, IIT graduate and an alumina of CUSAT now a professor at IIT says that “in terms of total number of research papers published during 1999–2008 according to the SCOPUS database, CUSAT is ranked 10th in India (above few IITs and all NITs). Amidst limitations, its performance in terms of research is outstanding and it has got high reputation among IIT professors and research communities”. He continued that “we are not begging, but CUSAT deserves the up gradation”. 

At the same time many people are worried about the deteriorating condition of CUSAT. Lack of quality infrastructure, poor local politics and administrative lacunas make the situations very worst. Government of Kerala recently hinted the university to find fund for its operation that in turn forced university to start self financing courses with exorbitant fees. “Once our school was very popular among the business community that ranked eighth in the country; but now its glory fades day by due to its year old infrastructure and low quality output. The introduction of cost sharing courses and unaffordable fees make it the last option for meritorious candidates”. A student at School of Management Studies (SMS) said.     

Albeit CUSAT offers high quality education, many students apprehend about its reputation when move to other places. An alumina of CUSAT recently commended that “being a student of this university I know and believe strongly that the level of education here in no less than any of the reputed colleges of the nation, but still when I tell people about my college they scan its credibility under a microscope especially in the central and northern parts of India. Despite of the fact that students here are very talented they do not get what they deserve after rigorous studies for 4 years , because of its obscure identity ,the university is unable to call companies for placements as a result the students have to suffer. Moreover the university also fails in sanctioning the requisite funds for student development”

When people have different opinions on IIEST, Prof. (Dr.) V P N Namboothri, Department of Physics reiterates that “conversion of CUSAT to an Institute of National importance will make the departments to progress further and to get relieved from the local political obstructions”. Considering the deplorable situation of Kerala exchequer and the University’s failure to find money for its development projects, IIEST seems an excellent opportunity for CUSAT to catapult in to the heights. IIESTs are supposed to receive funding similar to that of IITs after the planned upgrade over next five years. Each college will receive one-time amount (spread over five years) of 5 billion (US$80 million) for infrastructure improvement and annual funding of 500 million (US$8.0 million). Ananthakrishnan committee’s proposed allocation of Rs. 80 crore to Rs. 100 crore would be greatly beneficial to CUSAT. The annual budget of an IIT was in the range of Rs. 100 crore to Rs. 150 crore. On the other hand, the budget of a National Institute of Technology was between Rs. 20 crore and 30 crore. CUSAT’s fund is only Rs. 22 crore. Said Gangan Prtahap, former vice-chancellor of CUSAT.

IIEST is envisaged to be a group of institutions better than the IITs according to professor Anandakrishnan committee. The new status will help CUSAT rediscover its lost glory and help maintain high standards in scientific research, said former vice-chancellor of CUSAT Dr P K Abdul Aziz.

It is expected that a chunk of the estimated Rs 1,500-crore fund will be used for infrastructural development. This includes improving lab facilities, modernization of existing equipment, student’s hostel, residential buildings for faculty etc. The new status will boost research ties and MoUs can be signed with different national and international institutions. There is a master development plan which will change the face of the whole campus, the registrar said.
An anonym reports about the myths on IIEST proposal.

• IITs.MIT etc are "institutes"...and no one will say that such "institutes” are lower in status to University.
• Presently, less than 25% seats are secured by Kerala students in CUSAT. In the proposed plan, 50% of the seats are reserved for Keralites. To assure admission in an institution of national importance is only a privilege for Kerala students.
• The Ananthakrishnan committee report has clearly mentioned that all the existing departments will continue, including Science departments, Management, Hindi, Economics etc.
•  The state Govt. is not selling CUSAT to any pvt.party. Its only a take over by the central Govt. The state Govt. assistance to CUSAT is about 25-30 crores per year only. We know that the facilities now available in CUSAT are mainly accorded through central Govt funding agencies like UGC,DST,CSIR etc.
• The intitial 550 plus crore for CUSAT is only for the infrastructural development. It is to raise the facilities in CUSAT. Remember that similar amount of fund will flow to CUSAT in the forthcoming years too.
• The arguments against IIEST proposals are very narrow and baseless. It is with wasted interest only.
•  Those who argues against IIEST have either haven't gone through the full text of the Ananathakrishnana Ccommittee re port, which is the guideline for conversion to IIEST.or ,they are hiding the facts, and coming up with baseless arguments.
•  Its my humble request to go through the Anaanthakrishnana committee report. The copy of it is available in the CUSAT website also (CUSAT to IIEST link).

When university becomes IIEST, all the colleges which are now recognized by CUSAT will be delinked and they should seek affiliation or recognition from the nearest university or to form a technical university. Also more new non-teaching staffs may be remain under state government and other positions will be filled by centre (needed clarification).

When these are the facts some people still reluctant to accept the truth and remain agitated. As we already have a proposed IIT at Palakkad, there is no further scope for IIT status for CUSAT. An open secret is that those who have certain political interest on appointments, key positions and certain power centers are still playing to delaying the process.  When BESU secured IIEST status Kerala fails to get through that itself proves our lack of commitment and quench for excellence. In response to this failure, Union MHRD minister Dr. Shashi Tharoor informed that “this bill remains one of over 40 in the last couple of years that UPA had hoped to pass but which have failed to get off the ground. But since it is not a controversial bill there is no reason why it cannot be revived after the elections."

Enough is enough! When the internal politics scores over our real needs and all ears turn dumb to our voices, it is our responsibility to stand up and speak out for a noble cause. University is not a political play ground but for academic grooming and its objective is not to develop power politics but to create luminaries of science. We want to see our CUSAT to be elevated to IIEST.

However, as a last ray of hope, few of the current students and alumni of CUSAT are petitioning to Mr. Tharoor and asking him to deliver on his promises. Fill this petition (click here) if you want your CUSAT to see as an institute of national importance. 

Paul V Mathew is a Research Scholar at the School of Management Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT)

Reference: www.wikipedia.org, The Hindu News Paper, http://kerala4u.in/