Who is the real Change Agent

You too can introspect

At the very outset, let me paint an answer to the question ‘why do you want to dedicate your time to achieving this vision?” with a question and an answer. It lies in the question “How people will remember you after a long journey in this world or what kind of footprint do you like to leave for your followers?” Let’s take a deep breath and revitalize! I did it and left without any clues. However, I reached a conclusion which is engraved in the lovely Chinese proverb; “If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people”.

If the master is right, his disciples often go upright. This may the logic behind a Judge’s verdict to punish teachers and parents of an adult who committed a criminal offense.  Though we have myriad issues like meager infrastructure, inadequate sanitation facilities, lack of fund etc.; the real challenge we face today is the lack of accountability and shortage of behavioral skills of teachers. Today morning only I read an article titled ‘schools in danger’; reiterating ‘with public schools not performing and private schools teaching students to compete rather than learn, India’s primary sites of education are at risk’. Providing sufficient training for teachers to ensure imparting skills scientifically and correcting structural issues which brings down the accountability of teachers are the need of this hour. This can be achieved only through do a re-read on the value education approach of our father of Nation.

Education obliterates ignorance and a real teacher removes darkness. Though it’s a little philosophical, it is a truth that when vision vanishes people perish. A true education is not about desks and digits, but about daring to dream. A real educator provides roots and wings to silent kids who sit at his footsteps and eagerly watching at the teacher’s mouth to collect priceless treasures.  When our Abe sat under a street light to enunciate lessons, he never thought the changes it brings to him. Beyond any second thought Nelson Mandela proclaimed; “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

For a Swachh Bharatiya Rail

The Hindu UNSIGHTLY: Garbage attracts rodents. Picture shows a station in Chennai.— Photo: R. Ragu

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan emphasising cleanliness has provided the right opportunity for Indian Railways to address infrastructural gaps contributing to dirty premises and trains

Imagine being bitten by a rat, not once but twice! That is what happened recently to a person travelling in a train to Chennai. The passenger, rather than reacting hysterically, calmly squeezed the bite wound, before complaining to the railway authorities and seeking medical aid. The local railway authorities, while expressing regret, told the passenger that the rake (train formation) is maintained at Mumbai, implying that the responsibility for the presence of the pesky rodent lay elsewhere.

Now, why should a rat be found in a train? To be sure, railways and rats (and bandicoots and mice) have had a long association going back almost to the advent of the railways in India in the mid-nineteenth century. But while in the past, rats and their kindred species were largely confined to goods sheds, parcel offices and occasionally got sucked into train vacuum pipes (now thankfully defunct with the advent of airbrakes), now they have become frequent travellers in reserved and AC coaches. The average passenger is wont to attribute this to the utter negligence, callousness, and inefficiency of a government-run monopoly. However such a conclusion would be simplistic and hasty.

Ideal environment for rats

Some of the major train maintenance centres like the one in Chennai are located in the midst of thickly populated urban agglomerations. These are not enclosed or restricted spaces but open yards. Because of the washing and wet cleaning of the train formations, the inspection pits and surrounding areas are usually damp. Discarded food and waste matter including human excrement expelled from train formations coming in for maintenance add to the problem. This makes an ideal environment for rats, cockroaches and the like to breed. Pest control measures can at best be in the nature of a holding action. The current antiquated system of open yards is a carry over of a bygone era. Unfortunately, this aspect has never received the attention it has deserved.

The answer obviously is to have totally sanitised and covered state-of-the-art maintenance centres that can accommodate train formations of 24 or 26 coaches, with strict access control, totally dry inspection pits, and other facilities apart from separate washing bays with waste water reclamation. With the progressive introduction of modern designs of toilets, direct discharge of human waste to the outside can be avoided.

This is not some utopian scenario; what is suggested above are exactly the type of facilities that will be set up for the maintenance of the much-hyped bullet trains. There is no reason, therefore, why over the next decade or so similar facilities should not be set up, at least in major urban centres, to service trains used by the aam aadmi. But even with such improved facilities, due to the steady increase in the number of trains each year, stabling of train formations out in the open cannot be totally avoided. This entails keeping the yards also in a reasonable state of cleanliness, free of litter and unwanted vegetation.

The Indian attitude, ‘it is my privilege to litter, your duty to clean’, has to go

Further, with the intensive utilisation of train formations, they are often kept on station platforms for a long time and turned back after “dry” cleaning, with some unintended benefits for the rodent population. For railway stations are the other major centres for the proliferation of rodents and other pests. There are two reasons for this: first, the easy availability of edible garbage and second, the plentiful supply of perishables such as fish on the platforms. Indian Railways must perhaps be the only major railway system in the world where fare-paying passengers have to jostle for space with huge mounds of parcels scattered on the platforms of all major stations. This tyranny of the parcels is bound to continue unless there is complete segregation of parcels and passenger traffic. Studies have been conducted in the past towards this end, but no tangible progress has been achieved.

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has rightly emphasised cleanliness as a goal. It is high time, therefore, that attention is directed towards setting right the infrastructural shortcomings that contribute directly to insanitary conditions in railway premises and trains. While the images of ministers and senior officials posing with the broom may provide smart photo-ops, it will take more than the broom to clean up the Railways.

With more than 12,600 trains carrying 23 million passengers every day, Indian Railways must be that unique institution in the country that generates the largest volume and variety of garbage (including human waste) rivalling many large towns. To expect this huge volume of trash to be dealt with by an army of cleaning staff with brooms and such implements is to totally misjudge the nature and scale of the problem.

Comparisons are frequently drawn between the spotless premises and train interiors of railway systems abroad and the woeful condition of trains and stations in India. What is blithely overlooked is the fact that in those countries all public spaces, not only trains and stations, are generally litter-free, not because they employ an army of safaiwallas with brooms but because of the innate civic sense of the citizens. This is not an excuse for railway premises and trains being dirty or being infested with rats, cockroaches and the like. But while there are internal issues such as upgrading of maintenance facilities and segregation of parcel traffic involving heavy investments that the Railways themselves have to deal with, an equally important input is the positive contribution that the millions of railway users can make in ensuring a clean, litter-free environment. The attitude “it is my privilege to litter, your duty to clean” has to go.

Working in silos

The example of the rat bite shows how railway officials are unable to see the problem from the point of view of customers. For customers it is irrelevant where the train is maintained or from where the rat boarded the train. The problem here is with the structure of the railways organised in silos of functional departments. Thus, while train maintenance is with one department, station maintenance and sanitation are with another. With such split responsibility, shifting of blame between departments and even between railway zones becomes an almost instinctive, spontaneous organisational response.

A recently set up Railway Committee has been asked to spell out measures to ensure that railway departments don’t work in silos. The Committee will do well to examine that waste management is dealt with in its entirety from initial generation to final disposal. This should be a major contribution towards achieving the goal of a “Swachh Bharatiya Rail.”

(Published in the Hindu October 15, 2014( Written by K.Balakesari, Former Member Staff, Railway Board.)

Today is World Tourism Day

aKerala joins other destinations in observing World Tourism Day on Saturday with success in taking tourism to the local level and it becoming a building block of sustainable development.

The much-lauded Responsible Tourism (RT) initiative has come into focus, as the theme for this year’s World Tourism Day is ‘Tourism and community development-focussing on the ability of tourism to empower people and provide them with skills to achieve change in their local communities.’

The consolidation of tourism’s economic influence has built up its social responsibility, and this can be seen in the stronger mandate given by Kerala to the tourism sector in economic and development policy planning.

“Only with the participation of the people can we find more suitable ways to develop tourism in our State while remaining a global leader,” says Minister for Tourism A.P. Anil Kumar.

The RT initiative, launched in 2007, has been identified as a global model for promoting community-based tourism activities in developing countries.

Capacity-building

The comprehensive skill/capacity building programme through the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS) has enabled the local community to take a proactive role in the tourism business. As many as 1,958 people have been trained as part of the RT initiative.

Village Life Experience packages, Ethnic Food Restaurant, Performance of Cultural Groups have brought home more than Rs.3 crore to the local community.

More than 3,000 community members have directly or indirectly benefited from the project.

Tourism Secretary Suman Billa is hopeful that the State can gift more ideas and models to the world for sustainable tourism development and make the world a better place to live.

The official celebrations will be in Guadalajara, Mexico, and coincide with the anniversary of the adoption of UNWTO statutes on September 27, 1970.

Kerala Tourism has organised photography and out-of-the-box idea contests on the occasion. KITTS, the nodal agency of RT, is organising a gathering of RT stakeholders at Kovalam.

A public awareness programme at Shanghumughom and seminar and quiz at Thalassery and Kochi have been organised.

The ATTOI is organising a seminar on community development through Ayurveda tourism.

The Hindu -   http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/responsible-tourism-in-focus/article6451752.ece., September 27, 2014

Responsible Tourism to spread wings

inShare

The Hindu The Kerala tourism department's stall highlights village-oriented and community-based tourism at the Kerala Travel Mart. Photo: Vipin Chandran

The tourism department had adopted a three-pronged strategy in promoting RT with equal focus on economic, social and environmental aspects.

Broad basing its Responsible Tourism (RT) initiative, the Kerala tourism is all set to add another 50-odd panchayats to its existing RT destinations by the end of this year.

The Department of Tourism has already identified 114 panchayats across the State as potential RT destinations. “Resource mapping of these panchayats is underway and selected ones would be brought under the RT initiative,” K. Rupesh Kumar, state coordinator, RT Cell, told The Hindu at the Kerala Travel Mart.

At present, Kumarakom, Thekkady, Ambalavayal and Vythiri in Wayanad, Bekal, Kovalam and Kumbalanghi are being showcased as RT destinations. The classification of hotels and resorts based on global sustainable tourism parameters is already underway at these destinations.

Already 13 resorts at Kumarakom, the pioneer in RT and winner of the coveted UNWTO Ulysses Award for innovation and public policy in governance under the tourism category, have been so classified. “We are set to kick start the classification of home stays and houseboats very shortly,” Mr. Kumar said.

The seven existing RT destinations did a combined business of Rs. 3.50 crore during the last tourism season with Kumarakom alone contributing Rs. 1.50 crore. Efforts are on to hit the Rs. 10 crore-target by the end of this tourism season, he said.

The tourism department had adopted a three-pronged strategy in promoting RT with equal focus on economic, social and environmental aspects. The economic model ensures that a part of the revenue generated through tourism goes to the local community by establishing a production and supply network for local produces besides giving members training in production.

The social aspect focuses on sustaining traditional livelihood by integrating practices like coir making, toddy tapping, pottery and net fishing into tourism package and ensuring proportionate distribution of revenue among the community members. Promoting arts and culture by attracting tourists to watch traditional art forms in the natural settings rather than serving it in capsule form at the resorts they stay in is another focus area. 

M. P. Praveen, The Hindu, KOCHI, September 20, 2014

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/responsible-kerala-tourism-to-spread-wings/article6429268.ece,  

Bringing Quality to Higher Education

It is not very heartening to see the QS World University Ranking; Not a single Indian higher education institution has made it to the top 200. The recent rankings invariably proved that though our emphasis was on higher education from Independence onwards, the progress made so far is not up to the expectation of global education.The confusion over whom should be blamed for this sad state of affairs still elusive.

Let me bring your attention to the recent hue and cry over the Central Civil Service Exam where a group aspirants cried out for scrapping second paper (CSAT) mentioning it is favorable to urban/elite candidates. Though the issue was not yet settled completely, Union Government has decided to avoid English Comprehension part. At the same time, some times I feel disheartened by the unfair treatment of UPSC in conducting civil service exam. When our constitution enshrines the right for equality to all her citizens, why UPSC conducts exam in both English and Hindi ? I think it favors Hindi speaking people and discriminatory to others. If the passage (Paper II) was in my mother tongue, I would have scored good mark. Though I have done very well in the reasoning, logical ability and basic arithmetic, I proved wrong in attempting passage where my haste succumbed to gain more negatives. In order to make it level playing, UPSC should make it either in English (for all) or in all the 8th schedule languages. As the latter seems inconvenient former makes more sense.

If the Government decision is right, Will they ready to scrap English from all the exams in India including CAT and Banking? Very irking concern ?

Here I want to point out the root cause rather than outcomes. The issue lies in the elementary education. How we can accept a situation where one country creates two types citizens, one gets education from very ordinary government/state syllabubs and a rich group gets education from a far better CBSE, NCERT schools that in turn facilitate the elite capture.  What is wrong to assuring access for everyone to a uniform curriculum in Schools ?

Government should  give more attention on the quality of school education aiming at the physical and mental competency of children. Our Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence day address mentioned about the pathetic condition of schools, plight of girl children and the need of intellectual contributions to students community. His decision to make 12hr compulsory service for scientists in  schools is a very welcoming move in this direction.

Bringing quality to education attention should be on software as well as hardware parts.

1. Infrastructure
Whatever it may be School or College, Infrastructure has a paramount importance. As our visionaries rightly pointed out no progress can be made unless and until we develop our technology. Though the communication from MoHRD to telecast the Teachers Day message of Prime Minister compulsorily is hard to comprehend, I consider it as a bold step to assure digitization of our institutions.
Information Communication and Technology (ICT) have magnificent impact in the governance of country and to an extent it can act as a panacea for curbing corruption. The brewing concern of red tapism can end with the help of technology. The growing concern of security, lack of transparency in governance policy paralysis and  snail pace need to be stopped with the effective utilization of ICT.

1. Education institutions need to equipped with world class infrastructure.
2. Online Sessions by eminent teachers should be arranged
3. Access should ensure to the registry of  Knowledge bank (Tutorials, Books, Journals, Videos etc.)
4. Presence of Digital Library and access to internet should be ensured
5. Services for students (payment of fees, scholarships, grants, exams, etc. ) should be done through online

2. Updated Curriculum - It should be developed in connivance with the industry
3. Quality of Teachers
 It is another important are of consideration; because only a good teacher can create a good students.Thrust should be on the accountability of teachers and close attention should be paid in the matter of performance of teachers (evaluation of performance, publication of quality papers etc.). This can be achieved only through paying attention on the matter of election and developing a system for continuous monitoring.

4. Research and Development
    Focus on patents and publication of articles in journals with good impact factor.
5. Industry Collaboration
6. Inter University Collaboration/Allowing Foreign Universities to work in India
7. Communication Ability
  Though last but of great importance should be on communication and soft skill which are vital for the over all development of human being. Beyond wisdom, a teachers can give vision to his/her students.  Here is the essence of what Bacon said lies; "A good teacher is a priceless social tressure.

When we boast about the demographic dividend; if we we fail to take leverage out of their skill by imparting right knowledge, skill and attitude and instills sense of pride, we rather make a suicidal attempt.

Let's awake and skill India
Let's arise and create employment
Let's revive and deploy right minds

For our Nation , For our Society





 

Responsible Tourism: Lessons behind Legacies

Responsible Tourism (RT) is all about ‘creating a better place to live and a better place to visit’. Being the landmark venture of Kerala Tourism department, the project focused on improving the livelihood of destination community by effectively linking them with the industry.

The essence of sustainable livelihood lies in helping the community to flex their entrepreneurial muscles and equip them for future challenges. The procurement supply group - Smarudhi own and operated by women SHG’s (Self Help Groups) is one of the best working models of RT networked with 400 local production units consist of 22 Kudumbasree vegetable units, 100 egg production units, 14 local farmers clubs, and 360 homestead units. It assumed that at least 1,000 local residents in Kumarakom have benefited from the industry – community link-up.

The life changing story of a carpenter Sebastin is suffice to elucidate the impact of Responsible Tourism initiative at Kumarakom. His adeptness in chisel out sculptures from wood was identified by the RT Team, while he was searching for an earning to meet both ends of the life with his family amidst poverty and debt; he was almost in the brim of committing suicide. Their intervention at the right time by providing sufficient training and marketing support saved his life that now helps him to earn an average of 30-35 thousands per month.

While Kumarakom adore with the tag of ‘Global Responsible Tourism (RT) destination’, it is pertinent to remember a few key player behind this accolade. Started as the Consultant of State Poverty Eradication Mission (SPEM); popularly known as “Kudumbasree, Mr. Rupesh Kumar proved his excellence as a change agent. With his vast experience in socio-economic and political arena, off heat opinions and finely tuned missions, Mr. Rupesh united all stake holders under the RT flag.

Even though he breezed effortlessly through the sensitization programs and negotiations to ensure proper rapport between the stakeholders, the project met with an impasse at the procurement and supply phase. With an enthusiastic LSG representative to spearhead the negotiation, he could reach an amicable and mutually acceptable decision within no time. Through this delicate management maneuver, the responsibility of growth and sustainability was evenly placed on the shoulders of the stakeholders.

Adorning the role as the State Project Leader of Responsible Tourism initiatives of Government of Kerala was a real test of his mettle. In a short span of time Kumarakom gained worldwide attention with its sustainable actions and honored with various prestigious awards like UNWTO Ulysses Prize in the in the category of Innovation in Public Policy and Governance, Rural Tourism Innovation Award by PATA, Best Tourism Product Award by the Ministry of Tourism and President Recognition for Sustainable Tourism Development.

Responding to this achievements Mr. Rupesh opined that “It was one of the most satisfying endeavors that I have attempted even though project stretch me beyond my comfort zone and forced to walk the extra mile. It gave the much needed sharpening to my intellect and taught how to take a bird’s eye view on critical issues before taking the right decision”.

While narrating the success story of Responsible Tourism, it will be incomplete and ineffective if I forget a dynamic individual who was with the project since from the very inception; Mr. U.V. Jose (Former Director, Planning and Operations, Kerala Tourism), a brain behind innovations. As an architect from School of Planning Delhi, and an MBA holder, this dedicated official made everything luminous through his Midas touch. Being a person closely associated with Mr. Jose, I observed his meticulous planning, strenuous effort and studious approach to make things better which definitely added more vigor to the entire team.  

Dr. Venu V IAS (former Secretary, Kerala Tourism), G.C Damodaran (then President of Kumarakom Grama Panchaytah), and many others contributed for the smooth pace of RT Project.
Responsible Tourism initiatives at Kumarakom invariably proved that effective grass root level interventions can transform the lives of people. Lessons from this hinterland is an emulating strategy for local community empowerment and inclusive development by ensuring positive and meaningful involvement of the local community.  

(Paul V Mathew is a former State Team Member, Responsible Tourism Project. Currently he research Scholar at School of Management Studies (SMS), Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT). E-mail: paulvmathew.hr@gmail.com )