Endosulfan - A Curse on Humanity

I have scanned some pictures published by Mathrubhumi 2010 December 26 edition on Endosulfan here.

All the photographs below are the property of Mathrubhumi Publications, Kozhikode, Kerala. This is reproduced here with the sincere intention of supporting the movement against Endosulfan, a cause so dear to all Keralites. Kudos to the photographer Mr. Maduraj of Mathrubhumi. The publication of these photographs brought to light the sad and lamentable plight of the poor people of India.

I would like to kindly ask our Leaders how can they sleep at night after viewing the plight of these people whom they are supposed to protect? How can they so casually shrug off what is happening right infront of their eyes? Most countries in the World including USA and the under developed countries of Africa are for banning Endosulfan. But our dear Government is not satisfied with the studies conducted by USA or other developed nations of the World (Surprising, I know!). Oh no. They want their own scientists and committees to conduct one more study and then one more and then so on and so forth till a conclusion that supports their agenda is reached and then lo and behold! Completely legal Genocide !!! Ah Ha!

They are now using this Poison in the Cardomom Plantations of Idukki district. Idukki is where our dams and water sources are. With time, no doubt, this will spread to all of Kerala. If this is not a premeditated genocide, then what is? They don't care if one State perishes. After all there are 27 more left to exploit.

I wonder how these eminent leaders will react if someone poured Endosulfan over their home and gardens? After all there are no studies (Lies! Lies! Lies!) supporting that Endosulfan is harmful. So they shouldn't mind being exposed to it for a long long time, right? After all that is what they are asking of the people of Kerala and South Karnataka.


Now let us conduct a reverse study. Instead of waiting to prove that the chemical is harmful, let us prove that it is harmless!

So here is the CHALLENGE. Prove it. Prove that Endosulfan is harmless through a simple experiment. Expose the gardens of the homes  and the members of the family of the supporters of this chemical to Endosulfan for say 6 months. If no side effects are there, we will accept their view point.

After all this is for the Universal Good. So our Leaders should not mind, right?

A Promise - On Anti-Endosulfan Day

A Promise to Future

Cry not, for no one can hear
Plead not, for there is no justice, not for us.
Ask not, for we will not be granted,
Salvation, Peace or Right to Life.

Hapless, we have been thrown aside,
Like worthless carcass, used and useless.
Our bones left for scavengers to lick clean.
Forgotten by our own, lost in History.

We are the voiceless, toiling tirelessly for your progress.
We are the downtrodden, on whose shoulders you build your bright future.
We are the sons and daughters of your Mother,
Unseen, unheard, we are washed away in your Greed.

We sacrifice our selves on the altar of your Gluttony,
We are the tools, with which you build your business.
What is it to you, who sits in your crystal towers, unreachable,
If we perish in our efforts to fill your coffer.

With one tongue you talk of care, concern and consideration.
With your other tongue, you sell us poisoned lies.
Then runs away with eyes covered,
You care not to see the devastation you leave behind.

You still stand tall, with your head held high,
And preach of Democracy, Development and the Future
A future to which we have no right,
A tomorrow that we will never see.

You tell us of empowerment,
But we have no Power to say no to certain death.
You talk of fundamental rights,
When we don’t even have a Right to Life.

What for the progress, when our children writhe on the floor,
Sightless, soundless, in agonized death throes?
What for the tomorrow, when our hopes have withered,
Our dreams have died a poisonous death?

Still you come around: vultures, scavengers, hyenas,
Dressed up in fleece, hiding your slobbering maws,
Your pitiless claws and vicious fangs,
Your greedy eyes roving tirelessly: How to exploit our pitiful plight?

You use us on your climb to power,
You make us false promises and vows,
Then you turn around and spit on our Wounds
And accuse us of lies and deceit.

Not for money, promises or threats,
No longer will we remain silent,
We have had enough, get out of our Life,
We don’t need you, we never have.

No more will we say yes to your Poison.
No more will we lay down our lives for your Wealth.
No more will we sacrifice our hopes for your Future.
No more will we bear your murder of our kin.

So go now. You are no longer welcome.
We choose not to remain downtrodden anymore.
We have Voice. Even Heaven will hear us,
Now that we have decided to rise.

We will go forth into the World,
We will fight for our Freedom,
We will win back what is ours,
We will not falter, we will not fail.

We will hold out our hands, we will make a promise.
A promise to our selves, a promise to our children,
A promise for today, a promise for tomorrow,
A promise for Freedom for ever and a day.

Home is where...

Now that we are moving back to Cochin, this time when we went home, we set out on a home hunting venture. We took the help of my Mother's friend and her husband. I had no idea how to go about this hunting business. But uncle said that the best place to inquire are the local 'petti kada', ie. tiny temporary shops where they usually sell tea, betel leaves, cigarettes etc. At the very first shop where we started our hunting, the shop keeper turned our attention towards a relatively new flat complex. So we went there and presto, we found our Flat! Just like that! The power of betel shop owners! It is a 2BHK flat with Rs.7000/- rent which is very reasonable in Cochin. Personally, I preferred Villas or houses. But the rent is around the range Rs. 18000/- to 25000/-. Whoops! Cant afford that! Hehehe..... Hmmm. Someday...

Anyway, the flat is on the 5th Floor and is small and comfy. With TWO balconies!!! One in Kitchen! Yay! Yay! Yay!

I love, love, love..............

The kitchen is with lots of cupboards and woody tiles on the floor and faces west with a full balcony! That means, the room will be sunlit all day around! And the view is amazing! I am in love with this flat! The second balcony is in the drawing cum dining room. I want to put my dining table near the balcony, so that we can have dinner every night with a side dish of amazing scenery!

Aaaand this flat is only 1 Km away from my work place. That means I can sleep till 6.30 every morning and then rush to work at 6.45 AM!!! No more waking up at 4 O' cock for me!!!

Oh and did I mention that we are the very first tenants of this Unit? Lucky or what?   

A view from the top of the building. If u have 20/20 night vision and amazing ability to analyse and discern facts from crappy pics, you will see that you can catch a glimpse of refinary, fertilizer plant and my office in these pictures. But only if u know what to look for! Good Luck with that!

Cant wait to move into almost-my flat. If only my Bossman would relieve me from my post at the earliest. Sigh! Oh well. You know what they say.... Live in Hope and...

An outing to cherish...

So this time when we went home (Our last 'Going to Home Town' experience for the next few years, Yay!), we, ie. me, my sis, mum, dad and aunt went to visit a Fish Farm (part of Water tourism) of Matsyafed at Njarakkal. They offer a boating-fishing-lunch (they even cook the fish you catch!) experience for just Rs.150/- or something per person. Definitely worth the money. Lots of Sun, wind and water. What more could anyone ask on a hot summer day. Hmmmm. Maybe a little less Sun? My Sis and I burnt dark brown. Noooooooooooooo! Hehehe.

See the pics? Totally worth it.

Next is a picture of the Njarackal costline which is just one minute away from the Fish Farm. The waves are wild and practically no beach to speak off. As you can see there is a stone wall between the beach and the road to prevent the Sea from encroaching into the Land. We could not get down to the beach. We were not sure whether it was safe. But my Sister and I had fun climbing the modest rock wall! A beautiful sight.

From Njarackal, we went to Kochi Marina and Bolgatty Palace (which are side by side. In fact the Marina is on the Palace Lands, I think.) which is not really a Palace but more like a Mansion! Atleast so it seems to me!

This is a view from the Marina. The Great Cochin. She is Beautiful, is she not?

This is a partial shot of the Bolagatty Palace. This part of the Palace has been converted into a Hotel. One day, when I am well off (Sigh!), I am going to come here and spend atleast two days in their Palace Suit. Wonder when that day will come! There is a Restaurant here with a view of the Cochin Backwaters. Good food, somewhat affordable prices and  a breathtaking view. This is a good place to spend an evening.

The main part of the Palace is out of bounds. But the gardens are open to Public. Look at all that Water.

Amazing, right? I love this place. The night view must be out of this world. I can just imagine the cool breeze, the lights on the water line and their reflection and the backwaters at night. I am definitely going to spend some nights here!

And that put an end to our family day-out. I have more pictures. But all are in the memory card of my camera which I left at Cochin! I am now back at Calicut. Two or so more weeks to endure and then it is back to Cochin!!! Oh God! Why is it that the time goes really slow when you are waiting, anticipating for something to happen?  So unfair!

p.s. The pictures shown here were taken with my mobile. Hence the poor quality! I will try to load other pictures when I get back to Cochin. But no promises!

I cant believe I am Blogging!!!

After resisting the Blog mania for almost 10 years, here I am, begining a Blog. What does this mean?
I Have No Life!!! Not that this would surprise my near and dear. Coz they keep telling me that I Have No Life! Lol! But anyway, I just got transfered to my home town after three long years spent at Calicut. No offence intended, but I really really could not bear to live one more year there. Not because the people are bad or anything like that. It is just that.... THERE IS NOTHING TO DO THERE!!!

But looking back, I realize that it is not exactly true. There were plenty of things to do. If you took the time to search, that is. No malls or other hot hang out spots. But... Hmm. Guess what? I cant think of a single thing mention here. Pathetic, right? I know!!!

You know what? Since I work in a PSU, I will be moving around all my Life. Kind of like a gypsy, it seems to me, from town to town, never putting down roots, never forming lasting ties and in the end when I come back home, there will be no one waiting for me with open arms and loving smiles. It scares me.

I wish to make a map of all the paths I have walked. All the cities that I will skim through during the next thirty years. Hence the Blog. I dont know how true a keeper of memoirs I will be. I dont know how often I will post here. But, hey, a good start is half the journey, right?

So here I am. This is me.

All bear naked in front of you, my dear reader and the World. If I close my eyes and pretend you dont exist, please forgive me.

Till next time, Ciao.