Caring for Mother Nature

The cover stories in the The September 2018 issue of your prestigious think tank magazine is highly enlightening indeed . In your cover story you have done a commendable job of bringing in focus how our successive policy planners have played with Mother Nature resulting in the frequent man-made disasters in the recent years. I hope our planners both at the Centre and in the States would learn from their past mistakes. They must do the needful corrections in the interest of humanity. It is a crime against humanity to allow the kind of development that has taken place so far in the country . I would commend you also for your articles on our former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The present generation of politicians must see an ideal role model in him and practise the statecraft in the manner he did . Like Vajpayee, our rulers must practise rajdharm. This means treating all communities, big and small, fairly and without any discrimination . This practice would be in the interest of humanity India has taught the world since time immemorial . This would also make India socially strong. India is a multi-religious nations. The practice of rajdharm would integrate all religious minorities into the mainstream making India really strong at the emotional level .

Kamayani Chatterjee
Kochi

Preventing atrocities

The Supreme Court has done well not to stay the recent amendments to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. In August this year both Houses of our Parliament passed the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018. The Bill stipulates that in cases of atrocity on the concerned social segments, “preliminary enquiry shall not be required for registration of a First Information Report against” the accused. The arrest of the accused under this Act would not require any approval. And the provisions of anticipatory bail shall not apply in the case “notwithstanding any judgment or order of any Court.” The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill of 2018 has restored the legislative intent of the original Act, which barred anticipatory bail to a person accused of insulting or hurting a Dalit.
The amendments were meant to nullify the effect of a March 20 judgment of the Supreme Court. The verdict removed the bar on accused persons seeking anticipatory bail. It led to widespread protests and loss of lives. Given the pattern of treatment the Dalits still get at the hands of upper caste seniors, our Parliament did well to keep intact the provisions of special protection to them. I would, however, add Parliament must incorporate such provisions as are not used as a weapon to target any fair person belonging to non SC/ST communities.

I think such provisions need to be extended to all cases of atrocities against any deprived sections, including the economically backward ones. None, including the privileged individuals from amongst the SCs and STs , should be spared from being reported and arrested if they are found to have committed atrocities against any fellow citizens in the country. Our intelligence and security agencies must be granted professional autonomy towards this end.We must have persons of integrity in our police and magistracy to conduct a fair inquiry into all cases of atrocities.

K J Vishnu
Kochi

Staving off famine

Pinarayi Vijayan By all estimates, the floods in Kerala have destroyed this year's cereal and non cereal crops completely. Standing rice plants were covered completely for more than four days in standing waters, causing them to rot. The same case was for other cereal crops. No one has as yet talked of the coming disaster on the population. It is famine. Fungus will envelop the entire countryside and only an extended exposure to sun and ploughing the earth will rid of this evil . That will take at least six weeks. District police should issue warning notes to their HQ and the HQ should discuss measures with the Government on how to stave off the famine. The Public Distribution System needs to be geared up and food distribution system be made more easy. The State needs to seek food aid. Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan has moved the World Bank for flood assistance in the face of a tardy response from the Central Govt. Its best that contact should also be made with FAO to buy surplus rice and pulses where ever it is found.

Gautam Kaul
Indian Police Service ( Retd)



		EDITOR'S MAIL EDITOR'S COMMENT ECONOMIC SCENARIO ECONOMIC SCENARIO FRANKLY SPEAKING REALPOLITIK CARING FOR THE NEEDY SIGNS OF THE TIMES UNSMART CITIES M.P POLITICS SOUTHERN TRENDS PUNJAB POLITICS WEST BENGAL POLITICS TIBET’S FUTURE 2+2 DEAL Imran’s naya PakIstan ? PAGE FROM HISTORY PAK POWER GAMES GLOBAL AFFAIRS REVIEW HITS & MISSES SPORTS DIARY BOOK BAZAAR BOOK BAZAAR HONOURING THE BRAVE YOGA IN DAILY LIFE ART OF LIVING Issue:October' 2018 Subscribe Now	EDITOR’S MAIL Caring for Mother Nature The cover stories in the The September 2018 issue of your prestigious think tank magazine is highly enlightening indeed . In your cover story you have done a commendable job of bringing in focus how our successive policy planners have played with Mother Nature resulting in the frequent man-made disasters in the recent years. I hope our planners both at the Centre and in the States would learn from their past mistakes. They must do the needful corrections in the interest of humanity. It is a crime against humanity to allow the kind of development that has taken place so far in the country . I would commend you also for your articles on our former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The present generation of politicians must see an ideal role model in him and practise the statecraft in the manner he did . Like Vajpayee, our rulers must practise rajdharm. This means treating all communities, big and small, fairly and without any discrimination . This practice would be in the interest of humanity India has taught the world since time immemorial . This would also make India socially strong. India is a multi-religious nations. The practice of rajdharm would integrate all religious minorities into the mainstream making India really strong at the emotional level . Kamayani Chatterjee Kochi Preventing atrocities The Supreme Court has done well not to stay the recent amendments to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. In August this year both Houses of our Parliament passed the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018. The Bill stipulates that in cases of atrocity on the concerned social segments, “preliminary enquiry shall not be required for registration of a First Information Report against” the accused. The arrest of the accused under this Act would not require any approval. And the provisions of anticipatory bail shall not apply in the case “notwithstanding any judgment or order of any Court.” The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill of 2018 has restored the legislative intent of the original Act, which barred anticipatory bail to a person accused of insulting or hurting a Dalit. The amendments were meant to nullify the effect of a March 20 judgment of the Supreme Court. The verdict removed the bar on accused persons seeking anticipatory bail. It led to widespread protests and loss of lives. Given the pattern of treatment the Dalits still get at the hands of upper caste seniors, our Parliament did well to keep intact the provisions of special protection to them. I would, however, add Parliament must incorporate such provisions as are not used as a weapon to target any fair person belonging to non SC/ST communities. I think such provisions need to be extended to all cases of atrocities against any deprived sections, including the economically backward ones. None, including the privileged individuals from amongst the SCs and STs , should be spared from being reported and arrested if they are found to have committed atrocities against any fellow citizens in the country. Our intelligence and security agencies must be granted professional autonomy towards this end.We must have persons of integrity in our police and magistracy to conduct a fair inquiry into all cases of atrocities. K J Vishnu Kochi Staving off famine Pinarayi Vijayan By all estimates, the floods in Kerala have destroyed this year's cereal and non cereal crops completely. Standing rice plants were covered completely for more than four days in standing waters, causing them to rot. The same case was for other cereal crops. No one has as yet talked of the coming disaster on the population. It is famine. Fungus will envelop the entire countryside and only an extended exposure to sun and ploughing the earth will rid of this evil . That will take at least six weeks. District police should issue warning notes to their HQ and the HQ should discuss measures with the Government on how to stave off the famine. The Public Distribution System needs to be geared up and food distribution system be made more easy. The State needs to seek food aid. Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan has moved the World Bank for flood assistance in the face of a tardy response from the Central Govt. Its best that contact should also be made with FAO to buy surplus rice and pulses where ever it is found. Gautam Kaul Indian Police Service ( Retd)