Barunjha’s Blog

The Flood Control Unit of Irrigation Department along with local administration has swung into action to reach out to people with timely relief and aid. View at one of the many flood relief camp erected (above).

© Barun Jha 2009.

Half finished bridge piers and flood. The rivers of awdhara group of rivers in North Bihar are flowing beyond their brim. Hmm… It will rain soon let’s return home now.

© Barun Jha 2009

The mighty stands alone and survives it all. Heavy flood water engulfs as far as you can, what used to be green paddy fields.

© Barun Jha 2009

Clubbing all the adversities together, flood and drought they are perennial, yet they come every year. Only if I would have known which would come next?

© Barun Jha 2009

Well this is not a new incident in Bihar and I don’t see a reason why it will not continue?  The Public burnt bogies of the train to show their anger against what they laugh at, law.

Is it what is right for you a law? But we have a written code for it. Hey, who cares?

I travel by train to my office for which I don’t buy ticket. We have a monthly pass but he says it is old, I need to renew it. The ticket collector who asks for ticket has no right for it. After all this is not their train. It is government railway. It means every one of his right to use it. So I do. If there is no seat in the unreserved coach, I have every right to enter reserved coaches. We don’t care who the hell it is reserved for. “Pull the chain to stop train” is the messages near the chain and I do what it is intended for. If I reach station late my office colleague pull chain to stop it for more time so that I can it and reach office on time. And when my friends are late I pull chain to stop it for them. If anyone objects we don’t mind picking up quarrel or even a fight if it is required.

I didn’t asked him for any explanation, but he was telling me the tale, in order to get friendly I think, so that he can adjust and feel comfortable on the edge of my berth.

Well this is an old incident, the latest one happened when I was returning to Patna from Bangalore. On the journey you cross through different states but nowhere had I seen such an act. It is the first stop after we entered Bihar, a group of people entered our coach. Their hurry told me they are on their way to office. They are well dressed, looking fine but they speak nothing decent when they open their mouth. They came; they occupied seats of my co-passengers without their consent. Some adjusted, some complained. The train jolted from the station. One of them suddenly got up and pulled the chain. The train came to an halt again. Some more guys rushed in to the compartment to join their office gang. Those coming later thanked them for pulling the chain.  After around quarter of an hour the train started again. No, this was not end of it. I soon came to know this has just started. And it was repeated a dozen of time till I reached Patna. 

So, what is the problem and where does the problem lies? Is it hooliganism of the masses or the Indian railway has failed to cater to their demands? If it is later one, are they genuine?

Like any Indian cities thousands of people from nearby small towns and districts travel each day to Patna for a various reasons. If you are the one, you know the present status and overcrowding of public transportation in the route. People reason that there is more population but the hard reality is that the existing facilities are not sufficient to capitalize the rising developmental aspirations.

But does that justify vandalism exhibited last week and a few months before? Is it the right way to lodge your protest? The expense of every public property comes from taxpayer’s money. Damaging public property is like damaging and burning your own hard earned cash. That is not good at all, not acceptable.

It disturbs us as an individual, as a society and prevents us to uphold peaceful democratic principles. One should protest and speak out for improvement, but in a way acceptable and justifiable.

I don’t understand whether he is so stupid or he behaves as such. Drought is curse invited by present Chief Minister. This comes from former Union minister, what can be more absurd than that. Only thing I can say is that this man is a barbarian, uncivilized who opens his mouth to vomit shit.

Contempt of tradition is an excuse for your helplessness and another way to hide your shame to become shameless. And that you are. Huh………..

Mr.  Lalu don’t preach tradition, yes, but you are an expert on contempt of it. It is people like you who make hell out of every act of human arising out of survival instincts. Instead of criticizing you should have used your reach to help and support government. Equality in humanity is possible only during a natural crisis. You better understand that, at least now.

Wake up Bihar.

Few cheats and cracks to turn your office green. Some are simple others needs disciplined effort. But result is all same, a lot of savings and pride for your organization.

So let’s start. Disposable cups are really a nuisance, don’t you think so?  Carry your own coffee mugs to office next time and avoid using disposable cups. This way you will be saving a lots of trees uses to make those paper cups. You will also reduce piles of solid waste and add to nation’s saving which is spent on waste treatment. If you travel to work, here is another chance to turn green. Start car pooling today. You will save a lot on your gas (fuel) bills and will develop some really good friendship.

Once inside office be a little concerned like printing, lighting. Print only when it is absolutely necessary. Avoid as far as you can. If you print, try your best to use both sides of paper. Your office is brightly light, it is fine but there is ample scope of energy saving.

Ask and motivate the facilities people of your organization to go for task based lighting. Focus lights where you need it most. Change to CFLs, they are cost effective and energy saving and better still go for LEDs. You can do similar thing at your home too. When you are leaving home for office and leaving office for home, turn off fans, lights and appliances which are not in use.

We have a habit to get our clothes washed after wearing once. Next time take a look, isn’t it clean, do it really need a wash. Avoid washing if they are clean. Fix a time frame and get your office air-conditioning up by a degree. If you are living in a hot places which needs air-conditioning round the clock, dress properly. Business formals in London and in New Delhi need not to be same. There is logic in it. See it don’t keep yourself blindfolded.

And Spread awareness.

Swine flu is knocking the doors of the state. Bihar wants a separate test laboratory with all the test facilities to check the threat. Off course people need it; we cannot depend upon the appalling public healthcare system of the state. If the cases increase it will add to the already existing cerebral malaria menace. And system in the state will be in no way able to stand it.  Another reporting claims increase in number of cerebral malaria cases.

Twenty six out of thirty eight districts were officially declared drought hit and for the paradox, rivers of awdhara group draining the state and neighboring Nepal are in spate flooding the area surrounding it. What an ill fated state this is, I wonder?

“The state government has failed miserably to reach relief to the people facing unprecedented drought… It is a shame on humanity,” one former Union minister told reporters. That is how they talk. Yes they always fail. You strengthen your check dams only when it is breached; appoint doctors only when there is epidemic. Your relief reaches only when a few starve to death. You do nothing to check corruption and whether the fund reaches to people but at time of calamity declare one committee to look into the matter. Water recedes and people catch up with life and God knows where go your committees and your reports and the instant plan you promise the poor that this won’t be repeated again.

Neither rain nor irrigation on time means no sowing, no cultivation. Reports coming indicate paddy sowing in the state is lower by half and the implication will start showing in immediate days to come.  Amidst all these, decision of State Government to provide monthly pension to person with 40% disability is worth appreciation and so is decision to lower the annual income criteria to be eligible for pension. Similarly, inclusion of widows of families with annual income less than 60,000 under the Laxmibai Social Security Pension Scheme deserves applause. Although what these schemes pay is token of insult to the penury but for a parched throat every drop counts.

Another year and a half in detention for ailing Nobel Laureate and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi  by Burmese kangaroo Court. Forty long years of murder, torture, mass rape and slave labor , of inhumanity, it seems brutal regime has no ends in Burma. And what a paradox those who should be behind bars are ruling and one who could have taken the nation out of all this mess is behind the bars.

China and challenging it on global front is haunting members of Security Council like US, UK. It is necessary to press China to agree for the prosecution of such a brutal regime.

A recent Harvard University report by top global jurists reveals that the UN has already quietly documented the forced recruitment of tens of thousands of child soldiers, more than one million refugees and internally displaced persons, numerous cases of killings and torture, mass rape and the forced displacement of 3,000 ethnic minority villages — as many as reported in Darfur.

It’s time for the world to put the Burmese generals on trial.

Avaaz is launching a call for the UN Security Council to investigate the regime for crimes against humanity — a judgment of guilt could lead to prosecution of top generals by the International Criminal Court.

Sign the petition to send a clear message to the UN Security Council that the world expects them to lead.

Happiness is a voyage, not a destination.

 There is no better time to be happy than… NOW!

Live and enjoy the moment.

                                                    -Author unknown                           

My life will be better once I achieve this, I thought like that once. Worked a bit hard than usual and I achieved it. This is the normal goal chasing we keep on doing in our life, isn’t it? I was happy I celebrated, just to realize that I want something new, something bigger for which I need to work harder. It will make me happier. Again I worked and I achieved. The desire of new frontiers and quest for success continues.

In the journey called life we always think it will start at the next corner and once we approach that corner we see it starting at the next corner. There is no end to this next. So when will my life start? Waiting for a start will end my life without a start. But a realization triggered some thought. Thought, what am I doing if it has not started?  Isn’t the journey of obstacles and success, I am going through a life?

Yes it is. It has already started. I need to be happy and there is no better time to be so than today/at present. In this journey called life there is not any road to happiness, happiness is the road.

Be Happy. Enjoy every moment and every minute thing you do. That is life worth living.