Tata Nano - Traffic Congestion and Pollution

Few years ago a visionary came up with a splendid dream and revolutionized the telecomm industry. Mobiles within the reach of the common-man, with a very wise punch-line ‘karlo duniya muthhi mein’. No doubt it brought smile on many faces and possessing a mobile phone was no longer sumptuosity. But soon due to the flooding of mobile users, mobile services degraded. The irksome words ‘All routes are busy’ are heard more often. And the network congestion smeared the enthusiasm of consumers.
Last year, when the whole world said ‘no’, TATA said ‘NANO’. Avowedly, Nano became the cheapest car ever manufactured and revolutionised the automobile industry. It has fulfilled the dream of a common man to own a car at lucrative prices. But Mr Ratan Tata the business veteran skirted the voices, uttering NO, among the voices some were the environmentalists and social activists who really dreaded the future problems nano will lead to.
As only few more days to go before the first set of Nanos hit the road. Just looking into the future, say about, 1 year down the line. You are travelling to office perhaps by a bus or an auto. You are stuck in traffic on a busy arterial road. You look out of your window and you realize that the road is packed chock a block with Nanos. May be nanos in multitude colours. Well this is not baseless imagination but something that is definitely possible.
Even if 10 % of the current Indian population buys the Tata Nano which is quite possible considering the number of bookings, can you imagine the whopping number of Tata Nanos that would be there on the road? The current traffic system in all the metros and the Tier-I cities is one big problem. The Nano with its lucrative pricing and funding of loans from various banks will make the lower middle class salaried man to opt for the Nano instead of a motorbike making the situation even worse.

The Nano as a concept and a car is great as it has broken the psychological barrier of the U.S. $ 2500 price tag or Rs 1 lakh. It will be a boon for small farmers and small scale industry manufacturers who can also use it as a means to transport their produce. The big problem would be to tackle the traffic problem. Years of narrow-minded city-planning have made the roads of the country a bad joke. Increasing urbanization and uneven development of cities and towns with high density of population in pockets have made urban commuting a real pain.
In addition to the congestion and pollution threat ‘The people’s car’ will definitely enhance the challenge of oil prices hike as more cars on the planet mean more fuel consumption.

Possible suggestions to improve the situation would be to go for better infrastructure to build long-lasting roads, adoption of multi-tier parking lots. Along with the problem of traffic congestion, environmental pollution is a major issue. The Nano conforms to the latest pollution emission standards. To state that the Nano will be the sole cause of air pollution will be foolhardy. In a country where close to 100000 cars get sold every month the Nano will be one more car in the long list of cars available.

What we are looking at is an efficient green car. A car that runs on electricity or solar energy and can fit within a Rs 2 lakh budget. The future of the world lies in the efficient use of our natural resources and reducing our carbon footprints. It would be doubly great if Tata Motors can come out with an environment-friendly “green version” of the Nano.

Developing countries in the age of Globalisation

“I have a friend from a neighbouring country who also became a Finance Minister. The day he got his job, I called to congratulate him. He said, ‘Don’t congratulate me. I am only a half Minister. The other half is in Washington.’”- Manmohan Singh.
East India Company came as a trading group to India and built a political empire. At present, India is being invaded by more powerful corporate giants from all directions. Under globalised economy, the gap between the developed and developing countries, and between the rich and the poor within countries, has increased.
We cannot deny the fact that economic interdependence at the global level has come to stay. While the economic development has certainly added to the economic development in India in respect of national income at the macro level, the government has failed miserably to achieve its stated objective of alleviating poverty and backwardness through its new economic policy.
In spite of the laudable promises given by finance minister in 1991 and the congress manifesto of 2004, and despite the FDI in retail trade is banned, giant international corporations are entering India, overtly or covertly, through the long chains of retail shops established in the names of big Indian trading groups.
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries has planned to invest a huge amount in a large number of retail shops across the metros in India. It has tied up with the second largest international retailer, Carrefour (of France). Sunil Bharti Mittal of Airtel is entering the retail trade in India with the world’s largest supermarket chain Wal-Mart. Tata Industries plans to establish trade with the backing of Woolworths, and many other big business houses in India are competing with one another to get international patterns for organising the retail trade in India.
Multiplex in recent times has also attracted many international players to venture into the business. No wonder the multiplex business is so lucrative that foreign entertainment giants like Time Warner, South Korean multiplex operator Megabox, and Australia’s Hoyts are in talks with real estate developers such as the DLF group, the Raheja Group and Sobha Developers to set up chains of multiplexes across the country. We should not forget that roughly a dozen Indian players have entered in the business in small or big way. New players are trying to enter this sector and the existing players are busy expanding their horizons!

The United States has 85 per cent of its retail trade organised against India’s 4 per cent. Departmental stores and supermarkets cater to the higher income group in large cities; India has 70 per cent of its people in rural areas with very low income. It is calculated that every departmental store employing 40 persons will make 400 retail traders unemployed. Against the unrestrained invasion of the powerful foreign giants with the help of national business barons, the future of several million retail traders of India and their families is bleak. Unless the government takes effective steps to create alternative employment facilities for all retailers thrown out of job, India will witness growing unemployment, and poverty will prove to be a great disaster for the country.

The reason to the emerging threat is, India has failed to impose strict restrictions on the area and the extent of domination available to giant corporations whether Indian or foreign. In many countries there are significant market access restrictions on foreign investments in trade, on foreign equity ownership, on purchase or renting of real estate, on practices of service suppliers and on forming joint ventures with local suppliers.

For instance the supermarket giant Wal-Mart was not allowed by New York City to open even a single retail store in New York. New York objected to Wal-Mart on the grounds that it paid low wages and provided deplorable health benefits to its employees. Initially, similar incidence was reported in California.
Moreover, according to a policy in France, if there is an application for setting up a supermarket with a space of 300 square metre or more, the French government accords permission only after getting the approval of the local authorities and consulting the local traders. Similarly, the Ministry concerned in Japan first ascertains the possibilities from local authorities and finds out the views of the local small-scale retailers.

Alas! In India, there are no legal restrictions or limitations on the allotment of space to retail giants or on the variety of commodities to be sold by them. Nor is there any consultation with the local authority or the retail traders in the area concerned.

It is difficult for anyone to pinpoint correctly the extent of the benefits that India or any other developing country may be able to get by being part of the globalised economy, but it is abundantly clear that the present arrangements accepted or imposed on India have totally failed to bring about the sustainable development or to contribute to the process of equitable distribution of benefits to all sections of society. It’s an irksome fact that the political sovereignty of a developing country like India has become subservient to a globalised economy.

Industry facing a distinct lack of original ideas...

One would acknowledge this fact with embarrassment rather than pride that the Indian movie (not using the word Bollywood... We must admit that our film industry is often ridiculed by the name 'Bollywood' a similar connotation to that of Hollywood) still continue to remain mere copies of some Hollywood flicks.
For most movie viewers the three hours escape to the dark dungeons of a cinema hall, stems from a basic need to just beat it. Beat the stress, strain and sounds of everyday life. Get away from mundane, everyday concerns and conflicts. For him the hours spent in celluloid captivity are well spent only if the offerings take him away from his rough and tumble existence, and yet doesn’t throw him into an alien world altogether. Fantasy is fine, even fun, as long as the concept curbs the viewer glued to the screen.
No doubt cinema, used to be an integral part of our lives. It has given masses, clips to laugh, to enjoy, to share good time with their loved ones. It has always influenced the lifestyles, market trends etc. But it’s quite disheartening to note that the modern cinema is losing the grip. The new releases are no longer capable enough to allure the mass and the big reason to this cause is the lack of creativity and originality in the Indian movies.
Indian cinema like a meager automobile company is working on the age-old formula of presenting the previous models with few modifications without realising the requirements and demands of the consumer. Not concerning the new advanced technologies and trends.
For decades Hollywood has inspired Indian film industry. In Hollywood, we see different shades of life in their movies. Be it romantic, action, Science-Fiction film or be it a drama full of emotions or a real life story inspired by a lovely novel. It’s not that there are no flop movies there, but the basic fact is at least they dare to show something different, something original which is very rare in 'Bollywood' (of course with few notable exceptions). The point to note is that there is a fine line between “being inspired” and copying. It’s disgusting that some Indian filmmakers simply resort to copy-and-paste formula rather than putting their own creative faculties to some productive use.
Last year release Partner, for instance, is almost scene-by-scene copy of Hollywood director Andy Tennant’s 2005 romantic comedy ‘Hitch’, starring Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James and Amber Valletta. Similarities between the two movies are quite shocking. Even the camera angles in scenes showing Katrina Kaif’s conference room or the climax scene on a boat are ditto the same as in ‘Hitch’.
Other movies like The Train and Raqeeb were ripped off from Hollywood's ‘Derailed’ and ‘Murder by Natural Causes’, respectively.

But the most traumatising was to see a reputed production house like Yashraj Films back a movie that had very little original material in it. Siddharth Anand tried to play cleverly. Instead of lifting one film start-to-finish, he borrowed from a number of flicks. So while many portions of ‘Tara Rum Pum’ resembled the Tom Cruise starrer ‘Days Of Thunder’, there were scenes and situations in the second half that were shamelessly copied from Italian film ‘Life Is Beautiful’.
But for how long can such shameless pilfering continue? These instances directly question the more than 50 years experience of the Indian cinema, a long time to build a mature, versatile repute. It’s not that we are short of good writers or latest technologies it’s just that we have shunned our imagination run wild and produce something creative, original and at the same time acceptable. We, the people are equally contributing towards this nonsense. We could not differentiate between the real gem and some haphazard sequences of ostentatious display.

Multiplex Culture in India

Suppose one day you wake up with the news that all the food hubs are going to be converted into ‘5 star luxury hotels’, and you have to spend xxx amount for a 'simple veggie'!! Huh! Sounds horrible isn’t it? On the same lines think of the emerging multiplex culture in India, keeping in mind the fact that these multiplexes are erected on the debries of our very own single screened theatres.
Few years ago Hindi Cine Industry realised that not every movie can be a blockbuster. So Bollywood decided that it would adopt the American model and make movie-going an “experience”. It wasn’t just about the hero or the heroine any more. It was about how caramelized your popcorn was and how deeply you could sink into your seat. PVR opened the country’s first multiplex in New Delhi in 1997. The delivery system had become sophisticated. The product changed its packaging too. The Hindi movie got slicker. Costume designers and poster makers became more important than storytellers. Exotic locations became de rigueur. Naturally, the costs spiralled.
Multiplexes haven’t just altered movie-going habits, at least in urban centres. The very structure of the multiplex, which has several screens with smaller capacities per screen, is posing a challenge to mainstream film-making. With most single screens in cities converting to multiplexes, producers and distributors have to cater to blocks that may be paying more money per ticket, but are also more fragmented than before.
Cinema is a major source of entertainment in India. People love to watch movies and even idolize some of the actors and actresses. They are not only crazy to watch a movie in the very first week of its release but love watching it a number of times. Alas! Multiplex culture has dwindled this passion. Reason, economic constraints.
India is not an economically developed country like USA or Canada or many European countries where majority of people fall into the same economic zone and the low capacity of malls doesn’t affect the movie freaks. People there have got several other modes of entertainment. They spend money on museums, zoo, circus, opera, theatre, sports, fitness club and travelling etc. And not to forget, purchasing power of people in the developed countries is obviously more.
Multiplex culture is no doubt good as it has enhanced the security of females and made a movie watching a classic experience but mostly multiplexes are developed on the debris of old and economical single screen cinema halls. Their existence reduced the chances for a large number of people to watch the film in first week of its release. Moreover, a lower middle class family can’t even think of a movie in multiplex. Spending 500+ for a single fun trip is a mean amount! To watch a film in first few days has always been a thrill for people, keeping passion towards cinema. But policy of big filmmakers and distributers to release initially their films only in multiplexes has killed that adventure for masses. It has become prerogative of few chosen only, who can spend few hundred Rupees per person to watch a film.
This one star, three star or five star differentiations can work beautifully in the hotel or restaurant business because one may get the fundamental things, accommodation and food, at every other place also wherever he goes. One may get a very tasty food at road side dhaba also but if tomorrow five star hotels and restaurants start affecting the vegetable market and production and selling of common vegetables and people are forced to go to five star hotels only to eat even common vegetables then we can imagine the control of market over our food life. If big films are chosen to be released in multiplexes only then their filmmakers and distributers are depriving a large section of people from getting the pleasure of seeing the film in first week and like this some will never be able to watch the particular movie in theatre.
Cinema is an art and art is meant to unite people. In 50s, Pt. Nehru had called Industries as temples of modern India and Hindi films have also been able to unite the country. Virtually Multiplex culture is leading to an economic class demarcation in the society. India shining is good but we should not forget the areas which are yet to get the reflections!

Moving IPL out of India right or wrong?

How about having the French open in Australia? It’s absurd isn’t it? Or at least it sounds preposterous to certain die hard tennis fans. Apart from sounding ridiculous it’s the most unlikely of all possibilities. In the same breath, the news of shifting the “Indian Premier League (emphasis on the “Indian”) out of India to foreign shores has been profoundly uncomfortable on the ears of the millions of people in the country who would have undoubtedly braved the late afternoon bursts of heat to crowd into the respective stadiums to watch their revere gods do battle. Truly it’s a pity to have another country host an event whose identity runs hand in glove with being Indian.

The IPL, in which the world’s leading players participate in eight franchise teams from across India, has gained unprecedented attention since its debut last year. Cricket is a much hailed sport in India and citizens across the country throng into the stadiums to cheer their ducky stars. The IPL is an Indian brainchild, nowhere else but in India does cricket find such an acceptance and devotion, hence the fact that it will not be played in India is without an iota of doubt, a matter of national shame.

According to BCCI president Shashank Manohar, it was because of the attitude of the government that they were forced to take the decision. The schedule was clashing with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the government was not ready to spare security for the cricket tournament. IPL commissioner Lalit Modi tried his level best to convince the Home Ministry that they would cast off any concerns of security that might arise, but the government turned down the offer saying the Lok Sabha polls take precedence over cricket.

The recent attack on the Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan was not only embarrassing for that country but the whole sporting fraternity. And this shedding of responsibilities from the government poses a big question mark on whether India is a safe venue to host the Commonwealth Games, scheduled for 2010.
What is the signal the government is trying to send within and outside the country? Is our security a myth? The issue is, can a so called developing country wanting to be hailed as an upcoming superpower as well not handle multiple tasks at a given point of time?

More than 90 international players from top cricketing nations have signed up for the IPL, which has brought India’s two great passions, cricket and cinema together. It’s a very unfair decision forced upon all the stakeholders, franchisees, advertisers, the tourism industry and people of India and all those who are directly or indirectly related to IPL. Only thing left to see is whether the IPL can recreate the Indian magic in South Africa. While cricket is almost a religion in India, it is soccer and rugby that rules the roost in South Africa.

“The crowds made IPL-1. Without them it would have been just another tournament; they made it the biggest thing to happen to cricket,” leading cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle wrote in The Indian Express. “The players will still be there this year but there will be something missing. Moving the IPL to South Africa isn’t the best thing that could have happened.”

I Remember

The cool misty air brushed past my ears, Bringing those caring memories from bellow-
The thwarted designs of my life Taunting the very existence of myself
Those feelings which aroused within-
Baned with the touch of misery, I could not recognise those thoughts-
As dark as my life.
Pleasant thoughts suddenly invaded me-
They fell at war with my sadness,
Finally they did overcome me, And mingled with the veryheart of mine.
Still, I cherish those thoughts Which once were very dear to me,
But alas! Iseem to posses none of them, And now am I condemned to this servile fears of this world?

Should convicted criminals allowed to contest elections??

According to Arisotle, ‘Politics is the highest level of activity a human being is capable of.’ But in the present scenario it’s quite difficult to understand the gravity of this statement. Ask someone (not talking about the scion of great leaders) what about taking politics as a career option? No doubt you’ll get such weird reactions as if you have committed a grave mistake. The reasons to such responses are many but the foremost that taps is, nobody takes politics as a serious career option that requires certain qualification, consider it as a worthwhile field to step into. For instance, recall the TATA tea ‘jago India’ campaign. Ha! Reel is nothing but reality blended with humour and entertainment.
With parliamentary elections announced in India, and with nearly 25% of the country’s 714 million voters below the age of 35, there are thousands of political aspirants who would throw themselves as candidates in the poll fray. The big question is what are the qualifications required to contest the elections? Are the mere obligations of being citizen of India, not less than 25 years of age and voter from any parliamentary constituency in the country are enough, to lead a nation?
The answer is a unanimous No. Politics is unlike any other career, in the sense it needs more passion and commitment and care for people. One must have empathy and be knowledgeable of the society one lives in, as well as have a global perspective. It is necessary to be a good listener and have high moral values to be an effective leader and these attributes are rare in a convicted felon. A successful leader is one who has his finger on the pulse of the people, their sentiments, not someone, who has toyed with them or exploited them somehow in their criminal lifetime.
Politics is a noble profession and it is a shame to accept politicians who have criminal backgrounds. In every field we expect a person to be qualified, experienced and accountable, so why not in politics? We are still striving to be freed from criminal records, including some with charges of heinous crimes such as a murder, rape, looting and kidnapping. This seriously tarnishes the image of honest and eminent leaders who are committed to building a greater nation.
Such people should strictly be prohibited to contest the election