Death of a nurse

I am back at my native village, Olavipe. The news that greeted me on arrival on the 23^rd of this month was a sad one. Nurse Elizabeth of the nearby Community Health Center had died at the age of 52. She had been in good health apparently, but suddenly developed some discomfort and breathed her last in a hospital the next day.

Everybody here has only nice things to say about Elizabeth. Many households in the village had benefited from the healing touch of this kindhearted lady. She was available to provide medical aid to the needy any time of the night or day. And she never took money for the humane service she rendered.

When Ammachi (Oru Desathinte Amma.) was sick, in 1995, Elizabeth was of much assistance. We gratefully remember her help.

She will be greatly missed by the entire village. The general expectation is that Elizabeth’s daughter who would be completing her nursing studies in a few months would step into her mother’s shoes.

A good nurse, I should think, is as much a product of formal studies as aptitude. She would have an inherent inner quality from which comes compassion and dedication.

A great nurse, Mother Teresa, used to distribute to her visitors an yellow slip printed with the following words:

“The fruit of Silence is Prayer

The fruit of Prayer is Faith

The fruit of Faith is Love

The fruit of Love is Service

The fruit of Service is Peace.”

May Elizabeth’s soul rest in peace.

Ends.

Note: The source of the anecdote about Mother Teresa is FAITH AND COMPASSION, The Life and Work of Mother Teresa. Raghu Rai & Navin Chawla. Element Books, Shaftsbury, Dorset. 1996.

Also see: Old man of the fields

Tackling the oil crisis

Where is the continuing escalation of oil prices taking us? Are the politicians, government and the people doing enough to tackle the crisis?

Let us take a look at the reality. India imports 70% of its oil requirements. The crude price at $135 per barrel today is more than double what it was a year ago. The prediction is that the prices may further increase to $150-200 during the current year. Last year the combined loss of oil companies because of crude price increase was over Rs.77000 crores. This year the revenue loss may touch a whopping Rs.200000 crores.

Without increasing the price of petroleum products, the oil companies may not be able to survive. At the same time a hike in prices would escalate inflation rate. No doubt that India is caught in a quagmire.

What is to be done?

The first step is to stop politicizing the oil issue. Whenever there is a price increase for petroleum products, whichever party is in the opposition switch to protest mode. But in the states ruled by them, the sales tax is not moderated when the gas bill goes up. This results in a windfall to the states – unbudgeted income! Reportedly, in 2006-07 the combined earnings of the states on petroleum products were Rs.62000 crores. It is necessary to evolve a basis for rationalizing sales tax, excise, and import duties.

Another urgent step the Central and state governments, and the oil companies should undertake is an effective awareness program. Apart from passing protests against price hikes, how many citizens take the oil situation seriously and economize the use of petroleum products?

What are the ways by which we can reduce oil consumption? The oft-repeated suggestions of avoiding unnecessary travel, and organizing car pools are definitely effective. But there is more that can be done:

1. Stop or reduce the use of air-conditioning on vehicles. The citizens should be willing to forgo some small comforts in the interest of the nation
2. Improved driving techniques can save fuel. Two simple examples – (a) cold starting a vehicle in reverse consumes more fuel. Park the car front forward at night, and (b) maintaining a steady pace on highways instead of ‘speed and brake’ pattern saves fuel. There is much more.
3. Traffic jams result in idling waste. Switch off the engine if you have to stop for more than a couple of minutes. Also, the concerned authorities should give more attention to streamlining the traffic.
4. Good road surface increases fuel efficiency. Single lane roads, unscientific speed breakers and potholes result in vehicles guzzling up gas.
5. At home, reduce the use of cooking gas. On each cylinder, the oil firms are absorbing Rs.306.
6. Reduce petroleum based power production.

Can you add some more suggestions?

Ends.

Also see:

Indo-US nuclear agreement

123 Go - BY THE BOOK

Gardening: Hibiscus, the Queen of Shrubs

Hibiscus is among the most stunning flowers in the world. Originally a native of Asia, it has spread to many countries. There are numerous varieties of hibiscus, with flowers of many hues, and petal arrangements like single, double and curlers which do not open fully. The size of the blooms can be anywhere from 2” to 10” in diameter.

The plant can be propagated from cuttings or seeds. Depending on the type, they grow from one foot height to shrubs and even trees. They are planted in gardens, as hedges, and for landscaping. A planned grove of hibiscus with flowers of different colors is an enchanting sight.

Almost all parts of hibiscus are useful. They have several medicinal properties. The famous karkade or hibiscus tea is considered invigorating. Excellent jams and squashes can be made from the flowers. Dried hibiscus flowers are delicacies in some countries. A shampoo made by wet grinding the flowers is considered to be very good for the hair

and cooling the head. The blooms can also be used for polishing shoes; perhaps that is the reason for the name ‘shoe flower’.

Some of the grass skirts the Polynesian ladies wear are made of the fibers obtained from the bark of the hibiscus plants. Hibiscus roots too have medicinal properties and are believed to cure different ailments.

Wouldn’t you like to grow these beauties? It is simple. Hibiscus grows best in easy draining soil with plenty of sunlight. Once the plant catches on hardly any care is required. Seasonal pruning can increase the number of flowers.

Ends.

Also see: Health, Gardening: Periwinkle, a wonder plant

VP Ramachandran (VPR) – the ‘uneducated’ doyen of Indian journalists

How does one become a media person? A good university degree preferably in Literature, and a post graduate course in mass communication from a reputed school? Well, for VP Ramachandran (VPR), the eminent journalist, the story was different. The first course in journalism he attended was the one he taught as Director of Kerala Press Academy! He scaled great heights in India’s English language press with only high school as basic qualification. The rest he learned by himself.

Starting out as a typist with Associated Press of India (API), a subsidiary of Reuters, VPR became an editorial assistant in 1947 and later, sub-editor. By then API had become Press Trust of India (PTI). 1954 saw VPR covering elections in Punjab and then the Parliament.

A major break for him came in 1956. At the age of 32 he was posted as foreign correspondent to Lahore. After five years there he was sent to cover the India – China Border War in 1962.

The next assignment was as special correspondent with accreditation to the government, a beat that included the PMO, Foreign Affairs and Defense ministries. He traveled with the President and Prime Minister to various countries, covered Pre-Summit Meetings of Foreign Ministers, and many international conferences including Non-Aligned Summit.

Around this time VPR was considered to be close to Indira Gandhi. Many were jealous of his power and position. In 1976 a rumor was floated that he was against the emergency. Indira Gandhi ordered United News of India (UNI), to which VPR had shifted in 1964, to bundle him out of Delhi. UNI sent him to remote Ranchi as Industrial Correspondent.

That was the greatest test of the man’s journalistic capabilities. He found news where none was expected to exist. The stories he filed, particularly about the steel mills and coal fields, were eagerly picked up by national newspapers and All India Radio. After the emergency he was back in Delhi.

During his years in the capital, VPR was also Secretary of Delhi Union of Journalists, Member of the Central Accreditation Committee for Journalists, General Secretary of the Press Club of India twice, and President of Delhi Malayalee Association.

Then it was back home to Kerala. In VPR’s own words, ‘I did not like the political atmosphere in Delhi. Political parties functioned in clicks and groups and even journalists became part of one group or another. There was no scope for honest reporting.’

After a short stint as Editor, Mathrubhumi, the State Government appointed him Director of Kerala Press Academy’s Institute of Communication. Later he was made Chairman of the Academy for two terms, the maximum permitted by the rules. Even now he takes a couple of classes every month.

Last month we celebrated VPR’s 84^th birthday at the Suburban Club, Cochin. He has been evading the oft repeated request to write his memoirs. The reason – he feels that it might hurt some people.

VPR is a man who commands respect and love.

Ends.

Also see: Communication: Interesting jokes

Kerala Photos: Reflections on water 2

Photo from Olavipe. (Copyright AT)
Click on image for enlarged view.

Also see:

Kerala photos: Reflections on water

How do paths get formed?

Babu George has given the following comment on my post Kerala photos: Village paths ‘One of my research interests ever has been the question of how 'paths' get formed. Who was that 'innovator' that treaded this path first? Given that paths are rarely straight lines even when there is a plain land between two places, what are the complex creative human urges behind the formation of a particular path? How does a vague and tentative path marked out by the first mover go through the approvals and disapprovals of the rest of the society and get its final shape?’

I consider this an interesting question. A man walks over a piece of land from one point to another. Some others follow the same route. Why? The first few who pass that way could not possibly leave a discernible track. But more footprints fall on the same route and a trail emerges.

Why do all those people take the same path? A few years ago there was, if I remember right, a relevant decision by the Kerala High Court in an easement right case. The ruling was that people tend to take the shortest route while walking on open land and that by itself does not vest any particular right on the users. This could mean that paths are formed at the convenience of the commuters.

Sometimes even on vacant ground one finds bends in a path. See the photograph (Copyright TP) below

You can see the path curving in the foreground. The reason is obvious. The way has to thread through the two coconut palms. Perhaps it was a straight line before the trees were planted. If the palms die out or are removed, will the curve still remain? It would, I think; people have a tendency to follow a set pattern.

On undulated surface how would a walkway emerge? Here also, would the convenience aspect prevail? Avoid the boulders and the steep climbs wherever possible? Compromise between the effort of climbing and the time factor would perhaps decide the trail.

According to me, the subject is fascinating. I hope that Babu George goes ahead with his research and in course of time we would have definitive answers.

Ends.

Gardening photos: Beautiful leaves from Olavipe

Photos by AT (Copyright reserved)

Also see:

Flowers: Olavipe blooms