Understanding Economics, Understanding Life

In daily life, you come across many people. At least a few of them will be very talkative.  When you encounter such individuals, you may try to avoid or flee. You may call them a bore or a time-killer!  A chatty person creates an oversupply of words, which reduces their demand in front of others compared to those who speak sparingly or moderately. 

In a lighter vein, it can be said that economic theory is at work even in the case of talkative people. This is mentioned in the book by Prof Satish Y Deodhar titled "Why I am Paying More: Price Theory and Market Structures Made Simple." (IIM Ahmedabad Books). 

Demand and supply of goods are dealt with in Microeconomics, an important branch of economic theory. 

If Economics could be learnt by understanding two words, demand and supply, it is jokingly said that the subject could be taught to parrots.

All things small and big are determined by or influenced by economics. From the moment you wake up, all activities and decisions, from having a cup of coffee at a nearby café, going for a movie, or buying a car, are influenced by economics. 

Many people with a master's in economics wonder why we should study economics or whether it is worth the effort! Others are scared of Economics because the theory looks difficult and involves a lot of mathematics and statistics. 

The book "Why I am Paying More" gives perfect answers to the questions posed by such people. Another important book that helped bring Economics closer to people was Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D Levitt & Stephen J Dubner. 

The Instagram & FB Blog Lalitha Dhanashastra Padangal (Simple Economics Lessons) is intended to help all of us understand the basic concepts of economics and how it is reflected in our daily lives. 

Follow & share these handles to unravel the phenomenon behind everyday behaviour and activities of people, and what influences them. 

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വേഗത പോരാ പോരാ ! കേരളത്തിന്റെ ഗതാഗത പ്രശ്നങ്ങൾക്ക് കെ റയിൽ സിൽവർ ലൈൻ പരിഹാരമാകുമോ?

 

രാജ്യത്തെ ആദ്യത്തെ സ്വകാര്യ പൊതുമേഖലാ പങ്കാളിത്തത്തോടുകൂടി കൊച്ചി അന്താരാഷ്ത്ര വിമാനത്താവളം നിർമ്മിക്കാൻ 1993ൽ   അന്നത്തെ മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി കെ കരുണാകരൻ പദ്ധതി യിട്ടപ്പോൾ പ്രതിപക്ഷ നേതാവ് ഇ കെ നായനാർ തിരുവനതപുരത്ത് കിഴക്കേകോട്ടയിൽ നടന്ന ഒരു പൊതു പരിപാടിയിൽ കെ കരുണാകരനെ പരിഹസിക്കുകയാണ് ചെയ്തത്. “ഓന് അറിയില്ല വ്യോമയാനം കേന്ദ്ര സർക്കാരിന്റെ കീഴിലാണെന്നു! നമ്മൾ വിമാനത്താവളം നിർമ്മിച്ചാൽ കേന്ദ്ര അനുമതിലഭിക്കില്ല.” ഇടതു മുന്നണി രാഷ്ട്രീയ പരമായി പദ്ധതിയെ എതിർത്തെങ്കിലും 6 വർഷങ്ങൾക്ക് ശേഷം ഇ കെ നായനാർ മുഖ്യമന്ത്രിയായപ്പോൾ രാഷ്‌ട്രപതി ശ്രീ കെ ആർ നാരായണൻ നെടുമ്പാശ്ശേരി വിമാനത്താവളം ഉൽഘാടനം ചെയ്തു.

വികസന വിരോധികൾ എന്ന ഇടതു പക്ഷവും ഐക്യ ജനാധിപത്യ മുന്നണിയും പരസ്പരം പഴി ചാരുന്ന കാഴ് ചയാണ് പിന്നീട് സംസ്ഥാനം കണ്ടത്.   2003 ൽ ആഗോള നിക്ഷേപക സംഗമത്തിൽ സ്വപ്‍ന പദ്ധതിയായി അന്നത്തെ പൊതുമരാമത്തു വകുപ്പ് മന്ത്രി എം കെ മുനീർ അവതരിപ്പിച്ച കേരളാ എക്സ്പ്രസ്സ് ഹൈവേ പദ്ധതിയെ ആദ്യം മുതലേ എതിർത്ത് തോല്പിക്കാനാണ് ഇടതു പക്ഷ മുന്നണി ശ്രമിച്ചത്. അന്ന് എക്സ്പ്രസ്സ് ഹൈവേ പദ്ധതിയെ എതിർക്കാൻ ഇടതു മുന്നണി ഉന്നയിച്ച ആരോപണങ്ങൾ തന്നെയാണ് ഇപ്പോൾ 600 കി മി ദൂരത്തിൽ തിരുവനന്തപുരം മുതൽ കാസർഗോഡ് നീളുന്ന കെ- റെയിൽ സിൽവർ ലൈൻ അർദ്ധ അതി വേഗ പാത പദ്ധതിക്ക് എതിരായി കോൺഗ്രസ്സും ബി ജെ പിയും നിരത്തുന്നത്. ഈ  പദ്ധതി സംസ്ഥാനത്തിനെ രണ്ടായി പിളർക്കുമെന്നും, അഴിമതി ലക്‌ഷ്യം വെച്ചുള്ളതും, പ്രായോഗികമല്ലാത്ത പദ്ധതിയെന്നുമാണ്. ക്വറി മുതലാളിമാരെയും പാറമട ക്കാരുടെയും താല്പര്യം സംരക്ഷിക്കുക യാണ് സർക്കാരിന്റെ നീക്കമെന്നും അവർ ആരോപിക്കുന്നു.

 മുനീർ അവതരിപ്പിച്ച എക്സ്പ്രസ്സ് ഹൈവേ പദ്ധതിയും കെ റെയിൽ പദ്ധതിയും പ്രധാനമായി ലക്ഷ്യമിടുന്നത് യാത്രാസമയം ഗണ്യമായി കുറയ്ക്കാനാണ്. നിലവിൽ കാസർഗോഡ് നിന്ന് തിരുവനന്തപുരത്ത് എത്താൻ 15-16 മണിക്കൂർ എടുക്കുന്ന സ്ഥാനത്തു സിൽവർ ലൈനിലൂടെ മണിക്കൂറിൽ 200 കി മി വരെ ഓടുന്ന തീവണ്ടിക്ക് 4 മണിക്കൂറിൽ എത്താൻ സാധിക്കും. മുനീറിന്റെ എക്സ്പ്രസ് ഹൈ വേ പദ്ധതിയിൽ റോഡുകൾ കൂടാതെ ഒരു ബുള്ളറ്റ് ട്രെയിനും വിഭാവനം ചെയ്തിരുന്നു.

ആശങ്കകളും പ്രതീക്ഷകളും

രാജീവ് ഗാന്ധി പ്രധാനമന്ത്രി യായിരുന്ന കാലത്താണ് ദില്ലി മുതൽ ഗ്വാളിയർ വരെ അതിവേഗ തീ വണ്ടി യായ ശതാബ്ദി എക്സ്പ്രസ് ആരംഭിച്ചത്. രാജധാനി, ദുരന്തോ എന്നീ മറ്റു അതിവേഗ തീവണ്ടികൾ പോലെ ശതാബ്ദിയ്ക്കും ഉയർന്ന ടിക്കറ്റു നിരക്കും, പൂർണമായും എസി ബോഗികളുമായതു കാരണം അത് സാധാരണ ജനതക്ക് അപ്രാപ്യ മായിരുന്നു. 2002 ൽ ഈ പോരായ്മ പരിഹരിക്കാനായി ജന ശതാബ്ദി എന്ന ട്രെയിനുകൾ ആരംഭിച്ചത്.  കേരളത്തിൽ ഈ ട്രെയിനിന് വമ്പിച്ച സ്വീകാര്യതയാണ് ലഭിച്ചത്. തുടക്കത്തിൽ തിരുവനന്തപുരം മുതൽ എറണാകുളം വരെ നടത്തിയിരുന്ന സർവീസ് പിന്നീട് കോഴിക്കോട്ടേക്കും കണ്ണൂരേക്കും സേവനം നീട്ടി. ഇന്നും കേരളത്തിൽ ഓടുന്ന ട്രെയിനുകളിൽ തിരുവനന്തപുരം മുതൽ എറണാകുളം വരെ 3 മണിക്കൂറിൽ എത്തുന്ന മറ്റൊരു ജനകീയ ട്രെയിനും ഇല്ല. മിതമായ നിരക്ക്, വൃത്തിയുള്ള ബോഗികളും, വേഗതയുമാണ് ജന ശതാബ്ദിയുടെ പ്രധാന ആകർഷണങ്ങൾ.

കൊച്ചി മെട്രോ

കൊച്ചി നഗരത്തിന് അഭിമാനിക്കാവുന്ന പദ്ധതിയാണ് ഉയരത്തിൽ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന  ആകർഷകമായ മെട്രോ തീവണ്ടികൾ. കൊച്ചി നഗരത്തിൽ എത്തുന്നവർ മെട്രോ ട്രെയിനിൽ കയറാനും ലുലു മാൾ സന്ദർശിക്കാൻ ആവേശം കൊള്ളുന്നത് കാണാറുണ്ട്. എന്നാൽ  പ്രതി ദിനം ഒരു കോടി രൂപ നഷ്ടത്തിലാണ് മെട്രോ ഓടുന്നത്. നഷ്ടം കുറയ്ക്കാനായി പുതിയ എം ഡി ലോക്നാഥ് ബെഹ്‌റ (മുൻ ഡിജി പി ) ചില പദ്ധതികൾ ആവിഷ്കരിച്ചു വരുന്നു. ഇതിൽ പ്രധാനമായും മെട്രോ സ്റ്റേഷനുകളിൽ വാണിജ്യ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങൾക്ക് വാടകക്ക് കൊടുക്കുകയും പരസ്യ വരുമാനവുമാണ് പ്രതീക്ഷ നൽകുന്നത്. തിരക്ക് കുറഞ്ഞ സമയങ്ങളിൽ ട്രിപ്പികളുടെ എണ്ണം ചുരുക്കാനും തീരുമാനം ആയിട്ടുണ്ട്.
കൊച്ചി പോലെ ഒരു നഗരത്തിനു യോജിച്ചതല്ല മെട്രോ എന്ന വാദിക്കുന്നവർ ഉണ്ട്. ഈ പദ്ധതിക്ക് വേണ്ടി വരുന്ന ഉയർന്ന മൂലധന നിക്ഷേപവും, സാധാരണ ജനങ്ങൾക്ക് താങ്ങാൻ കഴിയാത്ത നിരക്കുമാണ് പദ്ധതി ലാഭകരമാകാത്തതിന് കാരണമെന്നാണ്. കോവിഡിന് മുൻപ് പ്രതിദിനം  ഒരു ലക്ഷം യാത്രക്കാറുണ്ടായിരുന്ന സ്ഥാനത് ഇപ്പോൾ 25000 യാത്രക്കാർ മാത്രമാണ് ഉള്ളത്.

   തിരക്കുള്ള വൈകുന്നേരങ്ങളിലും രാവിലെ യും ഇടപ്പള്ളി മുതൽ എംജി റോഡ് വരെ യുള്ള റോഡിൽ ഇരു വശവും ട്രാഫിക് ഇഴഞ്ഞു നീങ്ങുമ്പോൾ എന്തെ ഈ ബൈക്ക്, കാർ യാത്രക്കാർ മെട്രോ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നില്ല? ഒരു പക്ഷെ ഈ കരണങ്ങളാകാം തിരുവനന്തപുരത്തു ലൈറ്റ് മെട്രോ പദ്ധതി നടപ്പാക്കാതെ പോയത്.
ജനശതാബ്ദിയുടെ സ്വീകാര്യതയും വിജയവും ജനങ്ങൾ വേഗത കൂടിയ ട്രെയിനുകൾ ഇരുകൈയ്‌യും നീട്ടി സ്വീകരിക്കുമെന്ന് പ്രതീക്ഷ നൽകുമ്പോൾ കൊച്ചി മെട്രോയുടെ പരാജയം ആശങ്ക ഉളവാക്കുന്നതാണു. .
വെല്ലുവിളികൾ
സിൽവർ ലൈൻ പദ്ധതി നേരിടാൻ പോകുന്ന പ്രധാന വെല്ലുവിളി ഭൂമി ഏറ്റെടുക്കലും പുനരധിവാസവുമായിരിക്കും. കേന്ദ്ര ഹൈവേ മന്ത്രാലയം ഇതേ പ്രശ്നങ്ങളാണ് ദേശിയ പാതകകളുടെ വികസനം  നടപ്പാക്കുന്നതിൽ കല താമസം ഉണ്ടാകാനുള്ള കാരണങ്ങളിൽ പ്രധാനമായി ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടുന്നത്. 2020 ഒക്ടോബറിൽ കേന്ദ്ര മന്ത്രി നിതിൻ ഗഡ്ഗരി 7 ദേശിയ പാതകളുടെ നിർമ്മാണമാണ് ഉതഘാടനം.ചെയ്തത്. 177 കി മി റോഡ് നിർമ്മിക്കാൻ ചിലവാകുന്ന തുക 11,571 കോടി രൂപ യാണ്.
   
നിലവിലുള്ള റോഡുകൾ വികസിപ്പിക്കുകയും, ദേശിയ പാത കൾ പുതുതായി നിർമ്മിക്കുകയും റെയിൽ ഗതാഗതത്തിന്റെ വേഗത വർധിപ്പിച്ചും യാത്രാ ദൈർഖ്യം കുറയ് ക്കാനാകുമെന്നു  കെ റയിൽ സിൽവർലൈൻ പദ്ധതിയെ എതിർക്കുനന്നവർ നിരത്തുന്ന ന്യായം.

സിൽവർ ലൈൻ പദ്ധതി നടപ്പാകുന്നതോടെ പ്രതി ദിനം റോഡ് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന 46,206 പേർ സിൽവർ ലൈനിലേക്ക് മാറും,12782 വാഹനങ്ങൾ ആദ്യ വർഷം റോഡിൽ നിന്ന് ഒഴുവാകുന്നതോടെ സംസ്ഥാനത്തു ഗതാഗത കുരുക്ക് ഗണ്യ മായി കുറയും. കെ റയിൽ വെബ്ബ് സൈറ്റിൽ (www.keralarail.com) മിഥ്യയും യാഥാർഥ്യവും എന്ന സെക്ഷനിൽ പ്രതിപക്ഷ ആരോപണങ്ങൾക്ക് ഉള്ള മറുപടി നൽകിയിട്ടുണ്ട്

നീതി ആയോഗ് പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കുന്ന ചെലവ് 126,000 കോടി രൂപയാണ് എന്നാൽ  കെ റയിൽ പറയുന്നത് മൊത്തം ചെലവ് 63940 കോടി രൂപയിൽ കവിയിലെന്നാണ്.. പാരിസ്ഥിതിക ആഘാത പഠനം നടത്താൻ ഒരു പ്രമുഖ ഏജന്സിയിയെ ചുമതലപ്പെടുത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. അതിന്റെ റിപ്പോർട്ടും, സാമ്പത്തിക ബാധ്യതകളും, പദ്ധതിയിടെ വിശദമായ ചർച്ചകൾക്കും അവലോകങ്ങൾക്കും ശേഷമാകണം അന്തിമ തീരുമാനം എടുക്കേണ്ടത്. ഇന്ത്യൻ റയിൽവേ യുടെ പങ്കാളിത്തം പദ്ധതിയിൽ ഉണ്ടെങ്കിലും വായ്പ തിരിച്ചടവും, ചിലവ് വർധനവിൽ ഉണ്ടായേക്കാവുന്ന ബാധ്യതകളുടെ ഉത്തരവാദിത്തം സംസ്ഥാന സർക്കാരിനാണ്. രാഷ്ട്രീയ പാർട്ടികളുടെ സമരങ്ങളും പ്രതിഷേധങ്ങളും കേരളത്തിന്റെ വികസനത്തിന്റെ വേഗത കുറക്കുന്നതാകരുത് മറിച്ചു സമവായത്തിൽ എത്താൻ സാധിക്കട്ടെ.

The Professor Who Got Scared of Alzheimer's!

The Professor Who Got Scared of Alzheimer's!:  Professor Devendran Nair returned home in the evening and straight away plunged into his old telephone book and diary. He was seen frantically searching his personal email and My Documents folder on his laptop.

The Importance of Telling Stories to Children

The Importance of Telling Stories to Children: Telling stories to children helps in increasing the imagination, cognitive skills and creativity skills in the child. It also increases parent-child bonding

Why People Hate Marketers and Salesmen?

Why People Hate Marketers and Salesmen?: Many people hate to encounter a salesman or a marketing executive and it is also ironical that many companies find it hard to attract good talent in marketing

Three Pegs and a Drive: How Drunken Drivers Create a Nightmare on the Roads

More than 28 years ago while doing my post graduation in journalism and mass communication in Kerala University, I was returning at around 10 pm after seeing the University Youth Festival. Infact, some of us had the task of reporting it for our lab journal and also a video assignment.After seeing of my friend staying in the University Hostel I walked back home which was hardly two kilometres away. As I was walking on the oneway towards Plamood, a speeding car just hit me and I quickly moved towards the footpath.Initially, I felt something had happened to my leg but luckily there was no injury. The driver obviously had lost control of the vehicle but he stopped the vehicle. I went and asked what happened. The driver said sorry and asked if something happened to me. Meanwhile, his wife said that they are returning from a dinner at Trivandrum Club and that her husband is drunk. I said it was not safe for him to ride back home. Meanwhile, some people crowded around the vehicle. I insisted that he should get out of the vehicle, take rest and have some lemon juice or something, relax and then go. Or alternatively, he could call someone and get the vehicle driven by somebody else. But the people said the family is there in the vehicle and it is late already. Let them go. I wondered at the attitude of the people who let a drunken person drive a vehicle fully knowing that he was not in a stable position. I also wondered how his wife could travel along with their two children when all their life and also of others on the road are in danger.
On another occasion 12 or 13 years ago, I was travelling with my wife and her cousin sister to Nedumangad at night. Suddenly an autorickshaw sprung up from somewhere in the wrong direction and hit our Maruti Alto causing considerable damage to the bonnet and side. The driver was drunk. A few people were chasing him in bikes and they said he had already hit two motorists on the road and when they tried to catch him he was escaping in his auto.We took our vehicle and his vehicle to police station nearby. The Sub Inspector told me that the autorickshaw didn't have insurance and any chance of getting money through a motor vehicles claims tribunal ruling was next to nil. He also told me that several cases are pending against that driver for drunken and rash driving. The inspector said I could get a General Description (GD)copy by confessing that I had no case against the driver and I could submit it to service center and get insurance claimed from the insurer.
On another occassion, I saw a speeding SUV hit an electric post in Plammod junction in Trivandrum quite near to our house. The young driver was obviously drunk. But he just reversed the vehicle and speeded off without making an attempt to look at the damage that was caused. No body could take note of number of the vehicle.
Now as I read reports about a young IAS officer Dr Sriram Venkitaraman who was allegedly drunk and drove a car along with his friend late at night and killing a young journalist Mohammed Basheer of Siraj Daily on the spot, I feel nothing much has changed in people's attitude towards drunken driving. Police has stepped up checking motorists in major cities using breath analysers which has caused a decline in drunken driving but by and large people still take the risk causing hardships not only to themselves but also to innocent motorists or pedestrians on the road.
Drunken driving cannot be curbed by laws alone, the awareness among people is most important.

Environmental Activism: Are They Feeding a Fed Horse?

Environmental Activism: Are They Feeding a Fed Horse?: Environmental activism most often gets carried away by the emotional appeal they generate among the public and may be missing on important data and facts

How Yellow Stick It or Post It Notes Can Improve Productivity

By SREEKUMAR RAGHAVAN
Most often when we wake up in the morning we get anxious thinking of the number of activities to be done over the course of the day. It can overwhelm you and sometimes you may not get started at all with all the important things to do.

If you are this anxious type, I can suggest a small piece of yellow paper that can be helpful for you. They are called stick-it notes. They come in small bunches and can be easily taken off one paper at a time. This 10 x 7.5 cm bits of paper are still useful even in this digital and smart technology age.

Write whatever activities have to be done in short sentences or words and preferably in the order of importance. You can also note the time - if there is a scheduled time to submit some report or need to do a purchase or online remittance before a particular deadline.

You can have separate slips for posting working related activities and home related activities. Today, I had two sets of papers for the day. One, for work that had mainly three activities-making a proposal for digital marketing, writing web research snippets for a publication and doing some keyword research. The first two activities were completed before evening while the third one was pending even at 8 pm in the night. But nothing worrying there is still time or I can carry it to the next day. However, I can always be happy about finishing the first two tasks which were also important.

The second slip was related to home related activities such as some urgent purchases-replacement of an LED tube, fund transfer abroad for son, hair cut for daughter enjoying her school vacation and also a long due dental checkup for myself. Except one or two small items in the schedule everything was completed by the end of the day and even a few activities not mentioned in the slips were also done.

How Does Yellow Stick It Notes Make a Difference

1) Yellow Stick It notes makes it convenient to list the activities you have to do in a day. And then you start doing it. In the evening I took off the first two notes prepared in the morning and striked off the activities I had completed. Then prepared the next list of activities for late evening which included writing a blog on how to use Yellow Stick It notes! There is no miracle about how Yellow Stick It works- you are self-motivated to start doing activities one by one. If out of five activities you finish only three by the end of the day, you are still happy.

2)It breaks down a mountain of activity into smaller components. Some half-finished work can still be completed when there is more time. You become aware of the deadline as you constantly see the Stick It Notes in front of you.

3) It helps you get more organised and methodical in your day-to-day activities whether it is work related or home related or health related.

4) Stick It notes are convenient- It can be pasted in anywhere- on the desktop, lap top, shelf, on the wall or just about any place within your eye sight distance. It doesnt distract nor does it make the surface dirty with marks of gum or glue.

Start scheduling with these small yellow Post It Notes and keep anxieties and nervousness at bay. Have a great day!

How to Fight Anger in Public Places- on Road, Movie Theatre, Hospital

One evening I was returning with my son in our car from Mamangalam in Kochi. From Mamangalam Church we took the by-road to avoid heavy traffic at Palarivattom. As we took the narrow road,two youths in a bike were just behind trying to overtake while a few vehicles were in the opposite side denying them an opportunity. He continued to honk as if it was my duty to give way for them in a situation where there was no space. As we reached an intersection, one leading to my house and the other to Edapally, those guys overtook my car and I didn't seem to notice. But from the corner of the eye I could judge that they were trying for some verbal abuse. But since I avoided a direct look, they lost that opportunity. May be their tempers and heart rates were high leading to higher stress. But I had no reason to be victim of their stress or bad road behavior.

Previously, I used to react to such people on the road but after listening to mind re-engineering guru and author, Santosh Nambiar at a session in KITCO and after reading his book In Between Thoughts, I decided that this was not the appropriate response.

At the Movie Exit
People are eager to leave a theatre even before the closing titles of a movie appear on screen. The other day in Nedumangad, I had an experience after watching the popular movie, Njan Prakasan.Being a small theatre and with only two exits, it was taking a bit longer for people to get out. I went along my seating row towards the exit and a long queue of ladies and kids were coming from the top and one line of people going out from the centre. I thought the ladies should get priority and I was in no hurry to get out. One lady two steps behind me was urging me to interrupt the flow and get out fast as she had to go out and take her vehicle to make way for other vehicles. I purposefully ignored that request or demand. I heard her saying 'we are trapped, we can't go forward or backward'.

At the Hospital
People have lost their patience and consideration for other people and I would like to cite another example I had when I took my daughter Diyah who was sick to a nearby hospital. After seeing the doctor we were waiting at the pharmacy when a person behind me objected a lady trying to pay through a side queue. She said she stood there only because there was another person ahead of her and the counter staff was catering to both the queues even though there was only one authorised queue.The lady was not willing to admit her mistake even as several people in the main queue who had come earlier were still waiting for their turn.

Lot of stress can be taken off our lives by shutting off from anger, anxiety, unpleasant behavior of others.

Constitutional Rights and Individual Faith Should Run Parallel

Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to citizens which includes the right to worship a religion of their choice. The state doesn't uphold any religion and all citizens are expected to respect and honor the right of others to worship their religion. Constitution has several articles that guarantees various rights such as freedom of speech and expression, right to equality, right to property and so on.

In recent times, the question of which is more supreme whether it is individual belief or Constitutional rights or rules has come to the forefront. Two sets of arguments have emerged- one is the rational view or the constitutional view that Constitution is all important while the other view that at least in the case of religion, the belief or the faith of the individual is of utmost significance.

Parallel View

Just as two rail lines that make a track run in parallel and don't meet, the Constitutional Right and Individual Beliefs and Faith should be allowed to run in parallel. The moment you guarantee the right to religion and also say that it is below that of the Constitutional Right you topple the entire cart. Just as the two rail lines run parallel and there is no effort to keep at a height higher than the other, the Constitutional Right and Individual faith should go parallel in a democratic system.

For one the principle of logic and rationality doesn't apply to religion. Comparing religion and Constitution is like considering natural and super natural as one or more simply put comparing apples with oranges. The communication with the Creator is a transcendental one while relationship between citizens is on the physical plane. The moment one enters a temple or religious place of worship, it is assumed that he is a devotee in communion with the Creator and until he completes the prayer and returns his or her belief over rides all else. If we bring rationality or logic into it, everything collapses.

When what is religion is also defined by the judiciary, the individual’s rights to worship religion is further restricted.  Several parallels can be found in stories or incidents narrated in one religion which can be found in others also. Some thinkers have contended that there are similarities in the story of Krishna and Lord Jesus. 

Kamsa had ordered all new born to be killed as the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudeva was slated to kill him. In the New Testament, it is said that when Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Herod killed all new born children in the area, in what is known as the massacre of the the innocents. Based on a dream, Joseph took the baby Jesus to Egypt and returned only after Herod was dead. Such discussions and debates which are quite healthy over which  there is no consensus. However, it should not create intolerance to other religion or communities but only forge mutual respect.

Untouchability
There has been considerable effort by those who champion the cause of ‘renaissance’ that Sati, Child marriage, untouchability, the denial of right to enter places of worship were all part of a religious tradition. Essentially, they were social evils and they had to go. Hence it was the task of social reformers and also the colonial rulers to address such issues.

Constitution for Governance, Religion for Faith

Constitutional rights and rules are meant for the smooth governance of a country. They are subject to amendments and clarifications from time to time. The objective of religion is for the individual to find inner fulfilment, inner peace and solace. It is also to philosophically look at life from various angles- there could be many conflicting interpretations on why Rama sent Sita to the forest while she was pregnant or Krishna’s advice to fight his brethren to uphold dharma. Such stories and incidents help people ponder and discuss over many crisis and issues that we face in  daily life without being judgmental with a open heart.

For a state to prosper there has to be good governance, for which we look toward the Constitution while we need the citizens to have both material and spiritual growth for the growth of civilisation. There is no better way to ensure that unless we see constitutional rights and faith as parallels not comparable to one another.

Pareto Principle

If we apply the Pareto Principle of Welfare in economics to any judgment on religion or faith, it can be understood that it won’t stand the test because you cannot make anyone better off with making twice as many people worse off with any judgment. So why take the trouble?

                                                       

Glorified Chappal!

The salesman in the footwear shop was astonished with my demand. 'A chappal with a strong strap, strong enough not to be removed by anyone'.  It was not only that my dogs have the habit of chewing into my footwear that I wanted a strong strap.

It was only after  I watched a TV debate that I started thinking of the glory of chappals. A senior media person was seen commenting on the ISRO spy scandal in a leading TV channel,  'policemen who didn't have the qualifications to remove the strap of Nambi Narayan's chappal framed a false case against him.' Very recently, a friend of mine couldn't resist the temptation to latch on to the strong foot wear strap either. He said many junior artistes who didn't have the qualification to remove the chappal strap of super star Mohanlal were turning up against him in AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes).

The same chappal that gets glorified when some people wear it also gets a negative connotation on other occasions. If you want to make someone a hero garland him with flowers but if you want to belittle someone or show your protest, garland him with chappals!. There is nothing more insulting than getting a slap with a slipper from an offended woman.

But chappals can also turn out to be second class citizens. In many clubs, chappals are not allowed at all. In other places they are stolen or mistakenly taken away by somebody else as in Churches, temples or outside halls or auditoriums. In school where we were supposed to wear black shoes on most days except canvas on Physical Training day, I remember teachers scolding those who wore chappals. It was meant for the bathroom.

Just as the feeling of nakedness without a dress, we feel the same without a footwear. But renowned painter M F Hussain had the courage to go bare foot to Willingdon Island in Mumbai only to be turned off. My uncle never wore a chappal until his retirement when doctors said he was suffering a skin problem in his heels.

I still can’t understand the fate of a chappal. Does it get glorified by the importance of the person who wears it or does the quality of the chappal define the person? Definitely one should assume the former is true if we recall the epic Ramayana. For Bharata refused to become King much against the wishes of his mother Kaikeyi when Rama went into exile for 14 years. He ruled as a regent of Rama keeping his Sandals on the throne.

Adultery Not a Crime, is Soliciting Directly or Through Social Media an Offence?

The Supreme Court has scrapped Section 497 of IPC that treats adultery as a criminal offence. The Court has ruled that any issues relating to extra-marital relationships in a marriage has to be settled between husband and wife either taking a forgiving attitude or divorce.

Lot of discussions and trolls are happening on this issue but one question that was raised by one of my friends in the media was whether soliciting an extra-marital relationship either directly or through social media would be considered an offence. Although I don't have a legal background, assuming my logic and common sense (quite uncommon!) proves right, I would set out the broader implications of the SC verdict for the benefit of larger section of doubting thomasses and anxious people seeking adventure!

1. Adultery is no longer considered a crime. Here it is assumed that both parties in the extra-marital affair (the different combinations- married man and unmarried woman, married man and married woman, unmarried man and married woman) enter in the relationship out of mutual liking and without any force or coercion. And most importantly, fully aware of the consequences arising out of it. You may call it anything, 'love' or 'nature's call' or whatever. So long as a third person doesn't know about it, everything is fine and provided it brings no new burden to life!

2. The second part is as my media friend asked, a man and woman know each other for a while and one of them wants to send a message across either directly or through social media that he or she needs to get closer!. Fine. Again it's only a nature's call. But either of the two have the right to refusal. If the man or the woman persists with it despite the other person showing no interest or refusing the act, then it is intimidation, harassment or abuse whatever crime you can attribute to it. In some case the male ego can be hurt, they may use the social media or other channels to defame the lady, so naturally it's harassment. Here Section 354A of IPC can be invoked.

3.It is important to note that provisions for providing protection for sexual harassment against women in IPC has not been revoked. Therefore, women continue to enjoy the protection provided by law against harassment in public places, at work or at home.

The Supreme Court has observed that Section 497 of IPC came into force due to the patriarchal nature of our society. A man who engages in an extra-marital affair is seen as machoistic while a woman who engages in it is considered 'immoral'. One doctor friend of mine once asked what is the difference between a prostitute and a woman who indulges in a sexual relationship outside of marriage? There is a huge difference. In the case of the former, she is doing it for money or a livelihood while in the latter it is out of what we have said above- 'love' or 'nature's call'. That same patriarchy principle applies when a suspecting husband starts spying on the spouse's whatsapp and even forcibly snatches away the smart phone to end it all.

Going by the amount of space and time devoted to the three-letter word, sometimes it may be right to say that mankind is more a sexual being than spiritual. A Times of India report of 2 December 2014 stated that 76% of Indian women and 61% men did not think infidelity was a sin based on a survey of over 75000 people.
No doubt  man-woman relationships is a very sensitive issue. But the sad part is that we don't seem to have better things to talk about- may be about the origin of the universe as George Bernard Shaw said when people could have more leisure, the wonders of nature, the happiness of children playing or the seas and rivers, the beautiful flowers or the trees that bloom everywhere.

( I invite readers to share their views and opinions on this topic)

What are the Qualities of Good Leader?

A primary school student asked me to help her with a topic she had to present at school- “Qualities of a Good Leader.”

Normal practice for or any parent is to look for clues by searching google and making some changes to or copying it in full. I decided to be different and came up with my own version of what makes a true leader and here it is:

India was under British and other colonial domination for more than two centuries. We could gain freedom because of the leadership qualities of our freedom fighters such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Bhimrao Ambedkar. 

After Independence, we became a strong nation thanks to statesmen Sardar Vallabhai Patel, S Radhakrishnan, Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, A B Vajpayee and several others.

What are the qualities of a good leader?

1)      A good communicator- a good leader is able to clearly express his thoughts and ideas. It helps him build trust among his team members.

2)      A good listener – He should have good listening abilities. He should listen to their problems and make them feel important.

3)      Motivates others – a good leader motivates others and make them perform.

4)      Positive thinking- a good leader understands the problems of his team and finds solutions. He hears the opinion of his team before taking decisions.
Role Model- a good leaders should be a role model. He should be honest, courageous, should have initiative and integrity.

What is the Holy Spirit in Christian Prayers?

During Baptism, Holy Communion and other occasions in Church you may have heard the prayer, ‘In the Name of The Father, Of the Son and of The Holy Spirit”. Amen.

What does “The Holy Spirit’ represent in this trinity? The Father denotes the Creator, the Son Jesus and the third one? A Catholic Priest and friend of mine Lucas Jozef told me it refers to The Spirit of God.

When I asked a few people following the Christian faith they also said the same. However, the well-known spiritual writer, Ruzbeh N Barucha has a different interpretation of The Holy Spirit. He says it is the Goddess Energy. With out the Mother Energy, the Father as well as well as Son are dormant energies. (Courtesy: The Musk Syndrome, Penguin India).

Except perhaps Hinduism and Buddhism, a number of religions have down played the role of the Goddess Energy. ”Zorastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, to name a few, but the fact remains that if God is the Father and Christ is the Son, then there has to be a mother, and the Holy Spirit is the Mother Energy, according to Ruzbeh Barucha.

Bhagwan Rajneesh also took exception to the Christian view of God as masculine which is opposed to the feminine in Hindu pantheon. The Sanskrit word for Holy is Bhagavati, the feminine of Bhagavan, Osho writes in his book Hridayam Sutra. In Buddhism there is the Yin and Yang, the female and the male energy which is missing in Christianity.

Osho said father is an unnatural institution and a result of private property while the mother is natural and exists everywhere. We call our country motherland but the western concept is father land which is male chauvinistic, according to Osho.

Lord Shiva is nothing (but a Shav) without the Shakti, the Goddess energy, perhaps the reason why you find Ardhanareeswara, the androgynous figure of Lord Shiva and Parvati being worshipped in temples and homes.

I look forward to different interpretations about the Holy Spirit, if there are any. Amen.

Heart Disease: How US Lobby Killed Coconut Oil, Promoted Soy and Statins

Cardiologists, pharma industry and US edible oil joined hands to become a deadly combination that didn’t allow the coconut oil industry to flourish and almost finished them without making any meaningful impact on heart disease.

If you had high cholesterol and high blood pressure you were recommended by cardiologists to take statins (Atorvastatin, Lovastatin, Simvastatin, Rosuvastatin etc). Statin drugs are quite costly and with continued medication it was also taking a toll on the health of patients.  They also recommended you take soybean oil or sunflower oil and avoid coconut oil. Soybean or sunflower oil is polyunsaturated fat while coconut oil is mono-unsaturated and harmful for the heart.

Dr M S Valiathan, renowned cardiac surgeon and founder director of Sree Chitra Institute of Medical Sciences in Trivandrum and also the author of critically acclaimed Charaka Samhita in his retirement years strongly supported coconut oil even when the entire cardiac specialists were against it.

Pharma and Soyoil lobby– a deadly combination
In the 1980’s and 1990’s, the US pharmaceutical industry and soyoil industry lobbied hard to promote statins on the medical side and soyoil on the nutritional side with great effect that coconut oil industry focussed on South Asian markets were adversely impacted. The volume of soybean oil and other polyunsaturated oil have shot up so much that they are now able to sell below Rs 100 per litre due to intense competition while coconut oil with double that price is finding fewer takers. The much better Virgin Coconut oil is also being edged out by cheaper Palmoil and polyunsaturated oil.

Despite all this advisory and promotion of cholesterol reduction drugs and polyunsaturated oils, the incidence of heart disease hasn’t come down at all. Our cardiologists lapped up what the pharma industry and soyoil lobby advocated and still continue to do so.

Now Dr Dwight Lundell, past chief of staff and chief of surgery at Banner Heart Hospital, Arizona, a cardiac surgeon with over 25 years of experience and having performed over 5000 open heart surgeries, has come out strongly against the conventional treatment strategies using statins and polyunsaturated oils.

He says the recent discovery that inflammation of artery wall is the cause of cardiac arrests and not high cholesterol should create a paradigm shift in treatment of heart disease worldwide. He says inflammation of arteries caused the cholesterol to build up as plaques which otherwise would have freely moved around the body.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that our liver produces that aids in digestion and hormone production. It binds to our cell walls and nerves. We also get cholesterol from animal foods. While they serve functions in our body, a higher level of cholesterol was considered life threatening. Now Dr Dwight Lundell argues that high cholesterol in our artery walls is due to inflammation and lowering cholesterol levels due to medication will not help.

The prescription of low fat diet didn’t help because people started using processed food rich in carbohydrates, omega 6 fatty acids that is present in Soybean, Sunflower and Corn oil and also high sugar filled foods that caused damage to the arteries.

See this Ideapod link for full explanation: https://tinyurl.com/ydbemccj

Lobbyists Win, Patients Lose
The powerful American Soybean industry and pharma industry thrived through clever propaganda that killed Coconut oil as a marketable edible oil and boosted the prospects of anti-cholesterol drugs and polyunsaturated oils (soybean, corn, sunflower oil etc). The medical industry became a part of it knowingly or unknowingly and patients suffered or continue to suffer.

According to whistle blower Dr Dwight Dundell, the alternative to processed, sugar rich, polyunsaturated rich foods are vegetables and fruits and less cooked raw foods made at home.

Coconut oil supporters including Dr M S Valiathan and several agri-biotechnology scientists were over powered by the strong US lobby and their Indian counterparts with the result we followed the US model of heart disease management without ever questioning it.

But will the medical community take an initiative to reassess their treatment methodologies and advisories or will some consumer rights or medical rights movement take up the cause in the light of recent discoveries?
(Mail to sreekumsree@gmail.com for suggestions or comments)

Kumbalangi:The Exhilaration of Chinese Nets, the Gentle Breeze and Backwaters

Joseph Chettan works in construction sites along with his friends during day time and returns home in Kallanchery in Kumbalangi in the evening. Instead of watching TV or simply sitting idle, he goes to the back of his house facing the backwaters where he has a Chinese net. He spends rest of the evening catching fish. The day we went most of his catch was Chemmeen (prawns).

I sat on the raised wooden bench used by him to take rest after lowering the net for a catch, watching him effortlessly move along a narrow coconut wood bridge connecting the land to the fishing net. I dare not venture to take that walk even though my friend Yesudas Kocheri assured the water is not deep. An LED lamp is fixed on the Chinese net frame that is believed to attract fishes to the net. Some nets have a small covered resting place attached for fishermen to seek shelter when there is heavy rain, thunder or lightning.

Joseph Chettan lamented – in the past few days the catch is lower but enough to make fish curry or fry which is a staple diet in this fishing hamlet. Hardly 14 km from the Ernakulam Railway Station, this scenic place has now emerged in the global map as it was declared as the first designated eco- tourism village in India. There are only 108 families in this place and all of them know each other. This place is also popular as the native place of Prof K V Thomas, a former Union Minister.

I cherish the evening I spent with Yesudas Kocheri and his family who were kind enough to offer food and hospitality. All the ethnic dishes were greatly relished by my family and friends group- kappa (Tapioca), chala fish (sardines), appam and chicken curry, rice, salad, mollusc, njandu (crab) - we could get a taste of it all.

Thereafter, I sat on the wooden bench observing Joseph Chettan lift the net and release it again. There were several other fishing nets nearby but only one or two had active people to operate it as catch was quite low. The gentle breeze made us drowsy after a heavy meal and when I listen to Joseph Chettan talk, I was feeling intoxicated without getting drunk.

 

Joseph Chettan relaxing after a catch and very much enjoys what he does every day
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I am 64, I have not spent a day in hospital so far. I have gone to the hospital OP only for consultation for fever or minor ailments,” Joseph proudly said. Good quality marine food, physical work, the gentle breeze and the fresh waters all add up to the fitness of Joseph Chettan. He never makes a change in his routine and never tires from repeatedly catching fish.

As it was quite dark, I was not able to capture some good moments with Joseph chettan but I requested my friend Yesudas Kocheri to take some good snaps of him against the back drop of the Chinese nets and the backwaters.

In my journalistic journey of two decades I have often found it enlightening to talk to farmers, traders, fishermen, planters and so on who are down-to-earth, have no pretensions or snobbishness.
I felt the same with Joseph as he described the life of construction worker in the day and fisherman at night. “Sometime back, I stayed up till 12 am in the night, the chemeen catch was good and I earned Rs 8000 the next day at a market auction.”

A few homestays have come up in Kumbalangi some catering to international tourists while some others were of the economy category. However, for a casual visitor finding food to eat is difficult as homestays only prepare food based on order received the same day or a few days in advance. If you get a fishing rod, don’t forego the opportunity to catch live fish.

The clouds were dark, it wasn’t a full moon day but the gentle breeze gave an unforgettable experience for us. It cooled our hearts and mind with memories that last for ever.

Yesudas told me land prices in Kumbalangi have shot up once it became a global tourist destination. Many families sold their land for a good price and bought houses at a cheaper rate elsewhere. However,as you enter the Kumbalangi Village from the main road, the lanes are narrow and tarred roads have developed pot holes and atmosphere gets quiet as you move into Kallanchery.

  Yesudas Kocheri, whose FB posts attracted me to Kumbalangi 
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It was 10 pm when we were called again for a second round of dinner which we finished off fast – the Kanambu (Mullet) fry was yummy. Karimeen was not available that day.                                                                                                                                                                     
None of us wanted to return and would have slept by the side of the backwaters. Such was the charm of Kallanchery.

Why Not a Total Ban on Plastics and Not Just Carry Bags?

Municipalities and corporations have enforced laws to ban plastic carry bags and shops have been directed not to provide such bags to customers to carry the purchased goods. Instead of plastic, jute, cloth or other biodegradable quality bags are to be used.

Now this puts lot of pressure on shops and establishments to conform but this will not reduce plastic consumption unless companies are also directed not to use plastic for packing their edible or non-edible or even consumer durables.

Biscuits, soaps, edible oils, tea, coffee powder, milk, candles, fried foods, consumer durables, even car seats are covered in plastic when it is delivered to the customer,

When companies use plastic to package their goods, it reaches more homes than when a shop keeper provides plastic bags to carry the bought goods. There has been no effort to curb the use of plastics by companies.

Or is it because they have huge backlog of designed plastic wrappers and boxes that would go waste if plastic ban is implemented or is it that extra costs will be incurred in shifting to a biodegradable quality packing?

I think policy makers, consumer activists and regulatory officials should think of a total ban on plastics and not just carry bags.

Psychopathy: How Men Use Sympathy to Lure Women

Charming or handsome looks, good voice, height, muscular body sometimes may not always go well with the fairer sex. But some men employ a killer strategy to lure women. They know very well sympathy can win over a woman quite easily. Whether a woman has given birth to a child or not or whether married or not they have a motherly instinct to protect and care. As such they become sympathetic to someone who opens up their mind to a crisis they are facing.

These men are either psychopaths or sociopaths, the former is more manipulative, cold-blooded the other one is hot headed and less manipulative.

Psychopaths/sociopaths who get introduced to women lock them in an emotional trap by sharing their family problems most probably about a separated wife, unfulfilled relationship and so on. The intention of such person could vary from having sex, getting money or manipulate the behaviour of the woman. They may have attractive traits such as good voice and also good at texting on Whatsapp or Messenger.

Once the relationship strengthens they use various manipulative tactics to destroy the mental peace of the woman. It could be ignoring messages, putting conditions for the relationship to progress such as severing relationship with other boyfriends and insisting on meeting often.  They are capable of maintaining relationship with several women at a time without any of them knowing about the other.

Such relationship can occur between a boss and subordinate, colleagues, or casual acquaintances developing into a relationship. Once the woman starts objecting to his conditions, he may threaten to quit or suggest the same to her. But since she is emotionally trapped, he very well knows it will not happen all of a sudden. Such psychopaths are suspicious of their lovers and keep track of their movements and social media activity.

Most often psychopaths/sociopaths get away from any punishment because their victims can’t expose them easily. They also belittle their wife making them feel small and lack empathy or emotion.

How to Escape from a Psychopath
Many victims ask themselves how I fell for this man. The fact is that they are helpless and feel guilty for being in such a relationship. Whenever she thinks of him, he appears as a thorn in their mind.  And it is not easy to easily forget him and there may be temptation to meet him again or text him.

But it is not entirely impossible to get out of such a relationship. First and foremost is not to feel guilty for having fallen into a relationship. If possible seek counselling or talk to friends, engage in new activities or challenges and soon the thorn in your mind will start disintegrating.

Despite the fact that psychopaths/sociopaths may be silently creating stress in the minds of hapless women victims, the society at large is not able to grapple with the phenomenon,

However, there are certain precautions that women can take in a relationship.

If the man tries to focus more on his family crisis or that of his spouse, better take guard. Normally, men don't open up to even close friends with their family problems so if they are opening up within days of getting introduced to each other, better be cautious.

For a better understanding of Psychopath and Sociopath- here is a link: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/sociopath-psychopath-difference#1

(Comments, Suggestions or queries may be posted here or mailed to sreekumsree@gmail.com)

The Truth Behind the Fuel-Toilet Debate in India

Now social media and electronic media is full of trolls ridiculing the newly appointed Union Minister Mr Alphonse Kannanthanam and his statement about petrol, diesel sales proceeds going towards constructing toilets that did not go well with the masses.

There seems to be lot of misunderstanding about how petrol diesel prices are determined in the country. Oil Minister Mr Dharmendra Pradhan has stated that we follow the most transparent system for daily price determination of petrol and diesel.  Those who follow his Twitter posts can understand very well how misguided the critics of the BJP government are when it comes to fuel prie determination in India.

Mr Pradhan has pointed out that crude oil is just one component that determines the price of petrol and diesel. There are several other components which he hasn’t explained. At current prices of $50 a barrel, per litre cost in India would be Rs 20 based on Rs 64/Dollar exchange rate. Then how come we are paying Rs 70 plus at the retail petrol station?

Here is the break-up?

The oil marketing companies need to incur refining costs, transportation costs and most importantly taxes. Excise duty, state value added tax (VAT) and cess apart from profit margin by oil companies, dealers also have to be factored in.

We must be paying close to Rs 40 by way of taxes which neither the state governments nor the central governments can afford to forego considering the huge revenue they get from it. Minister Pradhan has also indicated in his tweets that petrol and diesel prices are trailing behind international crude oil prices in the past few months. According to him crude oil prices rose 13% in the past three months but petrol prices in India rose only 4%, global petrol prices rose 18% while domestic prices rose only 4% in the past three months.

The Toilet Debate

The statement from Mr Kannanthanam gives the impression that revenue from fuel sales would be utilised for the construction of toilets. What the government has been discussing is how far the tax revenue on account of fuel sales can be used for social welfare purposes including drinking water and sanitation. Now with international crude prices declining, there is opportunity for the government as current account deficit will narrow.

When all taxes go into the consolidated account of the government, how can oil excise duty and taxes be demarcated and used for social welfare activities is still a mystery.

However, no one can doubt the intention of the government which claims to have added 4.837 crore new toilets since 2014. Presently, about 68.21% of the population is under sanitation coverage compared to 38.70% when the government came to power three years ago.

Encourage Public Transport

The government has also stated that the fuel pricing policy provides a disincentive for more use of petrol and diesel for passenger vehicles with the goal of promoting public transport. It will curb traffic, prevent pollution and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

The shift from administered pricing mechanism (APM) to prices based on international crude oil was expected to reduce the retail prices of fuel but consumers feel is not happening. The fluctuations in exchange rate and costs of fuel intermediates may have a bearing on the daily price movements of petrol and diesel.

Tailpiece

Politicians, social commentators, analysts and even a civil servant turned minister seem to be lacking knowledge of India’s fuel pricing and therein lies the issue. Secondly, government is now considering bringing fuel prices under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST) which will bring uniform pricing across the country.

Your Home May Be More Polluting Than You Imagine

How often we talk about pollution on the streets and roads whether it is smoke, dust, noxious fumes from vehicles, pungent smell from garbage deposited on the wayside. The other day when some visitors were coming to our house, we re-arranged and cleaned up the home. There was enormous amount of dust on the leaves of fans, behind dressing tables, cupboards that our servant overlooked. Not to speak of dust settled in open book shelves. 

Vacuum cleaners are now very common in households but to clean up inaccessible areas you first need to move the furniture or equipment to clear the dust and other harmful materials.

Dust inside the house can cause lung infections, bronchial asthma, throat infections and several other health issues.

Dust is not the only pollutant that is harmful to us inside our home. These days, mosquito menace forces us to use mosquito coils, liquid mosquito repellants contain harmful chemical allethrin whose exposure for longer hours can cause harm even as it may drive away musquitoes for sometime.

Now air freshners are used in both A/C and Non A/c Rooms to give a fresh odor but they contain harmful substances such as Dichlorobenzene, a known carcinogen. It can as be found on toilet deodorizers, moth balls. It creates an illusion of freshness by destroying our sense of smell, says analysts.

Conventional floor cleaners may contain phenyl and other such chemicals that can cause respiratory problems, skin irritations, dizziness, asthmatic attacks. Insect repellants are chemical intensive and likely to cause harm to the occupants.

Deodorants could also cause damage to skin and respiratory system. They contain carcinogens such as aluminium compounds, triclosan, parabens, propylene glycol among others.

Compared to outdoors, indoors can be more polluting as there is nothing to absorb the release of such substances. Trees, plants and grass can act as natural traps for dust, heat and pollutants outdoors.

How to ensure pollution free interiors

Chemical intensive nature of substances used for cleaning and purification of rooms have a negative impact on our health.

Here are some ways to reduce chemical use and pollution at home.

1)Have the rooms and walls dusted using a vaccum cleaner regularly

2)Fans, Lamps and interior decoration articles should be periodically cleaned to clear dust accumulated
3) Use mild, less chemical intensive floor cleaners and herbal alternatives to insect repellants.

4) Use mild deodorants, perfumes, air freshners that are not carcinogenic in nature.

5) Ensure walls are repainted every 3-5 years.

6)Keep windows, doors open for some time during the day to enable fresh air inside even if it is an airconditioned room.

7) Use quality paint for doors, windows and walls.  Powder coated materials last longer and hence easy to maintain.