ചമയം

ഒരു രാത്രി നിന്നു പെയ്ത മഴ തോർന്നില്ല.

To

Mr. Rahul Gandhi, Hnble Member of Parliament,

Sir,

      At the out set let me thank you for the efforts you have taken in your recent visit to Wayanad, to understand the magnitude of the devastation inflicted due the 2019 deluge and land slides. We are confident that you may be able to address most of the problems.

1)The disaster management from last year onwards has been initiated without hearing the versions of the stake holders. So far there is only an official interpretation, which lacks the correct perspective. So please advise the State Govt. to hold special Gram Sabhas and give an opportunity to the villagers to narrate their hardship.

2) Many have lost their source of livelihood, especially that of small and medium farmers and farm labourers.

3)The fertility of the topsoil has been depleted due to soil erosion which was caused because of incessant rain and cloud bursts.

4)So far no scientists has attempted to evaluate the loss of production due to unusual stress on milking animals and fruit sets in plants e.g. coffee and pepper. This is evident from the huge reduction of milk production in the deluge affected districts and the heavy droppings of fruit berries of coffee and pepper.

5) All the natural drainage systems ,such as rivers, rivulets brooks etc. are chocked by debris and silts. This was caused mainly due to the blocks created by intermittent bunds in rivers and other small drainage. Earlier locals used to find a living by collecting the sand deposits. But now this process has been banned in the pretext saving water bodies. A wrong idea initiated by the M sand lobbies. Controlled removal of sand can help to cleanse drainage.

6)The excessive use of weedicides, though banned cause to destroy the root system of grass which helped to hold the soil from slipping. Secondly the soil has become inert losing its natural binding force.

7)As there are no tree coverage in vast areas of tea estates,especially in Meppadi, Vythiri and Pozhuthana Panchayayts rain water falls directly on earth,which causes speedy erosion.

8)There was no measure to quantify the excess water collection during cloud bursts. Without knowing how much mass of water has to be evacuated before inundation the solution to face the next deluge is far from sight.

9)Above all we have to think of how best we can utilise a bad situation. For example the land slides has brought down huge mass of mud and slurry which can be utilised to make bricks etc.

10)                      Even planting of bamboo, fodder grass etc would be a positive venture not only to prevent further slides but also to find use full ends.

11)                      Lastly the recommendations ushered by Prof. Madav Gadgil would help us from stalling future calamities.

Thanking you,

With regards,

DIVAKARAN

A resident of Pozhuthana

And a victim  

Nurungukal….

   The deluge has struck again on the exact date and time of that of last year, although with less intensity. But in some parts Mother Nature was very furious. May be due to our lethargy in taking cognisance of her last year’s warnings. More or less it was an emphatic reminder. But to some extent all of us were better equipped to meet the threat. And it reduced the over all damage. Yet to our dismay several other new areas had to face saviour calamities and human loss. Perhaps this may be her last warning to us about an impending furry and wrath.  

     What all of us experienced this year was that the official machinery was well organised and prepared to meet the event in its strides  in the light of a quality forecast and alerts. I would like to  quote an incident to substantiate this statement.

      The incessant rains and disturbances in nature such as high velocity wind, thundering sound of the land slides etc. caused saviour stress not only on humans but also on the cattle. This was evident from the sudden drop of milk production and physical disabilities. The Vice Chancellor of the Kerala Veterinary University anticipating such problems in the affected area with the assistance of MILMA deputed a team of expert vet. Doctors to alleviate the sufferings of the dairy farmers. The first case they had to attend was a complicated delivery of a cross breed cow. When we reached the site the animal was struggling to eject the calf. The doctors were easily able to diagnose the case from the symptoms and immediately plunged into action. After a strenuous effort running into nearly one and hours they managed to extricate the calf with help of some benevolent volunteers. The dairy farmer,an aged widow virtually burst into tears and was at her wits end to express her gratitude for the timely help for ensuring her only source of livelihood… The team moved on to their next mission smiling all the way………such gestures will surely help to accelerate resilience process.........

NURUGUKAL……..

      I never had  such a boring rail journey than the one which I had a few days ago in an a/c chair car to Thiruvanathapuram. A pin drop silence prevailed through out from start to end , except the occasional call of the caterers. All the heads irrespective of age were bend and meddling the heavy mobile phones incessantly, completely unaware of what is happening around. Occasionally one by one got up to attend to their nature’s call which they had to at regular intervals as each one was emptying the mineral water they had procured from a hawker as soon as they got in. I was the only one trying to engage in conversation with a like minded co passenger but in vain, more so with a passion to rewind my fade memories of similar travels, during those days when reaching social media was not an essential feature of our daily routine.

       Most of my travels during the pre mobile days were much more enjoying and engrossing.  Interactions between strangers provided valuable informations on current affairs.  

      There were regular entertainers singing popular songs with improvised instruments. Among them I remember one was an expert in tapping a pair of wooden pieces holding between his fingers, another a north Indian on a coconut shell violin, or bamboo flute. A blind man using his belly as a drum and his daughter singing Hindusthani melodies yet another on a harmonium hung on his neck on a sling. I  wonder many of them if properly trained fine- tuned as in the case of present day Star Singers might have earned much more supporters and laurels. But alas they have all vanished into obscurity fighting for a livelihood. Hawkers selling eucalyptus or lemon grass oil and safety pins etc. appeared to meet your needs at regular stations. They were the best sales men, using impeccable style of marketing, creating a crave for their goods.

      Usually the journey was culminated by a ride in a horse ridden Governor’s cart relieving the fatigue unlike the one now in a ---- or  --- taxi . 

NURUGUKAL……..

      I never had  such a boring rail journey than the one which I had a few days ago in an a/c chair car to Thiruvanathapuram. A pin drop silence prevailed through out from start to end , except the occasional call of the caterers. All the heads irrespective of age were bend and and straining their eyes on the the heavy mobile phones incessantly, completely unaware of what is happening around. Occasionally one by one got up to attend to their nature’s call which they had to at regular intervals as each one was emptying the mineral water they had procured from a hawker as soon as they got in. I was the only one trying to engage in conversation with a like minded co passenger but in vain, more so with a passion to rewind my fade memories of similar travels, during those days when reaching social media was not an essential feature of our daily routine.

       Most of my travels during the pre mobile days were much more enjoying and engrossing.  Interactions between strangers provided valuable informations on current affairs.  

      There were regular entertainers singing popular songs with improvised instruments. Among them I remember one was an expert in tapping a pair of wooden pieces holding between his fingers, another a north Indian on a coconut shell violin, or bamboo flute. A blind man using his belly as a drum and his daughter singing Hindusthani melodies yet another on a harmonium hung on his neck on a sling. I  wonder many of them if properly trained fine- tuned as in the case of present day Star Singers might have earned much more supporters and laurels. But alas they have all vanished into obscurity fighting for a livelihood. Hawkers selling eucalyptus or lemon grass oil and safety pins etc. appeared to meet your needs at regular stations. They were the best sales men, using impeccable style of marketing, creating a crave for their goods.

      Usually the journey  came to an end by a ride in a horse ridden Governor’s cart relieving the fatigue unlike the one now in a ---- or  --- taxi .....dum dum pee pee