Nature’s Game i.e. Arches National Park

The Park (as interpreted by Geologists) lies atop an underground salt bed that is basically responsible for the arches, spires, balanced rocks, sandstone fins and eroded monoliths of the sightseer’s Mecca. Thousands of feet thick in places, this salt bed was deposited across the Colorado Plateau 300 million years ago when a sea flowed into the region and eventually evaporated.

Water and ice, extreme temperatures, and underground salt movement are responsible for the sculptured rock scenery of Arches National Park. The 100 million years of erosion has created one of the world’s greatest densities of natural arches. Towering spires, pinnacles and balanced rocks – perched atop seemingly inadequate bases – vie with the arches as scenic spectacles here.

One is simply wonderstruck by nature’s game on this spot. Hats off to the U.S Department of the Interior who has meticulously planned its preservation and created a visitors’ center for the dissemination of information and running of the show in a fantastic manner. Other countries in South Asia can see its administration and learn a lot in preserving their countries’ treasure in a similar way and attract tourists in thousands.
(Visited by the author on September 19, 2010)

Hawala - Money Transfer

Money or actual cash earned legally or illegally has to travel long distances both within the country or across borders for legal or illegal uses. Such transactions are done through banking or legal channel or through the infamous hawala medium at a comparatively cheaper and faster means. The loss to the exchequer is enormous. The following two statements (in Sunday Times of India, Chennai, February 20, 2011) are to the point and fit for consideration in the light of total absence of transparency and accountability of money transfers.

1) "India must calibrate its approach to hawala. We should take lessons from countries like UAE, authorise hawala dealers and integrate them into the system. This will help curb the flow of money out of the system" K.P.Garg, (Income Tax Settlement Commission Bar Association).

2)"Corporates use hawala to park their money in tax havens because in India the tax rate is so high that nobody would like to part with 30% of their earnings in tax." Hitesh Arora, Charted Accountant.

Let us learn from other nations and improvise a system which could avoid the defects and account for the total transfers with the least cost.

Well the question is as how to ensure redistribution of income and wealth in favour of the most underprivileged and the downtrodden in the society. An inter-mix of both income tax and wealth tax should be done in such a way that the income is least taxed while the wealth of an individual or a family is determined easily and quickly with a modern tool available for achieving the above-mentioned goal.

The income is meant to be spent or saved for a purpose while at the same time we should allow the free play of the multiplier effect of the incomes generated in a particular year.

“National Cemetery” (Washington D.C)

‘Arlington National Cemetery’ (ANC), a place of honor, a place of valor and a place of remembrance, is the best known of over one hundred national cemeteries in the United States. Its 624 acres shelter the remains of over 320,000 service men and women, veterans from every war and major conflict in United States history. This is the nation’s most sacred military shrine and bears silent witness to the whole of American history. Once home to tribes of Native Americans ANC became the farmland of European settlers during the colonial period and later the property of the step-son of George Washington, namely, George Washington Parke Curtis. He built Arlington House as the centerpiece of his 1100 acre plantation. The property remained with the War department after the Federal Supreme Court’s intervention. The Department transferred the Arlington House to the national Park Service in 1933.

The Tomb of the Unknowns was established in 1921. A sentinel of the Third US Infantry maintains vigil around the clock. The heroes of World War One and Two, Korean War, Vietnam War are also interred here and remembered. There are now memorials to the people who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon and in the Global War on Terror. The graves, tombs and statues of war generals and those civilians who were killed in the line of duty also find a place there. John F. Kennedy‘s eternal flame still attracts the attention of the visitors to the Cemetery. The majestic entrance Gates and the Visitors’ Information center deserve a special mention for their construction and maintenance.

Washington D.C

How Washington D.C was conceived and built?

Two centuries ago Pierre Charles L’ Enfant’s plan for the city was influenced by urban planning prevalent in Europe and by neoclassical landscape design exemplified by Versailles. L’ Enfant placed the capitol on Jenkins Hills and the President’s house on a lower terrace then overlooking the Potomac River. Pennsylvania Ave. passes through these two buildings The National Mall:

Its formal structures, ceremonial spaces, and carefully planned vistas have their roots in earlier European capitals designed to showcase autocratic regimes. But these are, in Walt Whitman’s words, democratic vistas where the American people can freely assemble to play, attend cultural events, or petition the government for change. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Rest rooms are specially mentioned at the top of the Museum’s pamphlet.

Ground Floor:

Birds of D.C; Atrium Café, Museum store, Auditorium, wheelchair access, restaurant, cloakroom, tickets, stairs, escalators, information etc., First Floor:

Human Origins; Ocean Hall; Mammal Hall; Special exhibit gallery; Imax theater; Early life; Fossil Plants; Fossil Mammals; Dinosaurs; Ancient Seas; African Cultures; Ice Age; Discovery Room; Rotunda elephant

Second Floor:

Earth, Moon, Meteorites; Hope Diamond; Gems and Minerals; Special Exhibit Gallery; Western cultures; written in Bone; Reptiles; Bones; Insect Zoo; Butterflies +plants

Lincoln Memorial

“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” [Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863]

As President he used the power of the office to preserve the Union. In freeing the slaves Lincoln left a legacy to freedom that is one of the most enduring birthrights Americans possess. Congress incorporated the Lincoln Monument Association in March 1867 to build a memorial to the slain President. But the construction began on February 12, 1914. President Warren G. Harding dedicated the memorial on May 30, 1922 with his statue (19 feet tall and 19 feet wide) in 28 marble blocks (1809 – 1864).

ThomasJefferson Memorial

President Franklin D.Roosevelt dedicated the Memorial on April 13, 1943 on the 200th anniversary of Jefferson’s birth. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the third President of USA was a political philosopher, architect, musician, book collector, scientist, horticulturist, diplomat and inventor. His own appraisal: (on tombstone as written by him) “Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and Father of the University of Virginia” ‘I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man’

American Museum of Natural History (Summer 2010)

New York's Study Center Lower level: Cullman Hall of the Universe explaining with materials the nature and position of the universe; Black Hole theater narrating the nature of black hole. Earth and space explained in detail for both the elders and children; First Floor: Section on meteorites; Section on human origins; New York State environment; North American Forests; Hall of Minerals, Hall of Gems; Northwest Coast Indians, Lizards and Snakes, Hall of Ocean Life, Hall of Biodiversity; Imax Theater, Small Mammals, North American Mammals, Space Show, Cosmic Pathway, Hall of Planet Earth. Second Floor: South American Peoples, Mexico and Central America: Birds of the World: Hall of Asian Peoples; African peoples; Asian Mammals; White Natural Science Center; African Mammals; Big Bang Theater Third Floor: Hall of Pacific Peoples, Plains Indians, Primates; North American Birds; Reptiles and Amphibians; New York State Mammals, New York City Birds; African Mammals, Planetarium and Space Theater; Fourth Floor: Hall of Advanced Mammals, Primitive Mammals, Dinosaurs; Vertebrate Origins; Race to the End of the Earth

Dying to Write at The Age of 96

“I must write 3 or 4 pages every day, otherwise I don’t feel I have earned my whisky” says 96 years old legendary Khushwant Singh in an interview to Mr.Navtej Sharma (the Hindu, Sunday, December 5, 2010). A ripe-old writer after having lived more than 9 decades of his life puts his experience as follows:-

“Writing is a solitary profession and you simply cannot write in a crowd or in the mix of people. Over the years, I have discovered what enormous energy silence creates, energy – socializing energy – socializing useless chit chat depletes. You have got to train yourself to be alone”.

This comes from the mouth of a person who was known for his socializing throughout his life. Drinking and smoking is a must for certain creative writers especially in Urdu literature as pointed out by Mr.Kushwant Singh. It seems people like Kushwant Singh and Faiz Ahamad drink and drink the whole day and the whole year. For a teetotaler, like many of us, it is a wonder that how different the world is to different people with different tastes and habits.

Writing is an art and ‘Badey Miyah’ has helped Kushwant Singh to a great extent throughout his life although he is not prepared to accept the existence of a Supreme Being.

(New York) State Museum, Albany

This state-level museum in Albany, the capital city of New York State is indeed magnificent and all-pervading in its content and style. It contains a number of features connected with New York Metropolis like:

Ellis Island, Chinatown, Destination for the World, New York the Garment Maker, Harlem in the 1920s, The Skyscraper Rises, Birth of the Metropolis, Millionaire’s Row, Fifth Avenue Window, Nature in the Boroughs, Landscape into Cityscape, Parks and Preserves in the Boroughs, Boating, Life in the Salt Marsh, Fulton Fish Market, Isle of Ships, A Century of Expansion, Manhattan as European Settlement Began, The (Red) Indians and their World, The Animals and Plants of the New and Unknown World,

Native Peoples Of New York:
Contains artifacts, displays and models on ‘Ice Age Hunters – New York’s first People’, ‘Forest Foragers’, ‘Three Sisters’, ‘Mohawk Iroquois Village (Model)’, ‘Governor’s collection of Contemporary Native American Art’.

Adirondack Wilderness:
Success Stories: Endangered Species, Forest Fire, The Fifth Season, Adirondack Gallery, 1921 Franklin 9-B Runabout, Adirondack Recreation, Spring Wagon, Camping Diorama, Mountain Travel, Minerals, Adirondack Waters, Bears Changing Forests Mill Town, Log Jam on the Upper Hudson, Timber Wolf, Mountain Lion and Canada Lynx, Beneath the City: An Archaeological Perspective of Albany.

Fourth Floor: Windows on New York:
Rocket Car, Hansom Cab, 1903; City Fabric Architectural Remnants, Bedrock & Skyscrapers, Amusement, Historic Remnants of the City, Whaling & Fishing, Long island research, Long Island Wildlife, Museum Research, Capital city, First State Plane, New York’ oldest Fossils, Wild life, Mushrooms, Exotic Invaders, Transportation, Early cultural Interactions, Roy crofters Furniture, State Fossil, Salamanca Back Bar, Factory & Trade, Automat, Salt pillar, Native Peoples Heritage, Agriculture.

What a fantastic and fabulous collection! A great effort indeed!!

Museum opens during 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM daily;
Closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day only
Admission: Suggested donation of $ 2.00 per person
Website: www.nysm.nysed.gov

Rajarajan 1000

The new technique called RR 1000 has helped increase the yield of paddy per hectare from 4-5 tonnes to 7 - 9 tonnes on 25,840 hectares as against the target area of 26,000 hectares in Madurai district as declared by the collector C.Kamaraj and Joint Director of Agriculture P.Sankaralingam during the harvest festival at Porusupatti where mechanisation was widely followed for planting, weeding and harvesting of paddy.

According to collector the higher yield has been scientifically proven.

Kudos to the efforts of the district administration in this regard!!

Routine or Solid Solution?

Chennai Corporation Mayor Mr M.Subramaian has reported that an expenditure of Rs 600 million has been booked and spent on the renovation of about 553 roads in the corporation limits by mobilizing the full strength of engineers, contractors and other construction agencies during the month of January, 2011 alone – the first time in the history of Corporation. One should remember that the incessant and excessive rains since June last have extensively damaged the existing city roads. The corporation has started the renovation of 147 Kms of roads with an estimated sum of Rs 600 million sanctioned from the state budget of 2010-11 which are going on at the moment. Including this programme the corporation has undertaken the task of rebuilding 198 major roads and 1002 internal roads at an expenditure of Rs 1.12 billion within a period of three months.

One is not sure whether such an effort on the part of the Corporation is in the nature of a routine exercise pressed into service soon after the rains every year or an attempt to provide a permanent solution to the existing roads at least for 3-4 years. Throughout India such is the case experienced and executed by the civic authorities unlike in the West where the road repairs and rebuilding are long-lasting for a number of years at a stretch.

Whole Nation is the Tourist Centre?

That is the impression one gets after a tour of some spots, towns and any place for that matter throughout the length and breadth of USA. What an imaginative planning! What a diligence in understanding and elevating the relevance of each and every place (almost every county of the country) or activity of the people at present or of the past. Apart from the nature’s endowments wherever available and developed over a period of time, the meticulous way with which they have spruced up the centers, with roads and very well laid out approaches along with public conveniences in every part of the conceivable locations, rest areas on the highways at every regular interval with all facilities, bed and breakfast facilities in motels and star hotels. Sanitation and cleanliness has been given the utmost priority everywhere.

For instance Clayton is rich in river history. Downtown has been designated by the US Department of the Interior as a historic district. This district is architecturally and historically significant as one of the most intact and cohesive collections of late 19th and 20th century commercial buildings in Northern New York State. Clayton Island Tours, Thousand Islands Museum, Antique Boat Museum, Clayton Opera House (1903 building renovated with $ 3.2 million recently) and Thousand Islands Arts Center are some of the spots highlighted in a booklet circulated by the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, Village of Clayton, Clayton Local Development Corp. and Town of Clayton jointly.

Genesee County of Greater Niagara Region has also published a 2010 Visitor’s Guide with similar contents. Similarly the Official 2010 Visitor Guide for Niagara Falls and Niagara County has been designed by Niagara Tourism & Convention Corporation (www. niagara-usa. com) to help the visitor to find his way to and throughout the four main regions (Falls Region, River region, Lake Region and Canal Region) with voluminous data, maps and photos in 54 pages.

Look at the way they are encashing on the closed mill campus as Hanford Mills Museum (www.hansfordmills.org) for tourism with a pamphlet titled “The History of Power … the power of history”. In the 1890s Hanford Mills generated the power for East Meredith’s first electric lights in 1898. One can see how renewable sources like water and wood powered the Mill’s success for over a century. One can try one’s hand at cross-cut sawing, corn grinding, or ice cutting. ‘Sample home-cooking’, ‘1920s style at the Hanford House’, ‘ Taste ice cream made with ice harvested from the mill pond’, ‘Special events feature music’, ‘crafts people’, ‘horse-drawn wagon rides’, ‘antique engines’, ‘tasty food’ and ‘hands-on fun’ etc are some of the attractions duly advertised to attract tourists. Admission rates are: $7.00 for adults & $3.50 for children. This museum is situated 30 miles south of Cooperstown, Delaware County in New York State.

“Legally Bound or Illegally Forced”

‘POSCO’ a South Korean-based mega Company signed an M.O.U. with the State Government of Orissa in 2005 to invest US $ 12 Billion for an integrated steel plant to manufacture more than 10 million tonnes of steel by the year 2011. Looking to the violations of the forest Act committed by POSCO the clearance of the Ministry of Environment & Forest was withdrawn in October 2010 after an intervention by the Supreme Court. About 11 Villages, 471 families and the lands of some 10,000 farmers are likely to be affected by the proposed project at Jagatsingpur near Paradeep Sea Port on the eastern coast. This is going to be the first largest foreign direct investment (FDI) in India. A high level discussion at the level of Heads of Governments during the latest visit of Indian Prime Minister for G20 meeting at Seoul had worked in favour of the Company. Due to PMO’s pressure and advice, the Ministry of Environment has finally cleared the Project for implementation with several conditions.

How strict our governments are in implementing the rules & regulations or conditions, everybody knows. We also know very well what is going to be the fate of the displaced persons in this project too. ‘ Environment Vs Development ‘ is an eternal question defying a solution satisfactorily to both the groups. We can only wish good luck and god speed to proper rehabilitation by the committed staff of the governments and the Company.

Interestingly a green war has begun within UPA government & Congress Party. When PMO is concerned about growth, the Environment Ministry as well as Congress Party’s General Secretary, Mr. Digvijjay Singh are concerned about forests, tribals and environment. It is a natural fall-out. Internally a tug of war or the war of nerves is going on of late. General Secretary is a bit outspoken and one should appreciate this fact. The real problem or the crux of the issue is how serious or sincere we are towards the tribals and forests. It would be a better idea to quickly conduct a survey on some of the projects already cleared by the Ministry in the last 10-15 years. It is high time we test the promises of all those project authorities on rehabilitation of the displaced persons and the alternative afforestation schemes executed by the forest department (after collecting huge funds from the Project Authorities) or undertaken by the Project Management Teams in such areas.

Exchange of Advices

The other day i.e on Sunday, February 7, 2011 the Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh made an appeal to the judiciary not to exercise its power of judicial review to undermine the legitimate role assigned to other branches of the government while addressing the 17th Commonwealth Law conference at Hyderabad in the presence of Chief Justice of India S.H.Kapadia and several legal luminaries from around the world. It is a legitimate concern of the Prime Minister in the wake of a detailed scrutiny of the records handled by the union ministry in the case of 2G spectrum allocation of licenses and the appointment of the Cenral Vigilance Commissioner P.J.thomas on the basis of petitions filed before the Supreme Court of India. The point is how legitimate or justified the action of the Apex court could be in this regard. The very fact that some serious and senior citizens have filed these petitions indicates that the discriminatory style and partial attitude on the part of rulers need to be scrutinised and evaluated by some authority. Who is to do this job if not by the apex court? In such matters where the highest executive authority of India is involved in decision-making the judiciary will and should have an upper hand legitimately to deliver natural justice. It should not be construed as an interference in the working of executive by the judiciary. If there is no safety valve like this in the form of judiciary, then the result will be what we are witnessing in Cairo for the last 2-3 weeks. When the role of permanent executive has been gradually usurped by the legislative wing, there was no one to question it with the result near-total discrimination prevails in the delivery of services to the citizens based on political considerations. God help this society and nation.

Unfortunately the suggestion of the Chief Justice for the creation of Indian Regulatory Service like I.A.S and I.P.S for the proper delivery of essential utilities to the common man at a cheaper cost was not taken notice of by the Prime Minister.

Conversion of Wetlands

It is a good news that the State Government of Tamil Nadu has tightened the rules on conversion of wetlands (cultivable agricultural land with irrigation sources) into other categories for residential, industrial and infrastructure use in a bid to curb indiscriminate development. Till now the tahsildars were permitted to provide certificates in this regard. Now the responsibility lies with the district collector. After doing the spot verification, the collectors can permit such conversions. Much water had already over-flown upon the banks of the river Ganges. There is hardly a patch of land in and around any urban centre in the country - be it a village panchayat, a municipality or a corporation which has not been converted into a non-agricultural category. Another funniest part is that no proper roads, bridges, drainage, electricity, water supply, sanitation and other public utilities had been provided in such sub-urban clusters coming up all over the country. Town planning has been thrown to the winds. It is an eye-sore. Nobody bothered. A chaotic situation prevails in such areas. Who is there to check them in time? All intellectuals, all public representatives, all government officials turned a blind eye towards this development. A drastic surgery alone can cure this malady but at what cost to the common and actual users?

The New York Botanical Garden

This beautiful 250-acre oasis in the middle of New York City and a National Historic Landmark has been a retreat for new Yorkers since the 1890s. The Garden is home to encyclopedic collections of more than one million plants including 30,000 magnificent trees, thousands of them over a century old.

One of the garden’s paramount goals is to lead in the documentation of every plant and fungal species on earth. Isn’t it a noble and admirable goal?

VAN DUSEN BOTANICAL GARDEN, VANCOUVER, B.C (Canada)

It is truly a living museum with exhibits changing daily. A spectacular 55-acre Global garden is run on public contributions with native and exotic plants from all over the globe.

Seasonal Highlights: Spring – Cherry trees, Magnolias etc Summer – Roses, Perennials, Water lilies, Annuals & Wildflowers Fall – Heathers, Maple Collection etc Winter – Largest Collection of Holly in Canada.

Elizabethan Maze, International sculpture collection & 60 varieties of birds are other attractions in the garden.

Special Gardens:

Alma Van Dusen Meadow Garden; Canadian Heritage Garden; Children’s Garden; First Nation’s Medicine Wheel, Formal Rose Garden, Meditation Garden, Mediterranean Garden, Herb & Kitchen Garden, Perennial garden, Phyllis Bentall Water Lily garden, Sino-Himalayan Area.

CROP AND NORTH-EAST MONSOON

It is heartening to note that the Paddy crop in Tamil Nadu has withstood the onslaught of North-East monsoon. The State Government of Tamil Nadu is confident that there has been no adverse impact on agricultural production this year in Tamil Nadu though more than 4 Lakh Hectares of farm land was affected by the vigorous North-East monsoon.

In June 2010 paddy was grown on 17.4 lakh Ha while it increased to 18.5 lakh Ha inJune 2011. Similarly the area of pulses increased from 5.4 to 6.4 lakh Ha and oilseeds from 3.9 to 4.2 lakh Ha respectivly during the same period.

The State Agricultural Secretary has reported that efforts would be made for proper crop management through Soil Health Management, Water Management, Quality Input Distribution, Area expansion, Mechanization, Technology Management and Research to achieve the target production.

The problems of the farmers continue to worry them in the form of labour shortage, low productivity of labour and undeclared power cuts. Had there been proper planning with regard to production of vegetables, fruits and spices like Onions and Chillies, they would have been cultivated without any interruption leading to timely and adequate supply of all agri-goods. The latest inflationary trend experienced in the last 2 years has been mainly due to faulty and inadequate planning not only in the area of production but also in the arena of post harvest management, storage and marketing facilities.