The Road to Peace - III
A NATION IN PEACE
(PART III OF IV)
Meignanasiriar.
M. SUBRAMANIAM B.E., M.B.A.,
(Trustee, Universal Peace Foundation)
The World population in
1900 was 283 Million. This has grown
to 6.2 billion souls by 2011. There is a
huge difference in the life style of people
/ civilization living in 1900 and that of
2011 – because of innovations,
technology development and mass literacy.
From time immemorial, civilization has been an
interdependent society. No man can live alone since he needs
to satisfy his wants/desires.
For a person to live through life, the hierarchy of needs
can be classified thus – Air, Sunlight, Water, Food, Clothes,
Health, Shelter, Education, Entertainment and self- realization
in that order.
Over a period of over 100 years due to a great explosion
of knowledge and several new products in the market man
has forgotten the so called hierarchy of needs. So also the
members running a Government for a nation – small or big.
Let us take a country like India. It has seen many
monarchs ruling the country for several centuries followed
by British rule and then democracy.
Let us now SEE what are the priorities before a nation
like India. It has a population of say 1.2. billion. Has the
nation achieved 100% coverage of its population to meet its
hierarchy of needs?
A NATION IN PEACE
(PART III OF IV)
Meignanasiriar.M. SUBRAMANIAM B.E., M.B.A.,
(Trustee, Universal Peace Foundation)
The World population in 1900 was 283 Million. This has grownto 6.2 billion souls by 2011. There is ahuge difference in the life style of people/ civilization living in 1900 and that of2011 – because of innovations,technology development and mass literacy.From time immemorial, civilization has been aninterdependent society. No man can live alone since he needsto satisfy his wants/desires.For a person to live through life, the hierarchy of needscan be classified thus – Air, Sunlight, Water, Food, Clothes,Health, Shelter, Education, Entertainment and self- realizationin that order.Over a period of over 100 years due to a great explosionof knowledge and several new products in the market manhas forgotten the so called hierarchy of needs. So also themembers running a Government for a nation – small or big.Let us take a country like India. It has seen manymonarchs ruling the country for several centuries followedby British rule and then democracy.Let us now SEE what are the priorities before a nationlike India. It has a population of say 1.2. billion. Has the nation achieved 100% coverage of its population to meet its hierarchy of needs?
Air (though polluted) and sunlight are free, yet even water and food has not reached every soul even though there is no shortage of both. Clothes are not available to a vast majority. Many families live under platforms, trees or dilapidated huts even today. Literacy is still a far cry in several states. Today the entire world depends on monetary system of measurement for any type of exchange. A nation’s growth is defined by its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) – which means cumulative monetary achievements of all the constituents in the nation. But a small nation like Bhutan measures its growth by Gross National Happiness, which means year on year how much more happy are the people of the nation.
Ask any yogi on what is the ultimate goal of life – he will say self realization or bliss or knowing the truth – which all means the same. Every soul on earth is only seeking happiness without really knowing its origin. The origin lies in its inner self and not outside. This has to become part of
our education curriculum.
1. Water
a. Quality:
Potable water is an absolute necessity for every creature on earth. But the water now being consumed by most human beings is contaminated with undesirable salts and harmful bacteria leading to ill health.
b. Quantity:
Another major issue threatening to challenge the world is the availability of adequate quantum of water for human consumption. In most places in India the ground water level is also going down. Both the above have to be addressed on a war footing to save the population from slow poisoning, stretching to the next generation. It has been averred by a water scientist that man can live a healthy, disease free life up to 120 years by consuming PH 7- Water which is neutral in nature – neither acidic nor alkaline. (Water is measured on a scale of 0 to 14. If it is 1 to 7 it is acidic and 8 to 14 it is alkaline). The scientist says medical colleges and hospitals can become unnecessary if PH – 7 water is consumed by the entire population. But governments are hesitant to issue license for manufacture of PH - 7 water on a commercial scale until it is put to litmus test.
It appears to the author there are several trail blazing inventions, already proven, mostly in the confines of research labs and in military research establishments. Only a strong political will can bring out all these inventions for the benefit of the common man to bring about a rapid change in the health of the civilization. After all a disease free life is the biggest gift or asset mankind can look for!
With regard to quantity, many Indian states face different problems. Ground water and rain water are the two major sources of drinking water. Chirapunjee in Assam boasts to be the highest rain fed area in the world. But the paradox is even there, people say, three months in a year, it is drought hit, when there is no rainfall. This is because due to surplus in 9 months, they have not organized themselves to channelize and store water for use during the dry period. In Rajasthan where water is scarce and hot summers pose inconvenience to people, collect rain water falling into their terrace and channelize to an underground storage tank, which meets the entire water needs of the family for a full year until the next monsoon.
Similarly, in Tamil Nadu, a few years back, rain water harvesting was made compulsory for every household which had a saluting effect on raising our ground water level. Water is also imperative for promoting good agriculture. In India it is high time that rivers are interlinked to create National waterways so that water is easily accessible to all states without jeopardizing anybody’s interest. Technical experts are already ready with their proposals to put forth such a massive scheme. Is the political will forthcoming?
2. Food for thought and the stomach.
A nation like India needs 100 million tones of food grains annually to feed its population of 1.2 billion. But today the actual food production is 232.07 million tones per annum which are far above the demand. But in reality the excess food grain produced is only rotting in ill equipped make shift storage godowns. As if feeding fuel to fire, the food grains do not reach every mouth leading to hunger and mal nutrition. At the time this article is written the UN has triggered its panic button on the African Food Crisis. Prolonged drought, in the Horn of Africa, is the immediate cause of severe food crisis already affecting around “TEN million people” in parts of Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. The UN has classified the crisis as “pre-famine” – one step down from “catastrophe”. India can certainly export some of its food surplus to African States to provide relief to those people in distress. But if we introspect ourselves, we will find the living condition of farmers, who are responsible for producing food for the nation, far from desirable. With appropriate agri technology and practices India can feed the entire World? But what is holding us is still a mystery.
3. Clothing:
Clothing for the entire population is already produced in India – the supply is far more than demand. But the paradox is, again whether there is affordability for people below the poverty line. Better affordability can ensure adequate clothing for the people at the lower economic strata.
4. Shelter:
This is definitely a far cry for a large section of the population. Basic housing infrastructure in most states of India is still lagging behind and here again there is no affordability for the lower strata of people. What with sky rocketing land prices individuals with low income cannot even think of buying land – leave alone building a house. This has to be addressed by low cost mass housing schemes that are being implemented in a few states. In a country like Malaysia we find almost 20% of houses are vacant, being built for the growing population.
5. Health and Hygiene:
Hygiene: Before going to health let us consider hygiene. We all consider cleanliness next to Godliness. Yet a vast majority of the population is yet to realize it. Spitting in public places and inadequate public toilets (clean with sufficient water) across the country is still a major hurdle for the population. The common man must be educated that saliva is life energy for an individual and by spitting he is losing vital energy. Open defecation is still a practice in many parts of the country leading to unhygienic health conditions. Menstrual hygiene for young adults particularly school children, in rural areas need attention, education and training for upkeep of their personal hygiene. We have a large number of eating establishments but do not have toilets in matching numbers across the country. This infrastructure building must be taken up on a war footing in India.
Similarly every household must ensure to keep their street clean without throwing the blame on the corporation or panchayat. It is worth suggesting here that each city/town can earmark one day in a year (say 2nd October) to exclusively spend time on cleaning their street and environment by pressing all the resources at their command – involving little children to the elderly ones to create a clean and green environment. Mayors / Panchayat presidents can take note of this.
Health:
It is a very comprehensive subject to be discussed here. But health is wealth and we must usher in alternative systems of medicine and those written in olden scriptures to offer affordable treatment to the entire population. Prevention is better than cure and we must create a team of wellness consultants who can advise on healthy living and avoid the need to go to hospitals.
6. Education:
Formal education has been the engine of growth in this great nation. But illiteracy is still a reality in many parts of the country. But more than formal education, inculcating moral values to children is the need of the hour. So primary education must become a national priority and focus to infuse values to children before the age of 8 years. This can bring about a saluting effect on the next generation.
7. Entertainment:
(i) Sports and Games is a major entertainment which shapes the attitude of people. Winning and losing is an every day affair taken sportively and that’s what life is all about. Surprisingly many schools do not have adequate play grounds or even indoor games. All schools must address this and resolve.
(ii) TV media has overtaken Cinema theatres in entertainment. But there is a huge scope for giving out information to public on several issues for improving quality of life.
(iii) Reading books is a matter of utmost pleasure to many. Our former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam advocates all school children to buy books of interest every year and create a good home library. Knowledge is power and we should create a knowledge driven society.
8. Self Realization:
It is attaining the pinnacle of glory in one’s life. But not all are blessed to reach that state and my wild guess would be less than 1000 people having reached that state are living on earth right now. Any Nation guided by such self realized souls would do well in improving quality of life for its masses. Can we expect such a change to happen after 11.11.2011 all around the world?
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SANTHOSAM
