Thursday, July 18, 2013

Of inefficiency and sloth....

There's a big joke that's going on around here on which Kochiites can have a hearty laughter.

It's all about an ill conceived project to have a windmill smack opposite the harbour mouth and beside the marine drive, to provide electric power supply to the ornamental lighting adorning the entire stretch of the walkway at the Marine Drive. The idea was that of the GCDA(Greater Cochin Development authority). A nice idea, I must admit but it's its execution that smacks of ineptitude, corruption and sloth.

A fortnight back, the windmill was erected and commissioned with great fanfare and pomp. Within 24 hrs, the fan had fallen off much to everyone's disgust and to make matters worse, the explanation given was that a massive gust of wind had brought down the structure - and the Kochiites are still wondering as to when that gust of wind had blown over them. Again just a couple of days back, the leaves were put back in place and the windmill was recommissioned. The blades of the windmill have been blown off yet again.

Obviously, there's something wrong with the equipment and its installation. That the project was given to a company that has no past experience in the field of windmills and generation of power from the wind, has already become a talking point and I shall not dwell upon it. I would like to believe that it would be investigated thoroughly and the guilty brought to book at the earliest. But, as a layman and as a dweller in the city, I've the following queries:-

      (a) Where's the famed pride in the quality of one's work? I'd expect people to admire my efforts on the
           accomplishment of a difficult job.
      (b) What about the thoroughness in one's knowledge that's essential for a successful project? Hollow
            promises and lack of expertise cannot be of any help.
      (c) Or were the executors of the project cocking a snook at us, at large?
      (d) And doesn't the feeling that, they're quite sure of getting away despite the fiasco, gain currency?


Tailpiece.

Paradoxical, to put it mildly. Kerala's requirement of electricity far exceeds the power generation from all its hydel projects. Alternate sources like solar energy and wind power need to be tapped without further delay. We seem to be doing just that but with a crooked mind - to make a fast buck at whatever cost! When will we learn or will we ever?     

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