It's a leisurely morning as our kicking off for Kochi was delayed till after lunch. Did my morning bit of exercises by walking Padmakumar up to the gate and by using the stairs. After that it was a long chat with my sister and Achu, who'd returned after the night shift. There were a few more things tied up for the ensuing days towards the preparation for Ammu's betrothal ceremony!
After a quick lunch of lemon rice and assorted stuff, rustled up by Rema, we'd set off for Kochi via the Marico plant to drop Achu for his shift, commencing at 1400 hrs. It was about 12 kms on the reciprocal to our intended course and by a quarter past 2, we're headed for our destination. Enroute, we'd tea and a snack at a wayside eatery, short of the Paliyekkara toll booth. Its proprietor, Eldo, gave us his personal attention that made the experience memorable and we spent almost a three quarter of an hour because of it - a long duration compared to the normal time that we apportion for such breaks!
It's a nice evening with Jojy, Saly, Mily, their daughter-in-law and Shanaya, their powerhouse, full-of-chatter and adorable grand daughter. Meanwhile, the news about the death of Jayalalitha, the chief minister of Tamilnadu, had come about at 1700 hrs only to be retracted a few minutes later. The eventual announcement came around 2330 hrs!
* * *
The news about the tipping over of INS Betwa at the naval dockyard at Bombay is a sad one. Another naval mishap during peacetime! I'm sure the inquiry will come out with the facts leading to the mishap so that the IN takes corrective actions to prevent recurrence of a similar tragedy! The ship was docked along with two other vessels and it was during the undocking operation when tragedy had struck. I pity the Commander-in-Chief to have a tipped ship in his backyard while the entire crowd is visiting his base, for a look see, on the occasion of the navy week!
A painful spot of news for people like me, a veteran! My opinion is that it's a teamwork that has gone awry!! Sad!!!
Tailpiece.
It's sad that Ms. Jayalalitha, the chief minister of Tamilnadu, has passed into the mist of time and it's understandable that holiday is declared within the state to enforce the mourning formalities. It's, however, not understood as to why the schools and government offices have been shut down in neighbouring Kerala and why it should be a national holiday. A day's mourning, to my mind, would have been adequate. A case of going overboard on emotions and protocol!
But it's worthwhile to run through what she has done for her people:-
(a) Every child that has passed class X gets a free bicycle.
(b) Every child that passes 10 plus 2 gets a laptop.
(c) A child that's born in a government hospital gets a kit containing soap, talcum powder, child
wear, diapers, towel, oil, shampoo called the 'Amma born baby kit'!
(d) Free natal care.
(e) A government servant on childbirth can be on leave for a year to tend her child and her pay
is put into her bank account.
(f) If the newborn is a girl child, the government provides Rs.50 grand for her wedding expenses
along with the wedding pendant(Thaali).
(g) The poor gets a television set, wet grinder, mixer and other appliances, necessary in any
household, from the government.
(h) The poorest of the poor gets food from the 'Amma canteens', dotting every nook and corner
of the state, for Re.1/-!
I've two questions connected to this, which are:-
(a) A welfare state breeds inefficient and lazy people. Is this the reason for the stoppage of the
migration of the Tamilians into neighbouring Kerala, in search of work? The migrant workers
from east and north east India have substituted them though!
(b) The contractors supplying the wide range of items to the people must be making hay while
the sun shines. Do they plough back a share of the profits accrued from the massive sale to
the politicians or the party that have landed them the contract?
Something to ponder.
After a quick lunch of lemon rice and assorted stuff, rustled up by Rema, we'd set off for Kochi via the Marico plant to drop Achu for his shift, commencing at 1400 hrs. It was about 12 kms on the reciprocal to our intended course and by a quarter past 2, we're headed for our destination. Enroute, we'd tea and a snack at a wayside eatery, short of the Paliyekkara toll booth. Its proprietor, Eldo, gave us his personal attention that made the experience memorable and we spent almost a three quarter of an hour because of it - a long duration compared to the normal time that we apportion for such breaks!
It's a nice evening with Jojy, Saly, Mily, their daughter-in-law and Shanaya, their powerhouse, full-of-chatter and adorable grand daughter. Meanwhile, the news about the death of Jayalalitha, the chief minister of Tamilnadu, had come about at 1700 hrs only to be retracted a few minutes later. The eventual announcement came around 2330 hrs!
* * *
The news about the tipping over of INS Betwa at the naval dockyard at Bombay is a sad one. Another naval mishap during peacetime! I'm sure the inquiry will come out with the facts leading to the mishap so that the IN takes corrective actions to prevent recurrence of a similar tragedy! The ship was docked along with two other vessels and it was during the undocking operation when tragedy had struck. I pity the Commander-in-Chief to have a tipped ship in his backyard while the entire crowd is visiting his base, for a look see, on the occasion of the navy week!
A painful spot of news for people like me, a veteran! My opinion is that it's a teamwork that has gone awry!! Sad!!!
Tailpiece.
It's sad that Ms. Jayalalitha, the chief minister of Tamilnadu, has passed into the mist of time and it's understandable that holiday is declared within the state to enforce the mourning formalities. It's, however, not understood as to why the schools and government offices have been shut down in neighbouring Kerala and why it should be a national holiday. A day's mourning, to my mind, would have been adequate. A case of going overboard on emotions and protocol!
But it's worthwhile to run through what she has done for her people:-
(a) Every child that has passed class X gets a free bicycle.
(b) Every child that passes 10 plus 2 gets a laptop.
(c) A child that's born in a government hospital gets a kit containing soap, talcum powder, child
wear, diapers, towel, oil, shampoo called the 'Amma born baby kit'!
(d) Free natal care.
(e) A government servant on childbirth can be on leave for a year to tend her child and her pay
is put into her bank account.
(f) If the newborn is a girl child, the government provides Rs.50 grand for her wedding expenses
along with the wedding pendant(Thaali).
(g) The poor gets a television set, wet grinder, mixer and other appliances, necessary in any
household, from the government.
(h) The poorest of the poor gets food from the 'Amma canteens', dotting every nook and corner
of the state, for Re.1/-!
I've two questions connected to this, which are:-
(a) A welfare state breeds inefficient and lazy people. Is this the reason for the stoppage of the
migration of the Tamilians into neighbouring Kerala, in search of work? The migrant workers
from east and north east India have substituted them though!
(b) The contractors supplying the wide range of items to the people must be making hay while
the sun shines. Do they plough back a share of the profits accrued from the massive sale to
the politicians or the party that have landed them the contract?
Something to ponder.
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