Just touching upon three instances which prove that we, Malayalees, can be warped in our thinking regarding development.
# The Kuthiran Imbroglio.
The widening work of the national highway on the Kuthiran point has been interrupted for weeks.
There might be conciliatory talks among lower levels but to no avail and if that be the case, why
isn't the level being raised to bring about a quick resolution of the conflict between the concerned
parties? Why aren't they interested in opening up the renewed highway, at the earliest, so that the
common man can enjoy the limitless advantages of the latest technology? No one seems to care.
Sad!
# The NH Realignment Project in Malappuram District.
A protest by the local residents over land acquisition, for the widening of NH 66 at AR Nagar and
Vengara regions of the district turned violent today. Eleven people, including women, were injured
when police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the protesters who'd blocked the survey on the
Kozhikode - Thrissur stretch of the highway. As many as 20 policemen were also injured in the
incident, where both the sides had resorted to pelting of stones, too. Sad!
# The Keezhattur Problem.
The residents of Keezhattur, in Kannur district, had formed a collective called the 'Vayalkilikal'
to protest the acquisition of paddy fields for the realignment of the same highway - NH 66. The
agitation is very much on. Sad!
The Pros and the Cons of the Development Process.
Developmental activities like the widening of the highways, laying of additional railway tracks etc
are ongoing processes to cater for a region's overall prosperity that can be wished away only at the region's peril. Here, the thumb rule is that national priorities take priority over individual interests.
The individuals are compensated for their losses by the government and if there are no differences of opinions, the project does sail through.
But what happens when there are major differences among the concerned parties? In two of the problems cited above, there is a perceived sense of the authorities deciding to align the new highway so that it skirts houses/areas owned by influential people!
If there is a mismatch, I can't understand as to what prevents the authorities to sit with the affected people and thrash out the differences through dialogue? Is it an ego hassle or is it to protect the interests of a few? Rather than getting into blame gaming there should be an eagerness to put the problems behind, making it into a win-win situation to all, to the extent feasible.
Because every day lost is a setback to the state's development process.
Tailpiece.
I'm reminded of an input from a friend of mine who was part of a delegation that had visited China, a few years ago. He, like the others, were thoroughly impressed with the long roads and highways stretching over miles into the horizon - a fact that was unthinkable back home. Out of curiosity, he had asked the Chinese official taking them around whose answer was enlightening and I quote,
"What are the normal obstacles to a straight highway? You'd agree with me when I say that they're hill features, water bodies and human settlements. We overcome them by building tunnels through the hill features, bridges over the water bodies and executing the roadwork by evacuation of the human settlements".
The last method can only be done in a totalitarian country like China and not in a caring democracy like our's! And hence, the affected people can be gently persuaded through dialogue across a negotiating table, the delay notwithstanding!!
# The Kuthiran Imbroglio.
The widening work of the national highway on the Kuthiran point has been interrupted for weeks.
There might be conciliatory talks among lower levels but to no avail and if that be the case, why
isn't the level being raised to bring about a quick resolution of the conflict between the concerned
parties? Why aren't they interested in opening up the renewed highway, at the earliest, so that the
common man can enjoy the limitless advantages of the latest technology? No one seems to care.
Sad!
# The NH Realignment Project in Malappuram District.
A protest by the local residents over land acquisition, for the widening of NH 66 at AR Nagar and
Vengara regions of the district turned violent today. Eleven people, including women, were injured
when police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the protesters who'd blocked the survey on the
Kozhikode - Thrissur stretch of the highway. As many as 20 policemen were also injured in the
incident, where both the sides had resorted to pelting of stones, too. Sad!
# The Keezhattur Problem.
The residents of Keezhattur, in Kannur district, had formed a collective called the 'Vayalkilikal'
to protest the acquisition of paddy fields for the realignment of the same highway - NH 66. The
agitation is very much on. Sad!
The Pros and the Cons of the Development Process.
Developmental activities like the widening of the highways, laying of additional railway tracks etc
are ongoing processes to cater for a region's overall prosperity that can be wished away only at the region's peril. Here, the thumb rule is that national priorities take priority over individual interests.
The individuals are compensated for their losses by the government and if there are no differences of opinions, the project does sail through.
But what happens when there are major differences among the concerned parties? In two of the problems cited above, there is a perceived sense of the authorities deciding to align the new highway so that it skirts houses/areas owned by influential people!
If there is a mismatch, I can't understand as to what prevents the authorities to sit with the affected people and thrash out the differences through dialogue? Is it an ego hassle or is it to protect the interests of a few? Rather than getting into blame gaming there should be an eagerness to put the problems behind, making it into a win-win situation to all, to the extent feasible.
Because every day lost is a setback to the state's development process.
Tailpiece.
I'm reminded of an input from a friend of mine who was part of a delegation that had visited China, a few years ago. He, like the others, were thoroughly impressed with the long roads and highways stretching over miles into the horizon - a fact that was unthinkable back home. Out of curiosity, he had asked the Chinese official taking them around whose answer was enlightening and I quote,
"What are the normal obstacles to a straight highway? You'd agree with me when I say that they're hill features, water bodies and human settlements. We overcome them by building tunnels through the hill features, bridges over the water bodies and executing the roadwork by evacuation of the human settlements".
The last method can only be done in a totalitarian country like China and not in a caring democracy like our's! And hence, the affected people can be gently persuaded through dialogue across a negotiating table, the delay notwithstanding!!
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