Post floods, these are some of the happenings in Kerala that have the nature's stamp:-
(a) All rivers are running at very low water levels. The big rivers have begun to show huge sand/
mud banks all over.
(b) The mud and the slush released during the landslides and erosion of the top soil have hardened
into concrete-like material and combined with the sand at the river banks. It's said that the
fertility of the soil could have been compromised.
(c) Off the coast of Alappuzha, the sea has receded by 30 mts. Off Ponnani, new sand banks have
sprung up.
(d) Wells disappearing into the earth, water levels in many wells dropping alarmingly.
(e) Huge cracks forming on the ground.
(f) Mass deaths of earthworms in the Wayanad and Idukki regions.
(g) Blazing heat thanks to a cloudless sky.
Scientists say that these anomalies would get sorted out once the north east monsoon sets in. It's expected over a month from now. Hope everything gets back to normal.
* * *
Another Wasteful Day.
The 'hartal' called by the opposition parties to protest against the sky rocketing fuel prices was a dampener and the dawn-to-dusk inaction brought the state to a halt. The same was the case in almost every other part of the country. In many places, it had turned violent too.
Appropriately, here's an impartial analysis - courtesy my friend, Paddy Khanna - as to why the fuel prices are soaring.
India was spending the highest in oil subsidies among oil importing countries, even ahead of China (Only Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia were ahead which are oil exporting countries) whereas our yearly consumption kept increasing by 4 to 5%. In early 2000s, the idea of deregulation surfaced but it was only in '10 that petroleum and in '13 diesel were deregulated.Though the brent oil price dropped sharply in 2009, it kept increasing during 2009-2013, thereby offsetting the benefits of regulated deregulation from Administered Price Mechanism or APM. Finally, in Jun '17, India formally dismantled the last vestige of the APM for petrol and diesel. Government-owned oil marketing companies, who between them account for 90% of the retail market for fuel, linked daily sales at all their petrol pumps with the international prices of crude oil. Consequently, like in the US and Australia, domestic diesel and petrol prices have, now, been globalized.
This marks the culmination of a very significant piece of economic reform; something that we would be remiss in playing down in comparison to other reform initiatives.
Not only is it politically sensitive to undertake but it nudges India a step closer to becoming a competitive market economy defined by rules as opposed to the existing exception-based regime.
Even though started during the Congress regime, it's been completed by the present government.
Let's look at the brighter side......whether it's Congress or BJP, even though they may try and show the other in poor light for political gains with respect to oil prices, they both have worked hard towards taking India a step closer to being developed from a developing country.
Tailpiece.
The motor mouthed MLA, PC George, continues to spew venom at the hapless nun who reported against the errant bishop. Wonder what will bring an end to his tirade? It's a must and he should not repeat this nonsense, ever again.
(a) All rivers are running at very low water levels. The big rivers have begun to show huge sand/
mud banks all over.
(b) The mud and the slush released during the landslides and erosion of the top soil have hardened
into concrete-like material and combined with the sand at the river banks. It's said that the
fertility of the soil could have been compromised.
(c) Off the coast of Alappuzha, the sea has receded by 30 mts. Off Ponnani, new sand banks have
sprung up.
(d) Wells disappearing into the earth, water levels in many wells dropping alarmingly.
(e) Huge cracks forming on the ground.
(f) Mass deaths of earthworms in the Wayanad and Idukki regions.
(g) Blazing heat thanks to a cloudless sky.
Scientists say that these anomalies would get sorted out once the north east monsoon sets in. It's expected over a month from now. Hope everything gets back to normal.
* * *
Another Wasteful Day.
The 'hartal' called by the opposition parties to protest against the sky rocketing fuel prices was a dampener and the dawn-to-dusk inaction brought the state to a halt. The same was the case in almost every other part of the country. In many places, it had turned violent too.
Appropriately, here's an impartial analysis - courtesy my friend, Paddy Khanna - as to why the fuel prices are soaring.
India was spending the highest in oil subsidies among oil importing countries, even ahead of China (Only Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia were ahead which are oil exporting countries) whereas our yearly consumption kept increasing by 4 to 5%. In early 2000s, the idea of deregulation surfaced but it was only in '10 that petroleum and in '13 diesel were deregulated.Though the brent oil price dropped sharply in 2009, it kept increasing during 2009-2013, thereby offsetting the benefits of regulated deregulation from Administered Price Mechanism or APM. Finally, in Jun '17, India formally dismantled the last vestige of the APM for petrol and diesel. Government-owned oil marketing companies, who between them account for 90% of the retail market for fuel, linked daily sales at all their petrol pumps with the international prices of crude oil. Consequently, like in the US and Australia, domestic diesel and petrol prices have, now, been globalized.
This marks the culmination of a very significant piece of economic reform; something that we would be remiss in playing down in comparison to other reform initiatives.
Not only is it politically sensitive to undertake but it nudges India a step closer to becoming a competitive market economy defined by rules as opposed to the existing exception-based regime.
Even though started during the Congress regime, it's been completed by the present government.
Let's look at the brighter side......whether it's Congress or BJP, even though they may try and show the other in poor light for political gains with respect to oil prices, they both have worked hard towards taking India a step closer to being developed from a developing country.
Tailpiece.
The motor mouthed MLA, PC George, continues to spew venom at the hapless nun who reported against the errant bishop. Wonder what will bring an end to his tirade? It's a must and he should not repeat this nonsense, ever again.
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