3rd June 2020
Musings.......
Misplaced Priorities
Yesterday among the multitudes of news reminders in my phone I come across one such news, rather hidden in the heap of COVID-19 and related news- that the WHO has declared a 2nd Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Congo, is already battling the COVID-19 and also the worlds largest Measles outbreak ! At least 2,243 people have died since an epidemic began there in August 2018.
My first reaction was why does Ebola and Zika virus outbreaks don’t get the kind of news and importance, as something like the Coronavirus or a Measles outbreak in the US. But then, the world media being controlled by the capitalist west, could be the reason for us mere “common man” getting to read filtered news and filtered opinions.
I have seen more reaction and anger in the press, when the Notre Dame burst into flames in April 2019 in France and more donations for its restoration, than when thousands died in Africa due to the Zika and Ebola virus situation ! Misplaced priorities to say the least.
The price of a human life, like any other commodity differs from country to country just goes to show how much money oriented and selfish this world is. I do not wish to give a lecture on ethics or human values but my conscience couldn’t keep me silent. This insensitivity could well become the Waterloo of the human race.
Writing this article in the beginning of June I look back at the 5 months that have gone by. The year 2020 circa would be remembered for a long time to come and for all the wrong reasons.
In December 2019 we woke up to the news of the Coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan Seafood Wet Market and how the Chinese authorities had kept it a secret. The Wuhan provincial authorities, obviously in denial had conducted a party showcasing their powress in healthcare at the time, added to the irony.
Among speculations of Chinese partiality, the WHO took its jolly good time to declare the Coronavirus epidemic into a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and then into a Pandemic.
In a flash we saw country after country falling for the virus, but we still thought India would be spared.
Now as we stand at 2 Lakh cases with the last 1 Lakh detected in the past 14 days, all the theories about Indians being resilient to the virus and BCG vaccination giving protection against the virus have gone to the dumpster. The fact is if not controlled, India could be facing one of its most dangerous healthcare crisis of the century. With limited healthcare resources Indian government had its task cut out.
In the meantime the Supreme Court opens today to consider a petition to rename India into Bharat. Misplaced priorities again!
If only our Supreme Court was not so toothless and showed the vigour to create an impact. This right wing government in its agenda of making all institutions under its control, have made the Legal system of the country into one of its puppets.
With all due respect, It took the Supreme Court months to wake up to the Migrant Crisis in the country and amidst the lockdown and pandemic crisis, they are unable to give even a single positive direction or judgement representing the poor in this country, or one which could make some real difference.
Then we hear of the Cyclone Amphan- a tropical cyclone hitting the east coast of India, raging into West Bengal and getting the city of Kolkata into a standstill.
I write this as Maharashtra and Gujarat braces for Cyclone Nisarga which is expected to make landfall in a day.
Among all this havoc, there is brewing crisis along India’s Northern Borders.
Nepal has redrawn its map to include the territory of Kalapani in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, as part of Nepal.
The strategic importance of Kalapani lies in the fact that it is a trijunction between India, Nepal and China. Key to disagreement over Kalapani is the origin of the River Kali and its source.
On May 8th India inaugurated the Darchula- Lipulekh pass Link Road cutting across Kalapani area which is used by Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar.
In The Treaty of Sagauli between Gurkha rulers of Kingdom of Nepal and East India Company in 1816 - the British recognised Nepal’s right to teritory east of River Kali. Here lies the dispute. Nepal thinks east of the Kali river should begin at the source of the river. India however, says the border begins in Kalapani which India says is where the river begins.
Lipulekh pass has been used for centuries by Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims and tourists on their way to Kailash Mansarovar adds to its strategic importance.
India’s Army chief came up with an insensitive statement that some other force is behind Nepal’s border redrawing in an obvious reference to China.
Last I heard this has alienated the Gurkha regiment of the Indian Army is not surprising. That the Indian Army chief also, in a friendly gesture, acts as the Chief of Army of Nepal and vice versa seems to have been forgotten. The army chief talking politics and adding fuel to fire seems to be the new normal under this Right wing Modi Government.
Over the past month, the India- China border is also witnessing tensions in four different locations along the Line of Actual Control(LAC).
Incidents along Pangong Lake in Ladakh, Naku La in Sikkim, Stand-offs along Ladakh, Galwan valley and Demchok has escalated build up of troops by both sides.
The root cause is the overlapping claims of both India and China along the LAC. Spots in the Western( Ladakh), Middle ( Himachal and Uttarakhand), Sikkim and Eastern ( Arunachal Pradesh) sectors of Indo- China border.
Both the Border dispute with Nepal and China are classic examples of Misplaced Priorities !
The NASA along with Elon Musks SpaceX has collaborated to sent two astronauts to the International Space Station, becoming the first and only private firm to achieve the feat. At any other time this would have been a landmark achievement for any private firm. However US being knee deep in a Coronavirus crisis, this again comes out as a classic case of Misplaced priorities though for the Astronauts, the ISS seems to be the safest place to be right now !
Wuhans Seafood Wet market has re- opened. China seems to have moved on while the world is struggling - though with information blackout from China, we can never be sure.
Dr. Michael Greger, the author of the best selling book “How not to Die” and “ How to survive a Pandemic” has said and substantiates that an apocalyptic virus from chicken farms could lead to a more dangerous pandemic, more severe than Covid -19.
The H5N1 virus, he says has a 50% mortality rate and could well wipe out half of our world population. Humans close connection to animals could lead to the worst kind of epidemic. He says the high ammonia levels from their droppings will be the main source for the disease.
We are amidst a pandemic of epic proportions and could well see this becoming the new normal.
The world leaders and public should sit up and take notice. Public policy should be streamlined and prioritised. Healthcare should be given its due importance starting from budgetary allocation to healthcare infrastructure development.
The medical fraternity who are now hailed as hero’s, most of them work risking their and their families lives, work with meagre salaries. These so called “superhero’s” do not need name tagging or be seen in graffitis along with Batman or Superman. They just need the governments to include them as their priority.
If not the human race could soon well become a classic case of Misplaced Priorities.
Food for Thought.......
RC
rohitchennithala.blogspot.com
rohitchennithala.home.blog
Misplaced Priorities
Yesterday among the multitudes of news reminders in my phone I come across one such news, rather hidden in the heap of COVID-19 and related news- that the WHO has declared a 2nd Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Congo, is already battling the COVID-19 and also the worlds largest Measles outbreak ! At least 2,243 people have died since an epidemic began there in August 2018.
My first reaction was why does Ebola and Zika virus outbreaks don’t get the kind of news and importance, as something like the Coronavirus or a Measles outbreak in the US. But then, the world media being controlled by the capitalist west, could be the reason for us mere “common man” getting to read filtered news and filtered opinions.
I have seen more reaction and anger in the press, when the Notre Dame burst into flames in April 2019 in France and more donations for its restoration, than when thousands died in Africa due to the Zika and Ebola virus situation ! Misplaced priorities to say the least.
The price of a human life, like any other commodity differs from country to country just goes to show how much money oriented and selfish this world is. I do not wish to give a lecture on ethics or human values but my conscience couldn’t keep me silent. This insensitivity could well become the Waterloo of the human race.
Writing this article in the beginning of June I look back at the 5 months that have gone by. The year 2020 circa would be remembered for a long time to come and for all the wrong reasons.
In December 2019 we woke up to the news of the Coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan Seafood Wet Market and how the Chinese authorities had kept it a secret. The Wuhan provincial authorities, obviously in denial had conducted a party showcasing their powress in healthcare at the time, added to the irony.
Among speculations of Chinese partiality, the WHO took its jolly good time to declare the Coronavirus epidemic into a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and then into a Pandemic.
In a flash we saw country after country falling for the virus, but we still thought India would be spared.
Now as we stand at 2 Lakh cases with the last 1 Lakh detected in the past 14 days, all the theories about Indians being resilient to the virus and BCG vaccination giving protection against the virus have gone to the dumpster. The fact is if not controlled, India could be facing one of its most dangerous healthcare crisis of the century. With limited healthcare resources Indian government had its task cut out.
In the meantime the Supreme Court opens today to consider a petition to rename India into Bharat. Misplaced priorities again!
If only our Supreme Court was not so toothless and showed the vigour to create an impact. This right wing government in its agenda of making all institutions under its control, have made the Legal system of the country into one of its puppets.
With all due respect, It took the Supreme Court months to wake up to the Migrant Crisis in the country and amidst the lockdown and pandemic crisis, they are unable to give even a single positive direction or judgement representing the poor in this country, or one which could make some real difference.
Then we hear of the Cyclone Amphan- a tropical cyclone hitting the east coast of India, raging into West Bengal and getting the city of Kolkata into a standstill.
I write this as Maharashtra and Gujarat braces for Cyclone Nisarga which is expected to make landfall in a day.
Among all this havoc, there is brewing crisis along India’s Northern Borders.
Nepal has redrawn its map to include the territory of Kalapani in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, as part of Nepal.
The strategic importance of Kalapani lies in the fact that it is a trijunction between India, Nepal and China. Key to disagreement over Kalapani is the origin of the River Kali and its source.
On May 8th India inaugurated the Darchula- Lipulekh pass Link Road cutting across Kalapani area which is used by Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar.
In The Treaty of Sagauli between Gurkha rulers of Kingdom of Nepal and East India Company in 1816 - the British recognised Nepal’s right to teritory east of River Kali. Here lies the dispute. Nepal thinks east of the Kali river should begin at the source of the river. India however, says the border begins in Kalapani which India says is where the river begins.
Lipulekh pass has been used for centuries by Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims and tourists on their way to Kailash Mansarovar adds to its strategic importance.
India’s Army chief came up with an insensitive statement that some other force is behind Nepal’s border redrawing in an obvious reference to China.
Last I heard this has alienated the Gurkha regiment of the Indian Army is not surprising. That the Indian Army chief also, in a friendly gesture, acts as the Chief of Army of Nepal and vice versa seems to have been forgotten. The army chief talking politics and adding fuel to fire seems to be the new normal under this Right wing Modi Government.
Over the past month, the India- China border is also witnessing tensions in four different locations along the Line of Actual Control(LAC).
Incidents along Pangong Lake in Ladakh, Naku La in Sikkim, Stand-offs along Ladakh, Galwan valley and Demchok has escalated build up of troops by both sides.
The root cause is the overlapping claims of both India and China along the LAC. Spots in the Western( Ladakh), Middle ( Himachal and Uttarakhand), Sikkim and Eastern ( Arunachal Pradesh) sectors of Indo- China border.
Both the Border dispute with Nepal and China are classic examples of Misplaced Priorities !
The NASA along with Elon Musks SpaceX has collaborated to sent two astronauts to the International Space Station, becoming the first and only private firm to achieve the feat. At any other time this would have been a landmark achievement for any private firm. However US being knee deep in a Coronavirus crisis, this again comes out as a classic case of Misplaced priorities though for the Astronauts, the ISS seems to be the safest place to be right now !
Wuhans Seafood Wet market has re- opened. China seems to have moved on while the world is struggling - though with information blackout from China, we can never be sure.
Dr. Michael Greger, the author of the best selling book “How not to Die” and “ How to survive a Pandemic” has said and substantiates that an apocalyptic virus from chicken farms could lead to a more dangerous pandemic, more severe than Covid -19.
The H5N1 virus, he says has a 50% mortality rate and could well wipe out half of our world population. Humans close connection to animals could lead to the worst kind of epidemic. He says the high ammonia levels from their droppings will be the main source for the disease.
We are amidst a pandemic of epic proportions and could well see this becoming the new normal.
The world leaders and public should sit up and take notice. Public policy should be streamlined and prioritised. Healthcare should be given its due importance starting from budgetary allocation to healthcare infrastructure development.
The medical fraternity who are now hailed as hero’s, most of them work risking their and their families lives, work with meagre salaries. These so called “superhero’s” do not need name tagging or be seen in graffitis along with Batman or Superman. They just need the governments to include them as their priority.
If not the human race could soon well become a classic case of Misplaced Priorities.
Food for Thought.......
RC
rohitchennithala.blogspot.com
rohitchennithala.home.blog
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