1) Control migrant population
Delhi, with a population of 2,64,54,000 in the year 2016, is presently the second largest populated city in the world after Tokyo (Japan) which in the year had a population of 3,81,40,000. But the big difference is that the projected population of Tokyo in the year 2030 is likely to be reduced to 3,71,90,000 while Delhi may than have a much-much increased population of 3,60,60,000. Evidently, such a big rise in the population of Delhi cannot be by natural population-growth alone, but the main factor is of migrant population rushing regularly to settle in Delhi.
Central and Delhi governments should jointly look into the big population explosion of Delhi and must take corrective measures to prevent the capital city of India becoming a living hell for its original residents. Unfortunately, all the political parties patronise wrongdoings like encroachments because of vote-bank politics, which is the root-cause of the migrant population finding easy earning opportunities on footpaths and setting of jhuggis. It was not good that political parties competed in resisting disciplinary action initiated on the behest of the Supreme Court appointed Monitoring Committee in clearing the encroachments on roads and footpaths by traders and hawkers. It should be the duty of lawmakers to check any further population explosion due to migrants in Delhi rather than requiring courts to intervene.
– Madhu Agrawal
2) Largest mobile-phone factory in India
The Prime Minister of India and the President of South Korea jointly inaugurated the largest manufacturing unit in the world for mobile phones set up by South Korean company Samsung in Noida (India) on July 9, 2018, in tune with his dream concept of ‘Make in India’ programme. Setting up of such a big unit in a big 35-acre plant with a capacity to produce 120 million mobile-phones annually will be of big advantage to both the countries. It will give employment to thousands of India people, directly and indirectly, increasing revenue-earning apart from saving drain of foreign currency from India. On the other hand, the South Korean company facing a tough global competition from Chinese company Xiaomi in manufacturing mobile-phones, may regain its number-one position globally in India with the second largest consumer-base in the world after China. Earlier also, way back in 2015, leading aircraft-manufacturer Airbus Industry (France) had announced investing $2 billion in India for manufacturing aircraft-parts.
India is the largest consumer-base after China and can devise ways so that global manufacturing-giants may be forced to set up manufacturing units in India if they desire their brand-names being marketed in India. India is the largest importer in the world for importing items of day-to-use like also computer-related items. India is definitely in a situation to impose its terms on such imports. Many of the imported items are manufactured in collaboration in countries other than the country of original manufacturer owning the brand. Indian government should link import of largely used items with condition that brand-owning company may set up production-unit in India itself at least in cases where manufactured items are not being directly imported from the country the brand-owning company exists.
Since original toner and ink cartridges of computer-printers are sold at exorbitant prices by original manufacturers, the condition should be that such accessories will be allowed to be manufactured by any desiring Indian manufacturer for making these available to consumers at much cheaper prices.
– Subhash Chandra Agrawal
3) More rains, Mumbai marooned
Maximum city looked marooned after three days of rain and disaster struck railway passengers on the train. Mumbai was placed under high alert and Navy was on standby to avoid further disaster. Hundreds of passengers were rescued from stranded Mumbai bound trains and the electrical sub-station in Vasai was under water causing a blackout. Mumbai grows length and breadth with much infrastructure and the city’s rain woes exposed BMCs rain readiness promise totally. With more and more high rise buildings coming up in the city without proper planning there is a little room for rainwater to flow off streets. And the corporation is not insisting for rainwater harvesting as compulsory to the builders, the situation is becoming bad to worse. Low lying Parel, marooned Hindmata, rainwater surrounding Sion all pathetic scenes of the commercial capital. Unplanned growth is the reason for all the miseries and monsoon rains cause innumerable deaths and cause extensive damage to the properties. It is a matter of shame that the disaster management cell in place is helpless. It is time to set right the corporation by filling the potholes and prepare for laying concrete/rubberised roads by starting the work from September so as to complete it before June and pave best roads for the taxpayers.
– C.K. Ram Nath
4) Mission ‘impossible’ accomplished!
Twelve-member Thai youth football team had a miraculous escape after 18 days in a ‘death cave’ as the world united by sending expert deep sea divers on a rescue operation that looked impossible to accomplish. All boys along with their coach are lucky to be alive as fate pulled them out of the ‘doomsday’ when their survival looked bleak. The whole episode is a lesson on disaster management as the Thai government acted on a war footing to rescue citizens of their country by grouping experts from across the globe.
Disaster management is virtually missing in our country and a city like Mumbai is marooned during rainfall. We can’t fill potholes and here is a nation like Thailand that pulled citizens out of fatal holes without they getting a scratch. FIFA World Cup organizers too deserve applause by sending an invitation to the rescued boys to watch the finals in Moscow!
– S.N.Kabra
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
