Say Happy Diwali without fireworks

Watch this photo series and decide for yourself

http://wd-society.blogspot.com/2009/04/indian-fireworks-blaze-kills-23.html

http://www.ilo.org/dyn/media/mediasearch.fiche?p_id=307

http://www.ilo.org/dyn/media/mediasearch.fiche?p_id=449

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Bangalore/article36580.ece

I do not understand why do we let this madness happen every year. There is much more to Diwali than firecrackers. What do they give us anyway ? Pollution, many children without childhood, some without eyes and others dead. To add to this misery they cost so much and add strain to our already stressed wallets!

Saying no to firecrackers is not enough. Actively discourage others too.

A few things about India that is not so well known

1. India has a nuclear capable missile which can travel at 7mach
2. Rural population of India is about 60% of Indian population
3. More than 50% of Indians have mobile phones
4. Indian mobile network is better than most other mobile networks in the world in terms of quality, coverage and cost(one SMS costs less than 1 cent, calling is at 1 cent per minute).
5. There is a rural employment guarantee scheme which covers a very large part of Indian population
6. Medicines in India are very cheap compared to US and cost of healthcare is also a magnitude lower. There are a lot of good hospitals and medical tourism is on the rise.
7. India has an active fast breeder reactor program which, if successful, would lead to energy security
8. Some parts of India are very under developed and malnutrition is higher than sahara desert countries
9. About 40% of Indians are below poverty line and live in very unhygienic conditions
10. There are about 15 Indian cities where Metro railways in under construction or planned
11. India now manufactures more 4 mn cars and commercial vehicles per year. This is a 500% jump for last 10 years
12. India is the largest milk producer in the world. Production was about 120 mn tonnes in 2010. This figure is almost double of US milk production.
13. Gold consumption of India was about 745 tonnes last year. This is highest in the world and is about 6 times the US consumption. Women in India are crazy about gold and it is bought as investment

Joy of giving - Day 1

Sometime back I wondered here, if there could be a milk network, to feed poor children and take food out of their daily problems list. In fact, I have been wondering about it off and on. Today I decided to make a start. Though, it was not milk that I started with. I had some old clothes lying around and some extra food. These were some destitute people sitting near Sai dham temple at Kandivali East on the western express highway. They seem to be in business of making brooms. There were around 50 of them living in small roadside huts.

Here are a few points I considered/learned today:

1. I feel giving away clothes or other goods is better than giving away food. I feel that food gets over too quickly to make any significant difference in their lives. I'd much rather give them utensils, clothes, sewing material, carry bags, newspapers, books etc than giving away food. These things help them jack up quality of their daily life by a small percentage.
2. It is better to give to adults in the family and not to children. Children tend to be too eager with things and may not use them to the fullest. Adult members are more sane and they even tell you what do they want next time.
3. Choose a location close to home. Not too close as you don't want them to follow you back home and it is good exercise to walk a few kilometers a day.
4. Do not be afraid of them. They are people after all and will not try to hurt anybody who gives them
5. Talk to them and ask them about their needs. Try to dissuade them from asking money and ask them to use the goods to do something productive

More soon.