MUTHUKANNU PAGES

Status of Prisons and their Reformative Role. The Prison System as the Police is a legacy and continuation of the Colonial content  .Some tinkering then and there have been carried out by the Governments on adhoc basis.A major over haul and reformation are still elusive. Recommendations for Jail Reforms are pending for acceptance for decades with the Government. The tier-system of jails: sub-jails, District Jails and Central Jails do not have adequate facilities and infrastructure commensurate with the Prison population.The Personnel are from psychological point of view regard themselves as an extension of the police force. The convicts lodged in prison have to be treated as patients referred/admitted to hospital for treatment and care. The Theories of Criminology speak volumes about the idea behind punishment.From a holistic point Prison are meant for redemption and reform. In practice they act as centre for hardening criminal and in most cases the tendency to form grou...

Traffic and Pedestrian Rights It is an open secret that the traffic situation in Puducherry is chaotic.The National Data for road accidents place the Territory in higher risk category. Given it's demography and extent of territory the number of vehicles plying on the road is disproportionate and unmatching. History records that the Territory  consisted of a good number of villages in the past.  Over a period of time , the Rulers conceived and  planned the Town as a City, like the one at Chandigarh.Bullock Carts , Carts drawn by other animals, hand drawn carts etc.,  i.e. indigenous type of means of transport were opersted widely and used in tandem with the environment and size of the Region without causing traffic snarl and pollution. The population was also manageable and their preference was walking.It was the favourite means of movement. People carried  on their day to day routine and undertook pilgrimage and other avocations of daily life without emba...

Boating and Lakes in Puducherry ! Knowledgeable people in Puducherry know about the Lakes in the Region and their water source.About 86 Lakes found in the Union Territory. They are fed by river flows from Tamilnadu. Catchment areas are only in the neighbouring State. Traditionally inland fisherman occupation dependent on these Waterbodies and local back waters. Hand nets and spread nets, sometimes called fan nuts have been used in the past and whenever they brim with the flow. Other lifeforms,  aquatic and birds have their livelihood and life support from the lakes. Catamarans also used rarely and sparingly not affecting or disrupting the Waterbodies. Without giving serious thought about the  precarious conditioning  of lakes at present and the disappearance of feeder channel or encroachment committed by Medical Colleges,  Engineering Colleges,  Industries , Recreational activities and Hotels, the well thought out and laid structures for collection of...

 Slackness in Ground Water Management in Puducherry. Recently the print media and visual media in Puducherry published / broadcast news about the visit of the Lieutenant Governor along with officers drawn from different Departments at K.V.Textile - the newly opened Stores near Ellaipillaichavady. The Governor on inspection found traffic congestion in the absence of adequate parking space provided by the Shop.Tube well dug without permission and Planning Authority's Permission not obtained for the Construction.Works even were in non-completion. The Shop was ordered closure and the premises sealed. There are numerous points of contention. 1.Whether all constructions are approved by PPA? 2.Whether the Ground Water Authority gives permission for tapping and using ground water for domestic/commercial purposes? 3.Whether the Traffic Police gives permission ? 4.Whether the Municipality accords permission? Are these Departments and others exercising supervisory functions and o...

Farmers Rally and Nationwide Strike for Assertion and Settlement of their Long Pending Demands. We may know that more than 130 Agriculturist Associations in the Country have been coordinating their struggle, 'Village Strikes', since June 1 pressing the Government at the State and Centre to concede to their just livelihood demands.As a mark of protest, farm produces like Vegetables, Food Grains and milk were dumped on the National Highways  to draw the attention of the Governments for settlement.In order to intensify their movement they have declared "Bharat Bandh" on 10th June and sought Solidarity support from the people. Their demands include, *Enhancement of Minimum Support Price for farm produce. *Increase in Procurement Price for milk. *Waiver of farm loans. The above demands are not new.They have been demanding for a permanent solution and struggling for too many decades.In fact then Governments at the States and Centre had some time implemented loan ...

(This reflection was in the draft stage written about a decade ago after learning about the environment disaster at Thiruvandarkoil, Puducherry) Newspapers in Puducherry, Yesterday carried a news item that in an industry(MNC) , manufacturing components for Windmills in Thiruvandorkoil, puducherry, employing about 2000 workers, mostly contract labourers, fire broke out and engulfed the factory and adjoining Villages, in which lac worth of properties were lost. The news item did not mention the name of the Industry but detailed the accident occurred in the yard of the Industry, where plastic and other wastes generated during the manufacture of the Windmills got dumped in the open for years, without timely clearance and disposal by the Company. The fire service units in the State requisitioned could not douse the fire, as a result assistance from neighboring Villupuram and Cuddalore Districts of Tamilnadu also sought and combined their effort, to put out the blaze for the last tw...

Adulteration in Edible Oils- What is Government's responsibility? Amidst other news items, the appearance of  special coverage on manufacturing of adulterated edible oil racket bust creates public attention  and  has been lost. As we all aware that consumption of oil in household on d essential and a necessity. Taking advantage of the massive market open before them the traders are utilising the opportunity and in full gear dump products sacrificing quality endangering public health and safety.Business turn over has been the primary focus and priority keepin aside credibility and business ethics. News item published in print media and visual media on large scale adulterated oil trading create ripples and settles downafter some time.The recent seizure of  15000 litres of adulterated edible oil from a large-scale manufacturing unit in Madurai is the second such serious exposure in the City. The modus operandi includes essence imported from Malaysia used to con...