Last sunday when I went through the "Hindu" open page, there was an article that mentioned about the state spending on missiles and moon missions. It was then that I thought I should take out an article I wrote in my diary dated 22-10-'08
Chandrayaan- 1
The Rs. 386 crore moon mission of India, Chandrayaan-1 has been successfully launched today. Chandrayaan-1 is the first Indian lunar satellite and the mission period is 2 years. It entered its preliminary orbit today, dropped as programmed by the PSLV C-11 carrier vehicle that took off from Sriharikottah this morning. PSLV is an indegenous satellite launching vehicle and this its 3rd consecutive success. With this India is elevated to the elite group of nations that are members of the moon research project viz Russia, U.S, Japan, China and EU.
No doubt, this is a great milestone for ISRO and the media is celebrating the event with all enthusiasm. Chandrayaan is even sending a probe to study the moon's surface!!
On this momentous day, every Indian feels proud. I met people saying this project would help India's overall development. Others said it would instantaneously elevate India's stature as a global super power. I said, well it might be true, considering the 40 crores of starving tummies we have to feed.
400 crores of rupees for Indians to know the moon better? Can I make a suggestion here? Lets first learn how to read and write!! With around 35 crores of people people who've never touched a pen in their lives, its very appropriate to send a mission to study the complexities of the moon.
Here are some facts about our country.
- 71% of the rural population don't have minimum sanitation facilities. They excrete in the open.
- 40 crores of Indians can't afford three meals a day
- The largest number of malnourished children live in India.
- Electricity hasn't reached 20% of India's rural areas.
Surprised? there's even more. Not even 1% of the GDP is spent towards healthcare facilities. India is way behind most of sub Saharan Africa when it comes to crucial infrastructure like roads.
I'm a staunch supporter of progress in scientific research. But our focus at the moment must be in narrowing the gap between the urban middle class and the majority of our population that continues to live in sub human conditions. Scientific research should be in most crucial areas like cheap and renewable energy for the millions who still live in the dark, cheap housing and sanitation facilities, irrigation, drinking water, roads and basic infrastructure that would raise the quality of life, usher in new industries and drive our economy right from the roots. Space technology and moon missions can wait.
As long as there are over 400 million people whose lives revolve around procuring by any means a meal to keep them alive, all the hype surrounding the so- called milestone of ISRO seems meaningless.
As long as there are over 400 million people whose lives revolve around procuring by any means a meal to keep them alive, all the hype surrounding the so- called milestone of ISRO seems meaningless.
Josephine Varghese
22-10-'08
8 comments:
ഇതൊക്കെ നേരെ ആക്കിയിട്ട് Research നടത്താം എന്ന് വച്ചാല് നടക്കുന്ന കാര്യമാണോ??
scientific research nadathuka thanne venam. research nammukku ettavum athyaavashyamaaya kaaryangalkkaanu munganana nalkendathu. Research into making smale scale, cheap and renewable energy for the rural areas where electricity hasn't yet reached is just one of them. You can name n number of such areas that require scientific research, that will directly help people.
I will just say one side of reasoning, Let us say this research keeps some of our brightest minds in india. this in turn allows future students to master technology faster. more education, more industry will come to india. Each of the high tech industry allows branched industries and suppliers that depends on that company. this in turn creates more wealth, creating more jobs.
And the case of creating small scale cheap electricity, it should be a research for universities because, that is where fresh ideas should come from.
The best thing that india could do is to promote entrepreneurship in the students so that they start companies with new ideas, rather than go in search of jobs in multinational companies/abroad.
good one
So much bothered about poor India? Huh...We are improving our space competition to improve what we have in India. FYI we use our satellites to find better areas to cultivate and for fishing. It is also used to predicate natural calamity. Speaking about poor India and feeding them? How many Indians is ready to go school if education is given free? And are you ready to give up wearing branded clothes and lipstick that you use? Give 20% of your salary to old age homes monthly?
@Dreamz I am not against space science. Launching satellites that would help predict calamities, improve connectivity etc are definitely good. But Chandrayaan is definitely a luxury for a country like ours where more than 80 crores of people are poor. Let us find solutions for the infinite problems in our country before going to moon.
Chandrayaan project is something in which the whole world is looking at us!! itz of course an achievement for India!! even if no such missions are held some portion remains poor-thanks to the large scale corruption!!!
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