Editor,
The other day, I woke up little early from my usual time as I had to go to Worli, Mumbai, to attend an event which is almost 28 KMS from my dwelling place. Every morning I call up my in laws and my parents in Assam as a habit. That day my father in law picked up the phone and said that he was about to go fishing. By then he already had his morning meal and was up for the day’s activity. On asking what my plan was for the day, I said that I needed to go for an event on mental health. He could not understand so I explained that there is a programme where we will discuss lifestyle changes which are the causes of mental illness in today’s society. He still could not figure out why mental health is a matter of discussion. It is obvious. In his entire lifespan he never ever had to discuss anything related to mental health because of the place he lives in, because of the food he eats, because of the air he breathes, because of the physically active life he leads and because of the carefree life he lives.
Mental health has become one of the most talked about topics in recent times. Just a decade ago this topic didn’t find so much space in our discussions as it does today. This is due to the rise in mental disorders such as depression, Alzheimers, Dementia etc. which have started spreading like epidemic. According to WHO, about 450 million of the world’s population are fighting mental illnesses of one kind or the other. There are definitely a cluster of reasons why mental health issues are growing in number. The detachment with nature and natural surroundings can be cited as one of the most important factors. We have unanimously become dependent on electronics, gadgets, artificially grown and preserved food products etc.
The bond which parents shared with children a decade ago are now limited to knowing their children’s whereabouts from Facebook status. Social media is one of the reasons for teenage depressive disorders. Besides, the peer pressure of maintaining one’s position in the top be it education, fashion or lifestyle have added to the problems.
Life is to be lived meaningfully and productively. The rush and haste of being in the race with which we lead our lives adds only worry and pressure. Creating that wellspring of contentment and happiness does not lie in achieving something extraordinary in life, but it can be derived from the small wonders of life such as gratitude and appreciation for one’s own existence on this earth. Mental illness is no longer a stigma in our country, though there are exceptions. Negligence, social discrimination may aggravate the conditions. Talking to a person you trust, expressing the inner thoughts and emotions to a family member or a friend and visiting a doctor for consultation at the earliest are the best ways to keep mental health issues at bay.
Besides eating right, carrying out a regular fitness regime be it a 20 minutes’ walk daily, meditation, travel etc. also help fight such disorders. Awareness and offering emotional support to the person undergoing such symptoms will definitely help further curb mental health problems. Let’s do our bit in freeing our society from mental illness by remaining engaged with the issue and understanding it better
Yours etc.,
Lopamudra Gogoi Bora
Via email
Hope for energy efficiency
Editor,
How energy-efficient are our homes? We must think over this at least on the occasion of World Energy Conservation Day celebrated on December 14. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency is an Indian government organization created in 2001 and is responsible for promoting energy efficiency and conservation. Energy conservation means to reduce the consumption of energy by using less of energy service. Some important sources of energy are coal, petroleum, nuclear energy etc. and the important factor is that these are non-renewable. Oil is expected to last around 45 years, gas around 65 years while coal for around 200 years. All these are finite and will not exist one day. So, basically we are running out of energy with leaden wings. Saving energy doesn’t require extra care. One can save the energy by turning off fans, lights, submersible heating rods, heaters and other electrical gadgets that are running unnecessarily.
When buying new appliances, we must be sure of purchasing energy-efficient ‘Energy Star’ labeled models. We can use compact fluorescent lamps. It will also help in reducing electricity bills if we use energy efficient low-wattage compact fluorescent lightings and fixtures. Even at public places, it can be taken care of by switching off the fans and lights in places like bus terminals, railway stations when not necessary. Street lights and big hoardings must be switched off in the day time. One has to develop his or her skills to help attain energy efficiency We can also replace non-renewable energy by renewable energy which is derived from natural processes and that are replenished constantly such as solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, biofuels and hydrogen. Though these energies require high initial investments and have availability or climate issues, still they can be thought over for the betterment of the nation. As people and nations progress, consumption of energy will increase. Energy affects all facets of activities related to modern everyday life. So, not just December 14 but every day should be a day when we consciously reduce the use of finite energy sources.
Yours etc.,
Sanjukta Maiti
Shillong-3
Solving the agrarian crisis
Editor,
The farmers have been demanding for a total implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission for a long time. One of the most important recommendations of the Commission is land reforms that can indeed heal the agrarian crisis. The Commission had zeroed in on the inequality in landholdings as a major agrarian problem. It said that in 1991 – 92, the share of the bottom 50 per cent of the rural households in the country’s total land ownership was only 3 per cent. The top 10 per cent owned as much as 54 per cent of land.
Land reforms make China such a strong country in spite of its huge population and size. Land reforms help boost inclusive growth in many ways. First, it will enhance the productivity of land by improving the economic conditions of farmers and tenants. Second, it will ensure distributive justice and eliminate exploitation. Third, it helps create a system of peasant proprietorship with the motto of land to the tiller. And fourth, it can distribute income of the few to the many which will enhance the purchasing power of the masses and thus energize the market and generate employment. This can indeed act as a panacea for solving the problems of unemployment, inequality, poverty, hunger and malnutrition to a great extent. Indeed, land reform is essential if the lot of small farmers and tribals has to be improved.
We must not forget that land reform is a constitutional directive. Article 39(b) of the Constitution of India states, “The ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to serve the common good.”
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata