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Issue 21 December 2003 www.iasmah.org

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Cheer up! Citizen-friendly days are Girish Pradhan (1977): Joint Secretary, %HUHDYHG
here! The administration is turning pro- Ministry of Power, Government of India. Meena Sivaram (67), wife of retired
people. E-governance is paving the way Munshilal Gautam (1977): Principal civil servant K Sivaramkrishnan (1955)
for good governance. That’s what one Secretary (Social Justice) Sanjeevanee passed away, after prolonged illness, at
would say looking at these events of the Kutty (1983): Secretary (Cultural Affairs) 8.50 p.m. on 9 November 2003 at their
last month: Edging over the long-known (and MD of Maharashtra Film, Stage & residence in Buena Vista on General
IT stalwarts like Andhra and Karnataka, Cultural Dev Corp Ltd, Mumbai). Jagannath Bhosale Marg, Mumbai
our State has bagged national awards for 400021. The Association prays to God
websites and e-governance. While our to rest her soul in eternal peace.
Director IT & DG Information & Public

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(Obituary on page 2).
Relations Nitin Gadre received the India

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Tech Foundation’s Golden Icon Award
for this year’s best website maharashtra.
gov.in, Secretary IT Mukesh Khullar
collected the second award for Sarita, Collector Hingoli Vijay Singhal (1997),
Nitin Kareer’s e-governance initiative in CEO ZP Washim ER Dawale (1997),
the Registration Department. And as if and CEO ZP Akola Saurabh Vijay
this was not enough, the Small Savings (1998) have left for Japan to participate
Department’s maha-ss.com website and in the Japan South-West Asia Youth
the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Cor- Friendship Program from 19 Novem-
poration’s e-governance initiative, too, ber 03 to 11 December 03, having been
got Certificates of Appreciation. As a sponsored by the Ministry of Youth

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result, the State won the second India By VS GOPALAKRISHNAN Affairs & Sports, Govt of India.
Tech Excellence Award for making use “Why don’t you get rid of your ear ache?
of IT in administration. Adding one People think you are using the mobile all the
time!” Addl Chief Secretary GAD & Special
more feather to its already overcrowded
cap, MSRDC’s MD AK Lakhina picked Enquiry Officer-II Rajendra Singh
[Mr VS Gopalakrishnan (1962) is Director
up the Constru India 2003 Excellence (1968) and Secretary and OSD (Ap-
General, World Trade Centre, Mumbai. He can
Award for rural-urban infrastructure. be contacted on: 022-22182879; 24936429; peals), R&FD MB Ray (1977) will re-
tire on 31 December 2003. The Asso-

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Our heartfelt congrats to all those who [email protected]].
made this revolution possible. ciation wishes them a happy and healthy

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Such praiseworthy initiatives are post-retirement life.
bound to benefit billions badly bruised The Indian Institute of Public Admini-

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and battered by baleful bureaucrats. In stration, New Delhi has invited essays
fact, maharashtra.gov.in, will not only for an Essay Competition as a part of its
demystify everything but also humanize Golden Jubilee celebration. The three Now the state governments can sanction
babus. A virtual ocean of information, it subjects are: Role of Citizens in Partici- private visits of All India Service offi-
is a single-stop shop of ideas thanks to patory Democracy, Liberalization and cers, if such visits are purely personal
myriad databases of different areas of Labour Laws, Efficient Administration without any sponsorship and not linked
governance. A godsend to the NRIs, it through e-governance. The selected first to official visit, on leave due and admis-
gives the daily news from all districts in three essays will get prizes of Rs 3000, sible, whether casual leave, earned leave
Marathi. All in all, without resting on its Rs 2000, and Rs 1000, respectively. or leave on medical certificate. These
past laurels in industrial development, There is also a consolation prize of Rs visits will have no time limit but when
the State is making tremendous strides 800. The essays should be in English, taken along with the official tour
in IT, e-governance and infrastructure Marathi or Hindi only and have 3,000 to abroad, they will be limited to a period
development. Now the day is not far 5,000 words. The last date to reach the of three weeks, and the number of days
when administration will reach every entries is 15 March 2004. For more de- spent on private work will not exceed
citizen via Internet and give him what tails, you may contact Mr SN Kulkarni, half the number of days spent on official
he needs. Far from continuing to be the Executive Joint Secretary of the IIPA’s work. The Department of Personnel &
hated one, the bureaucracy will become Maharashtra Regional Branch, Room Training, Government of India, has
an expeditor of people’s dreams. Let us 13, Ground Floor, Mantralaya, Mumbai clarified this vide its letter to the Chief
therefore rejoice and herald the advent 400032, Phones: 022-22024243, Secretaries, bearing No. 11019/6/2001-
of that fateful day. 22854156, Ext 3430. AIS-III, and dated 4 August 2003.
Rameshchandra Kanade
Monthly Newsletter of the IAS Officers’ Association, Maharashtra Branch For private circulation only
 $GLHXWR0HHQD6LYDUDP
2 REMEMBERING GOOD SOULS HARMONY, DECEMBER 2003
and span and orderly, in spite of her her husband and her close friends, Mrs
failing health! She was against wastage and Mr Krishnan by her side.
By PRIYA UBALE
It is not easy to say good- and reused and recycled everything she Hers was a life well lived, from 14
bye to someone you have possibly could. With her meticulous November 1935 to 9 November 2003.
known almost all your ways and Spartan lifestyle she could And it was 15 years ago that she had
life. Aware as you may be easily have authored a book on disci- decided to donate her body for medical
of the probable shape of pline. That a person like her could fall a research, in keeping with her progres-
things to come, the sad prey to cancer will therefore always sive attitude and her desire to be of help
Meena Sivaram reality of his/her passing
remain one of life’s ironies for me. to others!
away cannot but take you by surprise She fought a valiant battle with the Her husband Sivaramakrishnan
and affront you with its suddenness! Big C after it was diagnosed in January survives her, as do her mother, brother
Meena aunty was one such person. 2003. Those of the IAS fraternity who with his family, and her sons, Sridhar
A little possessive, very protective and were at Dahanu for a cricket match and Siddharth, and their families. Her
full of sage words of advice, she will be there will remember clearly that she did two grand daughters were the apples of
sorely missed by her numerous young not come down to dinner as she was her eyes: Sridhar and Vasanti’s daugh-
friends. She surrounded herself with unwell. She and her husband left for ter Aashna, 18, a Bharata Natyam
young people (remaining young at heart Mumbai early the next morning. The dancer who has done her Arangetram
herself) and when one visited her one round of investigations began soon and has had numerous performances
was most likely to meet someone else thereafter. She had to spend more than abroad and Divya, 6 +, daughter of
of one’s age group. The ability to make a month in the Breach Candy Hospital, Siddharth and Prabha. What they have
friends and to keep them was easily her mostly in the ICU. lost can never be regained. May God
most distinctive quality, and many of It seemed like touch and go even give them the strength to endure it. Let
the friends she made in all the places then. It is a great tribute to her spirit all of us whose lives she had touched
they were posted at continued to keep that she could meet death head on with with her warmth and hospitality re-
in touch with her. so much courage. She returned home member her, as she would have liked us
She had so many qualities worth from the Hospital with a new lease of to, as active, vigorous and returning
emulating. She kept a beautiful home, life, to give the family and friends her from a walk or swim!
always stylish and befitting a serving precious time. But the enemy was
catching up fast and on 9 November [We are thankful to Priya Ubale, wife of
officer, which reflected her methodical
and systematic mind. While invading 2003, just a few days short of her 68th Secretary (Special Projects) Sanjay Ubale
birthday (and a few months short of her (1985) for paying this tribute to Ms Sivaram
her kitchen on the night she passed whom we all miss. Priya Ubale can be con-
away to provide those assembled with a and Uncle Sivaram’s 50th wedding an-
tacted on 022-22819762; priy-
drink of water, I found everything spick niversary!), she breathed her last, with [email protected]].

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By VP RANE
The news of Dr V Subramaniam’s ability to motivate people by personal every day in the hospital whenever he
death created a deep chasm in my mind. touch. Because of his practical ap- came to see his brother. His caring na-
His passing away is a personal loss. proach to problem-solving, the MSFC ture created confidence in me.
I had the privilege of long associa- gained a few crore of rupees, which Dr Subramaniam was ever willing
tion with Dr Subramaniam during early strengthened its financial position. to render all types of assistance. But I
part of my career in 1971-72 when I Sometime in 1971, I had met with think his greatest contribution to my
was on deputation to the Maharashtra a serious accident near Igatpuri on the life in those days was his remarks about
State Farming Corporation and he was Nasik-Mumbai Road. Along with me in my wife. He said one day, “Rane, you
holding additional charge of the MD’s the vehicle was Dr Subramaniam’s will be all right in a few more days. But
post there. I have amply benefited from younger brother, Mr Ganapati, who was remember, more than the medical
all the attributes of his personality, so also working in the MSFC. Both of us treatment it is your wife’s devotion that
elaborately and eloquently described by had suffered severe injuries. I had two will carry you through.” It was indeed a
Shri Ramamoothi in his obituary pub- fractures and a bruised face but Shri touching assessment of my wife, whose
lished in the last issue of Harmony. Ganapati was more seriously injured. qualities I myself had failed to appreci-
For a youngster like me, there was Both of us had to spent a couple of days ate (like most husbands!)
a lot to learn from Dr V Subramaniam’s in the JJ Hospital and Dr Subramaniam, Dr Subramaniam used to give de-
qualities of head and heart such as hard who by then had relinquished the addi- tailed remarks on the files submitted to
work, extreme dedication to job, poise tional charge of the Managing Direc- him. Continued on page 4.
in dealing with political masters and tor’s post in the MSFC, used to visit me

He who is truly clean within cannot remain unclean without.

How many civil servants do you think can ‘here and now’. He has written many books He conducted practical demonstrations
remain active past the age of 88? You may including Vignettes of My Civil Service Life. and coordinated scarcity works all over
be able to count them on the fingers of one The LBS National Academy of Ad- the district. He took personal missions
hand. Dr ADAM USMAN SHAIKH (1940) is ministration at Mussoorie felicitated him to Nizam Government at Hyderabad
one such remarkable person. An embodi- with a silver plaque when it had invited all
ment of accomplishments as a successful the ICS incumbents of 1947 from England,
and negotiated for trainloads of jowar
administrator of the yesteryears, he is a Bangla Desh, Pakistan and and issued it at subsidized rates on ra-
known scholar, linguist and educationist. India to celebrate the 50th tion cards in the affected area. He han-
Even today he retains the zest for life and Year of India’s Independ- dled the calamity in the most humane
passion for work. ence. A delightful talker, he and constructive manner.
Born of a civil surgeon on 18 October talked nostalgically to Editor How was your experience as Collector
1915, he passed the matriculation exam with Rameshchandra Kanade. of Kolhapur?
top honours in 1933 and secured many Here are excerpts: It was very memorable for many
scholarships. He proceeded to top the BA How do you feel looking back over the reasons. The citizens were used to la-
and MA exams, secured the Dakshina Fel- past six decades?
lowship and later joined the Provincial Civil
woon mujra. I stopped this custom of
I feel very happy because it has because it was very demeaning. I
Service in 1940. After working during the been a successful and satisfying innings
famine in Bijapur District and the greater planned 26 dam-cum-roads, 76 lift-
famine in the combined Bengal Province, he
for me. I liked all my postings and en- irrigation societies over the wasted wa-
was promoted to the IAS on 26 August joyed them thoroughly. Each of them ters of Panchganga river which brought
1948 while working as Collector & District was challenging and exciting. Even the about agro-industrial prosperity with 15
Magistrate of Belgaum. He was allotted to post-retirement period of 30 years has cooperative sugar factories. Kolhapur
the 1940 batch. been hectic because of my engagement became the third best developed district
Dr Adam Shaikh worked on many im- with education. I am happy about these in India only after Ludhiana and Coim-
portant posts: He was Deputy Commis- achievements. Whenever I felt I should
sioner of Excise and Prohibition, Director of
tur. The people of Kolhapur fondly
rest on my oars, work kept pouring in called me Janata Zilladhikari.
Prohibition & Excise, Deputy Secretary, and I kept working. I followed the
Revenue Department (Inspection), Deputy Which of them was your most memora-
Development Commissioner and Deputy
valuable advice of my mentor Devappa. ble posting?
Secretary, Development Department, Addi- He had said, “Be ready in Civil Service My three-year stint as Registrar
tional Secretary, Revenue Department. He to be knighted or benighted.” and Cooperation Commissioner in Pune
was Collector and District Magistrate of Who was this Devappa? was to my heart’s content. I was able to
Kolhapur (from November 1952 to Septem- He was the collector of Bijapur organize and strengthen the district cen-
ber 1955) and then Collector of Pune (till during the famine years of 1941-43. On tral cooperative banks, many marketing
June 1957). Subsequently he became Regis- passing the PCS exam I joined under
trar of Cooperative Societies, worked as
societies, sugar factories, consumers
him. His real name was RG Davies but and processing societies. I could set up
Divisional Commissioner of Nagpur people loved and respected him so
Division (from April 1960 to February ten spinning mills, several agricultural
1962), assumed charge of Municipal
much that they called him Devappa, market yards-cum-godowns, almost a
Commissioner of BMC, returning to meaning God’s good man. He had a hundred paddy cooperative cultivation
Mantralaya as Secretary, Urban gentle and sweet temper. Both officials projects and rural cooperative schools.
Development & Public Health Department and the public alike believed every During this period, two-thirds of the
in April 1963. He was Motor Transport word he said and they did as he told membership of the Maharashtra Coop-
Controller & Vice-Chairman of MSRTC for them. I was his special assistant for erative Bank came from rural areas.
some time before becoming Additional famine relief measures. He cultivated
Development Commissioner and Additional
How do you spend your time now?
his colleagues and subordinates who I opened an educational institute in
Secretary, GAD in August 1964. He was would gather at Anand Mahal Club like
Secretary, Agriculture & Cooperation Bhivandi 25 years ago in the memory
Department. He superannuated in October
a family to play tennis, badminton, of my son who died in England where
1973 but was given additional two years to bridge, billiards or chess. If anyone was he was studying. It keeps me busy.
carve out a separate Department of Higher absent, the club boys would run to him People approach me for advice because
& Technical Education. He also laid a solid and say, “Collector Saheb has sent his they have problems. Let me tell you, as
foundation of the Vaikuntbhai Mehta salaam.” He was forty but still a bache- IAS officers we must help people as
Institute
A brilliant
of Cooperative
scholarManagement.
of English Litera- lor and very fond of history, archae- much as we can. We must solve their
ture, he was the first to bag the Doctorate of ology and literature.
the Bombay University in the faculty of
problems. We civil servants must not
How did he handle the famine? forget that we are for the people.
English Letters in 1944. His thesis was on Mr Davies had a missionary zeal.
the Development of Anglo-Indian Bio-
graphical Literature. His poems evince an
He inspired the entire administration [Dr AU Shaikh resides at Lalit on Wode-
irrepressible upsurge of refined soul through and social workers to rise and meet the house Road, Mumbai 400039 with his wife,
words, rhythms and images expressing his scarcity. He opened orientation classes Qudsia, who is an artist in her own right. He
sensitive awareness of the ‘other world’ in in land development, famine relief can be contacted on 022-22023735].
techniques and scarcity administration.

Always imitate the behaviour of winners when you lose.

When your doctor first suspects that dent in stress testing that do not appear chambers which can be used to with-
you have a heart disease, he will ask in a conventional ECG as the heart re- draw blood samples from each part of
you to undergo special tests in order to quires more oxygen-rich blood during the heart for testing. It can also identify
diagnose the nature and severity of your exercise than at rest. any abnormal openings inside the heart,
specific disease properly. These tests Echocardiogram: The echocardiogram such as those that are present in con-
can be invasive and non-invasive. In is used to evaluate heart structures. The genital heart disease, and so measure
invasive tests plastic tubes, catheters, machine has a microphone like device the heart's ability to contract and deter-
are inserted through an artery or vein. (called transducer), which is placed mine its output, or efficiency. Coronary
Through these catheters, dyes are in- outside the chest wall. This gives off ul- Angiography and Ventricular Function
jected and blood samples removed, trasound waves. The machine translates Assessment is frequently performed
pressure measured or electrical im- the echoes of these waves to a picture along with catheterization. A special
pulses are monitored. In non-invasive on a piece of paper. The ‘echo’ of your non toxic dye is injected through the
tests the body is not penetrated by heart structure can be measured. Two- catheter and then an x-ray of the pro-
tubes, wires or needles. Both these dimensional echocardiography records gress of this dye is recorded on motion
types of tests provide separate but very a diagram of heart motion, but provides picture film or CD. Depending on
important information. a video tape recording which pictures where the dye is sent, various heart ab-
Blood Tests and other Tests: Certain the entire heart, its function and motion. normalities can be detected. Thus, by
enzymes are released into the blood Doppler echocardiography is an addi- injecting dye into the main coronary ar-
when particular organs or muscles such tional unique technique that records the teries near the origin of the aorta, the
as the heart are injured. Special blood blood flow inside the heart. The ‘echo’ complete arterial blood supply of the
tests can identify the presence of these tells your doctor about the thickness of heart can be seen and the blocked arter-
enzymes. These enzyme measurements heart muscle, certain abnormalities in ies or partially blocked arteries can be
can help indicate whether the heart the structure and function of the heart identified. By passing the catheter
muscle has been damaged and decide valves and the heart wall, the presence through the aortic valve and injecting
about the risks of surgery. of fluids around the heart (pericardial dye into the left ventricle the physician
Your doctor may want you to un- effusion), and whether there are tumors can evaluate how well the heart muscle
dergo other tests also. These may in- in certain chambers of the heart. Echo- contracts. Ventriculography can detect

'U96XEUDPDQLDP«
clude pulmonary (lung) function stud- cardiogram can also be done through blood clots within the heart.
ies, blood cholesterol and triglyceride your food tube ‘esophagus’ lying be-
levels, blood sugar tests, tests for elec- hind the heart, in order to get a more
trolytes (sodium, potassium chloride, accurate picture of the heart. This tech- Continued from page 2.
His orders were always clear and unambi-
magnesium, etc) present in the blood, nique is known as Transesophageal guous. He is used to dispose of the files
and various tests for thyroid function, echo (TEE). Other non-invasive tests quickly, even if he had to sit late in the of-
kidney function, and a dental checkup. include the vector cardiogram and the fice. One day, a bundle of files was brought
Non-Invasive Tests Holter Test (24 hour ECG recording). from Mantralaya and kept on my table. The
Electrocardiogram (ECG): This is the Thallium Scan/Stress Muga Scanning: filed had been disposed of by Dr Subrama-
most common non-invasive test and is This test is similar to the stress cardio- niam. There was one file which I had put up
usually performed during routine gram. It is invasive because prior to the to him with a note about some problem of
physical examinations. Electrical activ- initiation of exercise, you will receive the MSFC. It was indeed great encourage-
ity generated by the contracting and re- an injection of a special tracer sub- ment and motivation for me to read his re-
marks: A good succinct note.
laxing of the heart muscle is measured stance so that the outline of your heart Avidly fond of Yoga, he practised
and recorded on a strip of moving pa- and its responses to activity will be re- Yoga wherever he went. Once we were
per. Metal electrodes attached to a re- corded in a computerized fashion. travelling together to Nagpur by train. I was
cording machine are placed on your Invasive Tests astonished to see from my upper berth that
arms, legs and chest. No electricity en- Cardiac Catheterization and Angiocar- he was going through Sheershasan at 5.00
ters your body; there is no discomfort. diography: By inserting a long tube or a.m. in the running train. I think it was this
Stress Test: This is also called the catheter through an artery or vein of an regularity that kept him fit like a fiddle.
Treadmill test. Conventional or resting arm or leg into the heart, the physician Considering his many Good Samaritan
ECG is taken while you are at rest. The can obtain important information that deeds, Dr Subramaniam’s soul is bound to
rest in peace. And because of all the values
stress ECG is taken before, during and cannot be obtained in any other way. he imbibed and also taught the members of
after a specific period of intense activ- The procedure is usually performed his family, his survivors are bound to have
ity, such as pedaling an exercise bicycle while the patient is awake. He is able to the courage to bear the loss with fortitude.
or walking over a moving belt called watch on television screen where the [Mr VP Rane (1975), Director General of
treadmill. Your blood pressure and physician notes the progress of the Vasantdada Sugar Institute at Pune, writes
pulse are monitored before, during and catheter. The catheterization is used to with great feeling and deep understanding.
after you have performed this activity. measure blood pressure and oxygen He can be contacted on 020-6993999, Fax:
Certain abnormalities may become evi- content in each of the heart’s four 020-6992735; email: [email protected]].
Buried seeds may grow, but buried talents never. (Roger Bacon)
 7KH3XVKNDU)DLU
HARMONY, DECEMBER 2003 FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD 5
sand dunes, we saw camel and horse We concluded our visit with late
races, enjoyed swings, mehandi stamp- night darshan at the Brahma temple,
By PREETI SAHAI
During Diwali vacation this ing on palms by vendors, magic shows the only temple of Lord Brahma in the
year we stayed with our grand and different cultural programmes. whole world. It is believed that if you
parents at Ajmer. I enjoyed a We enjoyed three events the take bath in Pushkar sarovar on Kartik
unique experience of the maximum. One was the bridal make-up Purnima and have darshan at this tem-
Pushkar Fair this time. I want contest in which ladies from foreign ple, all your sins are washed away.
to share it with the readers of Harmony. countries dressed in Rajasthani cos- Hence people take a holy dip in the lake
Pushkar is 11 km away from tumes participated. The other was a and then visit the temple on this day.
Ajmer. The Pushkar fair is a special camel ride. The camel sat twice and got My sister and I washed our hands on
event held every year in the Hindu up twice and we felt as if we were the bank of the lake and thus washed
month of Kartik. It lasts for 5 to 8 days. about to fall. (That day I came to know away all our sins which we might have
In the distant past, it was only a cattle why camel is known as the ship of the done till now!
fair. But now it is a big tourist event. It desert: while we faced a lot of difficulty
is so famous that tourists from all over in walking on the sand, the camel was [Preeti, daughter of Industries Commis-
the world come to see it. giving us a ride very smoothly). The sioner Dr Bhagwan Sahai (1986) has be-
Cattle, camels and horses are third was a special ride in the merry-go- come the youngest contributor to Harmony
bought and sold here. This time we saw round. It took us to the top and stopped by breaking this record of her own talented
a beautiful, snow white horse on sale. there! We were hanging in the sky for sister Jyotsna who had contributed to the
October 2003 issue. She is an 8-year-old
His master wanted to sell it for at least quite some time. From there we could girl, ever-smiling, bubbling with enthusiasm
Rs 5 lakh. People were ready to pay see the whole Pushkar city around. and brimming with confidence. She is in Std
him Rs 4 lakh but he did not accept it. There was lighting all over, and the vast III in the GD Somani School, Mumbai and
So finally the horse returned without mela grounds, horses, camels, etc. It can be contacted on 022-22844581].
being sold! In the huge mela, on the was amazing!

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It was indeed a pleasant surprise to hear lands here on a Saturday evening; he will (That would sound blasphemous coming
from you! I am otherwise totally out of have to go hungry till Monday! I like our from an Economics student like me!)
touch with what is going on back home. customer-friendly Indian shops, which re- We visited a waste-disposal, process-
I am the only Indian in this course on main open till almost 10 p.m. ing and recycling site here. That was truly
Energy & Environment. The course is quite Talking of energy conservation (after impressive. Waste from about 40 cities in
good and very intensive. We stay in a very all, that’s the course I am doing here), I this region is collected at a central point,
small town, so there are no distractions! We don’t know why the Dutch use yellow bulb segregated mechanically, processed and re-
have a choice of specializing in either En- lights and not our more efficient white tube- cycled or disposed of. It is a massive exer-
ergy or Environment. I am thinking of tak- lights at home. Of course, the yellow lights cise. We saw separate mounds (or shall I
ing Energy. My project will be either on de- look cozier. And they leave the lights on in say, mountains?) of rubber tyres, old wood,
regulation and privatization of electricity their shops at night, to display their goods computers, etc. The bio-waste is processed
markets or on bio-waste to energy projects. through the shop-windows. Probably to separately to produce gas, and the waste is
It is a good experience to get out of our compensate for closing down early! land-filled.
bureaucratic routine once in a while. I have I miss the news of India, our music and ‘What are those hills in the back-
a lot of impressions to convey, mostly good, films! In the news here, it’s as if India does ground?’ some of us asked. ‘Landfills!’ was
but some not so good. Most of the Dutch not exist most of the time. The only news I the answer! The best part is that it is a
ride bicycles. It is not like the USA where heard last was of some old UK ships being profit-making activity for the company.
one can’t do without a car. So I too have dismantled in India. It seems the Dutch and Gives us some hope for the future of waste-
bought a bike and ride it everyday to the other European countries export their old to-energy or waste-to-gas projects in India.
class! used cars to the developing countries at Some of the students having digital
The Dutch country-side is dotted with throw-away prices. It is their way of getting cameras have taken lots of photographs of
wind-mills these days. They are going in for rid of their waste cheaply. Of course, the these views (digi-cameras are common
the wind energy in a big way though not as amount of things their societies consume, here), while the less techno-savvy like me,
big as some other European countries. And and hence waste, is enormous. with only conventional cameras, restrict our
the Dutch keep so many pigs and cattle These days we are studying sustainable photography to the ‘essentials’ (pretty views
(many more pigs and cows than persons!) development. I think this term is inherently of scenery and not of piles of rubbish)!
that there is a surplus of their waste which contradictory: development at the pace I’ll try to keep in touch. My greetings
contaminates their water. They also grow every country … even a developed country to all our colleagues. I look forward to hear-
vegetables in green-houses, and naturally … wants cannot be sustainable for long. I ing more from you.
consume a lot of energy and gas to keep want to read some literature on ‘Limits to
them artificially warm. Growth’, or whether growth (in the tradi- [As our readers will recall, Vandana
Except in Amsterdam, the shops all tional sense) is really desirable or even Krishna (1985) is doing her MBA in the
over here close by 6 p.m. Everything is needed any more in developed countries. University of Twente. She can be reached
closed on Sundays. God forbid if a person Can’t they aim at zero per cent growth? on [email protected] ].
A drop of ink may make a million think. (Byron)
 0DQDVDURYDUFDOOLQJ
6 ADVENTURE AT AN ALTITUDE HARMONY, DECEMBER 2003
hotel conference room for a briefing. At times, we had waterfalls gushing
Each of us was given a red carry-bag over our cruiser as we slowly drove un-
By VARSHA SHAH
The seed of my trip to one and a warm jacket. We were told that der it …. natural car wash! We would
of the most enchanting parts we could carry only as much as would stop for lunch near picturesque clear
on the earth was sown about fit into it. (So much for all the woolies lakes, right in the middle of the Tibetan
6 years ago when I saw a and shopping we had done!) Plateau, see flocks of yaks, sheep or
picture of Mana-sarovar The next day, we gathered in the lambs wandering along with one soli-
flanked by Mt Kailash in a glossy lobby of the hotel at 4.30 a.m. We got tary shepherd. With the height that we
magazine. It looked so beautiful, blue into different vans and set off for the were at, the clouds were so low that I
(is that really how water looked mil- Nepal-China border. Thus began our felt we were going to drive through
lions of years ago?) and serene that I trip to Manas. them or, if I could jump high enough, I
was immediately attracted to it. I was soon seized with fear. I was would be able to touch them. There
Unfortunately, Mana-sarovar is going into the unknown and had no would suddenly appear a couple of
not a place one can visit easily. It is in a idea of what to expect. I was tempted to tents, which were considered a village.
remote corner of the Tibetan Plateau. tell our guide that I wanted to get off Sometimes we would drive through a
One can go there by land cruiser from and go home! Fortunately, my moments shallow stream and be told that we had
Nepal or by walking through a large of weakness passed and our convoy passed from one village to another! The
part of the Himalayan range from India. moved on … water was always so clear that we could
Secondly, one has to go in a group or a After driving along the bumpy dirt see the bed of the river.
large convoy with very experienced tracks cut into the mountainside and We saw many colourful prayer
drivers and a truck carrying all essential changing several buses (thanks to minor flags tied to stones. They provided a
supplies. landslides, which are very interesting to contrast to the otherwise barren land-
So, my desire to see Manas was look at but fatal if you are in one!!!) scape. Several times, we would have a
curbed for the next couple of years. But and walking through ice-cold water- puncture or mechanical failure. One of
when last year, a dear friend of mine falls, we made it to Kodari. That is our group-members was a Yoga in-
suddenly announced that she was going where one crosses over from Nepal into structor. So we would get out of the
there and would like me to accompany the China occupied Tibet. There is a jeeps and do some yogic stretches in
her, I did not need a second invitation. bridge known as Friendship Bridge. that vast landscape, while our very effi-
We were to be part of a large group of We bought sukha bhel from a roadside cient drivers and Sherpas fixed the
about 35 people. Her friend’s niece had vendor while waiting for our visas to problem. Some of the Sherpas had been
organized the whole trip. She had been come through. Something to munch be- to Mt Everest. Sometimes we would
to Manas 11 times already and desired fore again starting off! have the locals come up to us and beg.
to do the outer parikrama (circling) an- We were very lucky to make it to We had carried pretty baubles, choco-
other 10 times! (Legend goes that if you our first stop, Nyalam, by dinnertime. lates, biscuits and plastic articles to dis-
do it 21 times, you can then do the in- We had dinner and crashed out. tribute, and the way the locals grabbed
ner parikrama. Until then, no matter For the next four days the same them, showed their level of deprivation
what you do, you will be prevented pattern continued. We would wake up and poverty. All the Tibetans I saw
from undertaking it. So far, only Sad- by 4 a.m., wash our faces with ice-cold were dressed in filthy clothes (I was
hus and Buddhist monks have done it). water provided to us in a bucket with a told that they have a bath only three
After months of preparation and mug, have whatever was given to us for times in their lives: when they are born,
frenzied e-mails between Nepal and breakfast and set off on our journey to when they get married and when they
Mumbai, we set off in the last week of Manas. There was no question of hav- die), matted hair and hard sun chapped
July 2003. The road to Manas is open ing a bath (I think I changed my clothes faces. Many of them get skin cancer
only between July and October. But only three times during the whole trip!) and cataracts due to the extremely harsh
even then, the weather is so unpredict- There were no toilets, and in certain sun.
able that one may be prevented, by the rest houses (if you can call them so), it As the days passed we were climb-
sheer forces of nature, from arriving at was more hygienic to use open spaces ing higher. Kathmandu is at about
the lake, or seeing Mt Kailash in all its than face those toilets. (If the organizers 4,000 ft above sea level and by the time
glory. (The group before us could not provide good clean portable toilets, the we reached Saga, we were at an altitude
undertake the parikrama because of bad trip would be a lot more pleasant). of about 15,000 ft. Most of the yatris
weather). What really made our trip memo- suffered from vomiting and altitude
We flew to Nepal a few days ear- rable was the breathtakingly beautiful sickness. Many did not even realize
lier in order to get acclimatized to scenery. We drove through a lot of nar- when we crossed the river Brahmapu-
higher altitudes. We spent three days row-winding roads with about one inch tra. (At this point, it is referred to as
sightseeing Kathmandu and its sur- between the edge of our jeep and the Tsang Po and is not a very impressive
rounding hill stations. On the night be- edge of the road, with a sheer drop end- river, but it is freezing cold as I found
fore our departure, we gathered in the ing in spectacular white foaming rapids. out to ………….Continued on page 7.

Life is an exciting business, and most exciting when it is lived for others. (Helen Keller)
 7RD%DEX ,QDOLJKWHUYHLQ
HARMONY, DECEMBER 2003 POTPOURRI 7
While the Manasarovar water ranges
from a bright turquoise blue to aquama-
By TANUJA MULLICK Once upon a time, there were
There was a bureaucrat rine green, the Rakshas Tal is silver
two men: one greedy and the grey. One does not stop here or collect
Oh, so strong and other pious. Both died in the
committed to his profession water from the lake as it is said to be
same bus accident. The very unlucky.
work was his devotion, greedy man had just cheated
he hadn’t any notion The following day we did a havan
a man of some money and the sitting in a large tent. I was lucky to be
of frolic and frivolous emotion. pious man had just spent two weeks in
his days were filled with files facing Mt Kailash. We were given one
a religious seminar. The greedy man bucket of water each to have a bath be-
in constant motion was allowed into heaven but the pious
whilst his career graph fore the puja. I had a bath and even
man was left sitting at the gates. Very changed my clothes after 7 days!!!
showed growth and self-motivation. upset, he complained to God, “Why am What a relief!!!!
I, a good and virtuous man left out of From here we started our parik-
Satya meva jayate, was his dharma heaven, whereas the sinner is wel-
service to mankind, he thought was his rama of Mt Kailash. At several points,
comed? God replied, ‘Don’t you know, I wondered how I was going to com-
karma God helps those who help themselves?’
till acidity struck him due to excess of plete the walk. One goes through pock-
[Shagun Shah, son of Varsha Shah, is 13
cha garma-garma. years old, studies at Cathedral School. His
ets where there is practically no oxy-
Absorbing Kautilya’s Arthashasthra passions include reading, writing and play- gen, or one is descending vertical cliffs,
and donning khadi vastra, ing the guitar. A keen sportsman, he has or at one point when we reached 19,500
spouting Weber, Baber, Plato and represented both in his House and School in ft at Dolma La Pass. Human endurance

5LGGOHVE\6KDJXQ
Chaucer many games]. is tested but you have to move on or get
to be down with an ulcer left behind to die!!! It had its fun mo-
seemed a cruel irony of fate. ments as when we tried to sit on our
1. Who is the father of fruits?
yaks, which we had hired from Darchen
He gazed in horror 
2. Where do fruits play football?

0DQDVDURYDUFDOOLQJ
(For answers see page 8). for the walk. We kept slipping off or
the yaks would suddenly follow their
echoing public hate 
at the morning headlines
own path. There is nothing except bar-
Continued from page 6 ren mountains. But when you see Mt
over a scandalous scam
my agony when I stepped into the water Kailash, all the fatigue disappears. It
implicating him who had not that 
that transcended border and state,
by mistake!!!) Again, we were very seems to be within a touching distance,
lucky to have crossed on time both but is actually quite far away. You feel
particular trait,
ways. Sometimes, the river floods over such a tremendous sense of achieve-
He prided himself on being
and one has to make a two-day detour ment at having completed one of the
principled and straight.
each way!! And believe me, every day most difficult religious pilgrimages in
in that trip counts!! the world. The actual parikrama of Mt
it takes just a rumour 
Like whispers in a corridor, We were forced to spend an extra Kailash takes two days and a half.
to wipe out integrity and 
day at Parayang because two of our In retrospect, I think we take eve-
group fell sick. We spent the day wan- rything in our lives for granted. We
a sense of humour. dering around the village. One of the take even our environment for granted.
A departmental enquiry, young village women invited us inside But after breathing the pure air and liv-
the machinations of the judiciary,
her tent. Inside, it was very warm and I ing in truly unpolluted surroundings for
rivalry, jealousy and many an adversary saw some beautiful traditional Tibetan those three weeks, I thank god for giv-
rejoicing in his misery. furniture. She was carrying her baby in ing me the chance to experience some-
a woven basket strapped to her back. thing rare and profound. Journey to the
In loathing, his self-pity never stopped We finally arrived at Manasarovar. Mana-sarovar is truly an experience of
as out of the rat race he dropped The group before us had not been given the lifetime and one must have it.
forgetting that in the Civil services a darshan of Mt Kailash due to thick [Varsha Shah, daughter of Malati Tambay-
Examination clouds. We were lucky to get a spec- Vaidya (1955), is a trained jewellery de-
this babu once topped. tacular view of the abode of Lord Shiva signer. Creating exclusive pieces of jewel-
For the rest of his days as we neared the lake. We all had tears ley with precious and semi-precious stones
he ranted and raved in bitter sadness in our eyes and a prayer in our hearts as set in gold and silver is her forte. An excel-
but people merely scorned his raging lent badminton player like her mother, she
we stopped on the banks. On one side
madness. has represented Maharashtra for over 10
of the lake was Mt Kailash covered years in both the junior and senior nationals.
[Tanuja Mullick, wife of Sumit Mullick
with snow. Every mountain around it With many State titles to her credit, she
(1982), Secretary to Governor of Maharash-
tra, is already known to our readers as a was completely barren and brown. I conducts coaching classes for both adults
master story-teller and sensitive poet. She don’t think I will ever forget that sight. and children keen on mastering the game.
can be contacted on 022-23683116; We then did a parikrama of the She can be contacted on 022-22880939;
[email protected]]. lake, where we drove past Rakshas Tal. [email protected]].
Favours are frightening when they come from evildoers. (Aesop)
 2KWREHLQ1DJSXU
8 MUJHE BHI KUCCH KEHNA HAI! HARMONY, DECEMBER 2003

By BN ZAMRE
(Having read with great interest the ar- and Principal, included), along with remote for him to get water to drink,
ticle ‘Oh, Mumbai! by Ms Bilkiss their deputies and desks to the liveried food grains and kerosene on the ration
Gaikwad in the Harmony issue of No- bhaldars and chopdars. Countless card and uninterrupted electricity for
vember 2003, I could not sit smug. If hangers-on make special appearances his children to read and write. That is
winter comes, can spring be far be- on the stage, off and on. All the roads, something positive for him, although
hind? If Mumbai comes in Harmony it seems, lead to the Council Hall. for a short span. He wants that a winter
can Nagpur lag behind? So here it Streets are thronged by all types of session should be longer, much longer.
goes!) characters: hawse, gawse, and nawse, For the present, let us not think of
as they are aptly described in Marathi. other times and climes. To be here at
Oh, to be in Nagpur, now that winter Morchas, demonstrations and deputa- this juncture of winter is in itself very
(to be precise, winter session) is here! tions very often try to capture the stage thrilling and enthralling. The session
Ye worthy citizens of Nagpur and more and keep the main actors on tenter- generates a lot of heat and light. It
worthy visitors and spectators, it’s the hooks. In this hullabaloo, where is the wards off all chill and sloth. During
real warmth for you in winter. Come common man? He is a spectator to the these days are unfolded the high-
and witness the grand gala show being fingertips. He knows by his robust pitched dramatic scenes: celebrities and
staged in the beloved Nagpur, with state commonsense how to keep his cool. dignitaries in their ceremonial robes,
honours, for (hopefully!) two weeks. Standing on the sidelines, he gapes in a bhaldars and chopdars in their liveries,
It is the winter session of the State wide-eyed wonder and enjoys the fun, ding-dong quarrels and fights in the As-
legislature which befalls every year as a knowing perhaps that all the world is a sembly Hall, full-throated slogans and
nine days’ wonder. This annual episode stage and they also serve who stand and catchwords in various processions,
of a short duration session at Nagpur is wait. flurry of convoys and commandos, a
a contractual legislative exercise, This annual ritual is viewed from man in the street basking in the sun-
thanks to the famous Nagpur pact. We various angles. For the cynics and die- shine and watching puckishly all this
have a rendezvous with the prestigious hard critics, this exercise is a sentimen- fanfare. Captivating heroics! Zealous
legislature, and to suit our convenience tal extravaganza. According to them, efforts to make a ‘capital’ out of this
and fortune, it is here. We Nagpurians Vidarbha in general and Nagpur in par- second capital of the State!
are gleefully happy when we get things ticular have nothing to gain from it. Specially beautified and bedecked
at our doorsteps and on a platter. So, People’s representatives have mixed for the purpose, the city bears the grace
most welcome. feelings and reactions, although most of and glamour of a queen. The atmos-
Nagpur is the so-called second them are in its favour. For the old vet- phere is surcharged with romance and
capital of Maharashtra. What is all this erans who fondly remember the good high expectations. This is virtually an
fun and puzzle about being a second old days in the then C.P. and Berar and advent of ‘spring’ in the winter. Who
capital? Or ‘Ye kya lafda hai?’ you may subsequently in the erstwhile Madhya would not like and love to be in Nagpur
ask in Mumbai language. On this count Pradesh (when Nagpur was the prestig- during these days?
you remind me of the oft-repeated ious capital), such ephemeral session is
popular story in which there was a king only a crumb of consolation. On such a [Mr BN Zamre (1975) is a renowned bu-
who had two wives, the first is beloved sensitive issue the bureaucracy is face- reaucrat. He retired as Nagpur Municipal
and the second is detested. Does that less but its response can be inferred Commissioner. In all his postings, including
those as Collector Yawatmal and Additional
story have a moral for Nagpur? I hope from the fact that nerve-racked officers Tribal Commissioner he had made name as
not, for the insinuation would be mali- and employees working in Vidarbha, a competent administrator. He can be con-
cious. But whatever the cynics may say, especially those stationed at Nagpur, tacted on 0172-2749292].
it is indisputable that this orange city is heave repeated sighs of relief as soon as
the heart of our motherland. So brace the session is over. The greatest man or woman is 99
up and behold the drama which will What about the common man in
per cent just like yourself. But it
condescendingly unfold before us, for Nagpur? Oh, he enjoys it thoroughly.
two weeks or so, and that too, gratis. With great expectations writ large on is that remaining one per cent
The drama during this hectic and his face, he awaits the advent of the which makes all the difference.
exciting period is highly captivating. session very eagerly. The experience George Bernard Shaw

$QVZHUVWRWKH5LGGOHV
And what about the dramatis personae? has taught him that during this interlude
It is simply stupendous and utterly of a few weeks there are seemingly
mind-boggling. Right from H.E. the conscious attempts to treat him as a 1. PAPAya.
Governor, Hon’ble C.M., Deputy C.M., human being. He gains some identity 2. On a watermeLAWN.
Ministers, MLAs, MLCs, the Chief and glimpses of recognition. It is during
Secretary, his Secretaries (Additional this period that chances are not very
Published at Mumbai for the IAS Officers’ Association, Maharashtra Branch by the Editor: Rameshchandra Kanade
Email id: [email protected] [email protected] Phones: 022- 22703785; 22834329

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