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Towards Genuine Progress Viewed in a broad spectrum, progress in Capitalist parlance is construed as a good thing, manifest destiny, civilizing the uncivilized, elevating the poor inhabitants, taming nature, not being at its mercy, and having more time for leisure and the opportunity to be wealthy and comfortable. According to a study conducted by economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers of University of Pennsylvania, there is a need to examine thus far unexamined assumptions because despite our push toward that sort of economic and social “progress”, most Americans are no happier today than they were in the 1970s. Despite some ‘Progress Milestones, in science, technology, transport, medicine, economy, telecommunications and other realms, the endless scramble for progress has brought forth environmentally destructive practices whereby more consumption means more pollution, more rainforests cut down to accommodate agriculture, more trees cut to manufacture paper for magazines ...

World Leprosy Day By Dr Arvind Kumar The 30th January - the anniversary of Gandhi assassination, also known as Martyrs’ Day, is also observed as World Leprosy Day in India. Gandhi wanted to eradicate leprosy and he nursed leprosy ulcers in the days when leprosy infected people were treated by the highly caste conscious society as untouchables. Leprosy is an age old disease that still exists. The objective of observing this day is to raise awareness of one of the most stigmatizing diseases known to humanity. World Leprosy Day was initiated by Raoul Follereau in 1954 and is celebrated yearly. The reason for observing World Leprosy Day is to make sure that people everywhere know that the disease still exists, there is a simple and effective cure and we can do something about it. Observance of this day aims to educate people on all aspects of leprosy, including disease control and elimination, rehabilitation and social problems experienced by leprosy affected persons. Proper care an...

30th January Martyrs’ Day By Dr Arvind Kumar 30th January is observed each year as Martyrs’ day to pay homage to the martyrs who suffered and died for the freedom, welfare, and progress of the country. It was on 30 January 1948 that Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated a little before the sunset when he was going to attend his evening prayers and since then every year the Nation pays homage to the Mahatma and other martyrs on this day. On this day, the important political leaders and dignitaries gather at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and lay wreaths on the Samadhi decorated with multi-colour flowers. The armed forces personnel blow the bugles sounding the Last Post. A two-minute silence in memory of the Father of the Nation and other martyrs is observed throughout the country at 11 a.m. At Rajghat, in front of the Samadhi of Gandhiji, all-religion prayers are held and bhajans dear to him sung. This day reminds us the sacrifices made by the martyrs at the altar of freedom t...

Avoid Excess use of Antibiotics By Dr Arvind Kumar Recent medical research shows that wrongful or excess use of antibiotics has an adverse effect-causing the kinds of bacteria that these drugs can no longer destroy. The World Health Organization has cited antibiotic resistance as one of the three most serious public health threats of the 21st century. According to US-based the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), just in American hospitals, where between 5 and 10 percent of all patients develop an infection, about 90,000 of these patients die each year as a result of their infection. This toll is up from 13,300 patient deaths in 1992. Some percentage of these people has problems because of antibiotic resistance. Despite serous warnings, the fatality toll and the economic costs keep growing. According to Dr. Sidney Wolfe, the drug companies keep pushing drugs while investing too little in truly new antibiotics that can overtake resistant bacteria. Too many doctors sti...

Dastardly Act By Dr. Arvind Kumar The dastardly act of burning to death of Additional District Collector Yashwant Sonawane by a gang of kerosene and petrol pilferers at Panewadi, near Manmad in Nashik district of Maharashtra, needs to be condemned in strongest terms. This shows deteriorating law and order situation in the country. This grisly incident proves the growing clout of the oil mafia which can even kill for carrying on its lucrative business. At the same time it demonstrates administration’s inability in dealing with growing clout of mafia groups which are thriving in different parts of the country. If this can happen to a senior bureaucrat, what protection does a common man have against the all-powerful gangsters? The state employees of Maharashtra have done right to protest against this incident and demand security. Criminals and gangsters are having a field day owing to the blessings of political patrons. The criminal-politician nexus is deepening its roots and governme...

Quest for Real Wealth By Dr Arvind Kumar David Korten, a noted author, tells us about two kinds of waelth - real living wealth and phantom financial wealth. Real wealth entails intrinsic value which includes fertile land, healthful food, knowledge, productive labor, pure water and clean air, labor, and physical infrastructure. The most important forms of real wealth are beyond price and are unavailable for market purchase. These include healthy, happy children, loving families, caring communities, a beautiful, healthy, natural environment. Korten further avers that real wealth also includes all the many things of intrinsic artistic, spiritual, or utilitarian value essential to maintaining the various forms of living wealth. These may or may not have a market price. The phantom wealth or money is devoid of intrinsic value. The market generates money in astonishing quantities through accounting tricks, financial bubbles, and debt pyramids. It appears from nowhere and can disappear in...

Global Summit on Poverty By Dr Arvind Kumar Global Poverty Summit has just concluded its meeting at Johannesburg in South Africa. The discussions at the summit were marked by skepticism on whether the Doha Development Round of negotiations at the World Trade Organization could help decrease the number of poor people in developing countries. The Doha talks, which began in 2001, are designed to reduce obstacles to market access throughout the world, with the development of poor countries at the heart of their agenda. They look at three main sectors - agriculture, intellectual property and services. Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel prize-winning economist, in his address to the summit, said that improving income levels did not automatically imply better lives for the poor in any country, as other factors such as the implementation of policies that benefit the poor within countries matter a lot more. While citing the USA as an example of where gross domestic product had grown substantially bu...