Mani Skaria, Ph.D.
The Problem is not the mayor, the corporation, the railway, the minister, or the chief minister.
The underlying Problem is all above, and it is hidden. I did my research from an unbiased platform, asking some simple but fundamental questions about why and how a poor man got drowned in human solid waste in the heart of the Capital city of the most literate state in an emerging India.
When all the information is readily available, but Malayalees overlook the core issue and instead focus on superficial matters, it can be described as a “missing the forest for the trees.” This phrase highlights the tendency for individuals to prioritize minor or irrelevant details over the larger, more important issue at hand.
Four specific examples I noticed from listening to the media are:
(i) The mayor is no good, people criticize her youth and inexperience, and the mayor goes defensive blaming the Indian Railway
(ii) The minister in charge is no good and wants to be on the defensive.
(iii) The Indian railway is the de facto owner of the “shit.” Therefore, you clean it, the mayor says.
Unpacking of Issues. No day passes without significant allegations about the government at the local and state levels – multiple allegations against the government leadership from head to toe and horizontally, left to right. The topics cover monthly remittance, rude behavior, bribery to Venality, revenge, and murder. A Lack of Law, Order, and Authority is Apparent.
In graduate school in the 1970s, I thought certain bribery among bureaucrats was justified—a father needing dowry payment for a daughter; even the well-known kickback for services of favors, and the regular “grease payment” to expedite service. But today, the bribe has graduated to VENALITY—the quality of being open to bribery or overly motivated by money.
The betrayal of one’s principles or integrity for personal gain or advantage, typically involving bribery and corruption.
Malayalees have “traveled a long way” in a figurative context. We picked a lot of DECLINE and DETERIORATION on the way. Political leadership strayed from values and responsibilities; as a result, common people have endured so much that they’re mentally or emotionally drained from pointless struggle. Irreversible changes are happening in Kerala. There is total Disillusionment, suggesting that after a long journey or process, the outcome is disappointing or unexpected. People have become alienated from the leadership in Thiruvananthapuram. The bribery has elevated to VENALITY.
A comprehensive analysis of the situation in Kerala, mainly focusing on the incident of a man drowning in human waste in the capital city. Here’s a summary of the key points you’ve made:
- The problem involves various stakeholders (mayor, corporation, railway, minister, chief minister) and deeper underlying issues.
•Malayalees tend to focus on superficial matters rather than addressing the core issues, exemplified by the phrase “missing the forest for the trees.”
- Specific examples of how different parties deflect blame or focus on minor details:
• Criticism of the mayor’s youth and inexperience
• Minister’s defensive stance
• Debate over responsibility for waste management between local government and Indian Railways
Allegations: There is a broader context of allegations against the government at various levels, indicating a lack of law, order, and authority.
Regrettably, there is a progression from occasional bribery to widespread VENALITY in the government leadership.
Kerala has experienced significant decline and deterioration in values and political leadership straying from values and responsibilities.
People in Kerala are experiencing disillusionment and alienation from leadership due to many ongoing issues.
Decentralization of Waste Management.
- Kerala government introduced a decentralization effort – a step in the right direction. Brahmapuram in Kochi and Vilappilsala in Thiruvananthapuram are two failed examples of centralized waste management system – a great move.
Decentralization is known to increase efficiency, better allocate resources, allow for quicker adaptation, improve accountability, foster innovation and creativity, empower local communities, and give them a greater sense of ownership and control over their own affairs; finally, it reduces bureaucracy, streamlines processes, and reduces bureaucratic red tape, leading to a more efficient and responsive organization.
Is the Government of Kerala Function Decentralized?
A decentralized government distributes power away from a central authority to regional or local governments. It brings increased efficiency, reduces bureaucracy and streamlines decision-making processes, better representation, closer connection between citizens and their representatives, policies can be tailored to local preferences and conditions, brings enhanced accountability, makes it easier for citizens to monitor and influence local government actions, increased transparency in decision-making processes, improved resource allocation, encourages innovation, reduced risk of authoritarianism, when power is distributed, making it harder for a single person to dominate, checks and balances between different levels of government.
I looked at the number of portfolios governed directly by four chief ministers in South India – Andhra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. The chief minister of Kerala controls three times more portfolios compared to any of his counterparts in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra. This is not desirable. We have seen a Kerala Chief minister under constant fire on many allegations. He simply has no time to pay attention to his portfolios.
There must be a legislative mandate on the number of portfolios.
Do not eat more food than you can realistically consume!
Cash flow:
Cash flow in business refers to the movement of money in and out of a company. It is the measure of how much cash is generated and spent by a business during a specific period of time. Positive cash flow indicates that a company’s liquid assets are increasing, while negative cash flow means that funds are decreasing. It is important for businesses to maintain a healthy cash flow in order to meet their financial obligations, invest in growth opportunities, and weather any financial challenges that may arise.
The people of Kerala should at any moment not doubt its government that a negative cash flow in the state has nothing to do with the VENALITY in the state.
Mark Antony said Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion.
Action Item: A legislative mandate on the number of portfolios under each minister.
Mani Skaria, Ph.D.
McAllen, Texas.
Mani.skaria@uscitrus.com
