At last when the rain god sent showers across Delhi, it had a story to tell. July 27 was late enough for the rains to come to this part of the country. The earth was already parched and the agricultural fields had gone hard and dry showing off cracks, revealing their real account of thirst. The heat and humidity had become unbearable. With no timely monsoon, people were left with no other alternative except pray for the dark clouds to come and open up. At last the rains came bringing with it a mixed bag effect on the lives of the people.
As the drops of rain began to fall there appeared smile on the faces of the people that was soon to vanish when the roads began to get waterlogged. The early and late evening traffic had to spend long hours on the roads due to heavy traffic jam. Traffic came to a halt on waterlogged stretches sending the signal of the callousness of the civic authorities of this city. The rain brought with it water logging, caving in of a road, traffic jam, vehicle breakdown and long hours spent on the road to reach home. The traffic signals stopped working causing chaos and in many areas water entered into the houses. It was a wet day at Delhi’s airport too. There was rain water flooding at the domestic arrival terminal causing inconvenience to passengers. Many flights were delayed and many ended up missing flights as they could not reach the airport on time.
The MCD’s tall claims that the city would not face water logging this year was simply like words from a fairy tale. With more rains life in this city could turn nightmarish and one may have to take the help of boats to move about.
All this leaves behind a question; “How come the MCD is not prepared to meet such challenges in the capital city of India?”
Food for thought: This is Delhi Meri Jaan.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
The Flip and Flop of Child Labour
It was surprising to read that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has framed guidelines for TV shows involving children after recently the Maharashtra government had sent notices to several production houses for the over-view of the conditions in which child artists work in their shows.
As regards the working of children in serials, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry does not find any fault with children working in serials as long as the parents have no problem and their studies are not hampered. The NCPCR has come up with a list of do’s and don’ts for those TV shows involving children: limited working hours, presence of a counsellor on the sets and little or no make up for the kids.
Here the question arises if a child from a poor family works even as a domestic help, this labour falls under the Child Labour Act. But if we are to compare the two different types of labour, one is not different from the other. In the case of the poor child, he/she works to earn money which can help the economic condition of the family with the consent of their parents. The child working in TV serials also works to earn money; otherwise the parents would have kept their children at home.
As regards the hazards, the children working in the serials work for long hours is missing out a child’s life of play and recreation and toiling hard under the strong heat of the lights and cameras that go on rolling once the shooting starts. The makeup is also harmful for the skin. They may be missing school and the school makes up for the loss of attendance for their student is popularising their institution.
How can the minister say their studies are not hampered? Working in daily soaps they hardly get time to study. And who knows where they will land up in future. As a child they are enjoying the stardom status, but future may not hold such sunny days for them.
Now it is time for the parents to think more about the hazards that are looming over their child and not sit back with a smile that their child has become popular at such a small age.
Here the question that can be raised, if a child from a poor family is earning for the needs of the family, the ministry should not interfere. Instead they should try and find out ways and means where these children can contribute financially to the family and at the same time get enough education for a steady and better future.
As regards the working of children in serials, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry does not find any fault with children working in serials as long as the parents have no problem and their studies are not hampered. The NCPCR has come up with a list of do’s and don’ts for those TV shows involving children: limited working hours, presence of a counsellor on the sets and little or no make up for the kids.
Here the question arises if a child from a poor family works even as a domestic help, this labour falls under the Child Labour Act. But if we are to compare the two different types of labour, one is not different from the other. In the case of the poor child, he/she works to earn money which can help the economic condition of the family with the consent of their parents. The child working in TV serials also works to earn money; otherwise the parents would have kept their children at home.
As regards the hazards, the children working in the serials work for long hours is missing out a child’s life of play and recreation and toiling hard under the strong heat of the lights and cameras that go on rolling once the shooting starts. The makeup is also harmful for the skin. They may be missing school and the school makes up for the loss of attendance for their student is popularising their institution.
How can the minister say their studies are not hampered? Working in daily soaps they hardly get time to study. And who knows where they will land up in future. As a child they are enjoying the stardom status, but future may not hold such sunny days for them.
Now it is time for the parents to think more about the hazards that are looming over their child and not sit back with a smile that their child has become popular at such a small age.
Here the question that can be raised, if a child from a poor family is earning for the needs of the family, the ministry should not interfere. Instead they should try and find out ways and means where these children can contribute financially to the family and at the same time get enough education for a steady and better future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)