Tag Governance
Responsibility for the Balasore Tragedy
This is a part of the series on the Balasore triple-train tragedy. In the previous parts, we looked at the different technical aspects of the Indian Railways, the audit observations from the CAG report, which pointed out the areas that need significant improvements, and looked at the politics of the matter. Handling of the case Inconsistencies A possible precedent The way forward If you did not read the the previous parts, I suggest you do:
The Politics of the Balasore Tragedy
This is a part of the series on the Balasore triple-train tragedy. In the previous parts, we looked at the different technical aspects of the Indian Railways, as well as the audit observations from the CAG report, that are relevant to the context. If you did not read the the previous parts, I suggest you do: Do you know Indian trains Operational Lapses in Indian Railways Here is what we will talk about in this part:
Operational Lapses in Indian Railways
This is a part of the series on the Balasore triple-train tragedy. In the previous part, we looked at the different technical aspects of the Indian Railways, that are relevant to the context. The part explains each of the terms you may come across when reading any story regarding the Balasore train tragedy. If you did not read the the previous part, I suggest you do: Do you know Indian trains In this part … well, everyone is talking of the CAG audit report; why not us?
Do you know Indian Trains
I have, like millions of Indians out there, been travelling long distances by the Indian Railways since infancy—since I was about six months old. And over these past three decades, I have read about tens of crashes including derailments. Even seen that odd wreckage during my train journeys. What happened on the 2nd of June was terrible, and I cannot possibly express what I feel about it, in words. I turned to TV news for updates, thinking for once they could be useful.
How Should Politics Work
Often, we find ourselves criticising one or the other government institution or organisation. In a country with such a population as ours, we have millions complaining every day. But after complaining and screaming and getting frustrated about the futility of talking about it all, we place the issue on the backburner for a couple of days, and unless we receive fresh stimulus, the issue fades away in the coming weeks.
The Problem With Government Jobs
Happy 2022! May this year keep us all in a much better shape than the last two; in better health—physical, emotional and financial—better relationships, better work–life balance, better everything. (Holding your breath for the Budget, anybody?) Of course, not all is rosy in the country at the moment. We are looking at elections in three states, with politicians going around being all nice, making promises, and trying hard to apply chalk to the blemishes on their images, and of course, defecting.
Religious Law as the New Way of Life
The past weeks have been eventful in the international space. The state of Afghanistan—our neighbour (we share a small bit of our international border with Afghanistan at the north end of Kashmir)—worries us Indians. The Taliban does sound like a formidable force, and we constantly wait for our government to put out statements that say, ‘We are doing fine.’ And then we hope that the government is being truthful. Taliban members in an area controlled by the group last year in Laghman, Afghanistan.
Is COVID-19 Winning
Today is Sunday, and time for me to share what I have learnt about the disease. Disclaimer: I am an engineer, not a medical professional. What I am sharing here is for informational purposes, not health or medical advice. If you have specific queries, please talk to your (or a) doctor. And do not trust WhatsApp University. A moment for my uncle On “alternative” treatments On shortages Need of the hour Treat the ill Stop the spread Vaccinate On testing and lockdowns On medicines that work On mutations On relaxation of intellectual property restrictions Investment on health What more do we need The second wave (and the waves) In summary A moment for my uncle The virus hit too close to home.
Farmer Protests
I have been following the farmer protest for weeks now, but did not pen down anything because I am not one to form opinions on such complex issues without first understanding the different facets of them—I am not that loudest Bollywood actor after all. I have a day job, and my weekends are busy with chores, virtual socialising (which includes reading WhatsApp messages), hobby coding, and experiments in the kitchen. I take my time to understand issues and form lasting opinions about them.
Transparency on ventilator
I am wary of all politicians, no matter what party they belong to, what ideology they promote, or any other quality of a political party you can think of. Even if my dear grandmother were a politician, I would be wary of her; more so if she held power. Let us keep politics aside, because politics is politics—a game of whataboutery and other fallacies. Let us talk human life for once.