Make the Change or Be the Change

To,

My dear fellow citizens of India.

I am one of the voices of Indian Youth. Today, I would like to take this opportunity to share my view and feelings with you all. Our beloved motherland – India has always been at heart of all of us. We have made a remarkable growth at Global platform. Our economy, science & technology, literature, culture & traditions, heritage and thoughts are setting very good examples to the world. This is only because of the appreciable dedication and contribution of Indians. Ours is the one of the top most largest economies in the world, our film industry is getting accepted by the world, our banking and finance sectors are considered amongst the top most categories in the world, our industry is providing valuable support in development of our country, we have reached to the moon and now aiming for human space flights, our scientists are welcomed and appreciated by the world…etc. The list may last long! I feel really blessed to get birth in this country.

So far we are part of a developing nation and we all, contributing ourselves, directly or indirectly for our country’s development. This is what we are seeing one side of our development, which we like. But, on the other hand, we have still very serious issues like child labour, educational illiteracy, poverty, racism, corruption, environmental pollution, dirty politics…etc. All these issues are curable. What required is just attention. Yes, we do have violence in our nation! Our country requires the burning issues like these to be resolved at the earliest. Ours is one of the largest economies in the world, we have so many rich people in our country, BUT if we’ll look at other side, we will find that there are people who cannot afford to get enough food. Today, we can travel across the globe, at the same time, a small poor handicapped child might be struggling to cross the road. We go to hotels and restaurants, eat luxurious foods and most of them we waste just because we didn’t like the taste, at the same time, a family in a small village somewhere in India might be eating with a couple of dry Chapatis and Daal, which they have got after entire day’s relentless work. We destroy natural greenery just for sake of establishing our so called “eco-friendly” offices or residences. Our children are getting the best education from the leading institutes and universities across the world; where as, many of the poor children are not getting education and ruining their life starting with child labour. We organize charity shows and other programmes for communal harmony, but majority of us are not ready to accept people – out of our community, into our society!

My dear friends, I am not blaming you for any of these. I am one of you all only. You might be contributing in resolving any of issue(s) which is indeed highly appreciable. I have seen so many scholarship opportunities and funding support from various NGOs and trusts set up by many of us. Many of us might be providing support for green environment, child education, communal harmony…etc. I really value and appreciate. We all are doing our best – what so ever we can – for the development of our country and for the humanity. How if we just move steps ahead, join our hands and make the best of the bests! We need to come out of “I DID” or “YOU DID” mind frames and convert them into “WE DID”. The ancient adage “Vasudhaaiv Kautumbakam – The world is one but a family” is looking good on paper and sounds better in speeches, BUT it will look glorious when practically implemented. If we all join our hands and will work together, we’ll surely get rid of the obstacles which are coming in the way for development of our country and our society. Many of you will think that this young man has good idea but doesn’t have knowledge of the system; he doesn’t know anything and just speaking! I agree, but with due respect, I would like to ask the question to you. I appreciate you might have more experience and knowledge than me, then why you haven’t done something so far! My intention is not to hurt anybody’s sentiments and I highly respect you all from the bottom of my heart. I believe that it is more important to take initiative to do something.

My suggestions might be old , but they are for humanity and I am just trying to put them into action. So, let’s make a joint effort. Let’s plant a small tree or take care of a tree, let’s provide food and/or education to the people who cannot afford, let’s make a clean, green developed nation, if we do not want to do anything, no worries! Let’s make others aware and spare at least 5 minutes for country. Even if we don’t want to do this, still no problem. Let’s make ourselves the best to serve our country, this is how we can make a better society to live, a better society will make our country the best. I believe that we all will be happy to live in such a country with harmony, development, education, technology, peace, love and joy. If we cannot provide fuel, at least provide "igniting spark" to burn the fuel. Either make the change or be the change!

I know that we all are so busy in our routine, but we can spare at least something from our busy schedule which will contribute for our country. My humble and polite request you all to please spread the message and join our hands for the betterment of the life and for humanity.

Thank you all for your valuable time.

With respect and regards,

Rushi GHADAWALA

Space Technology and Disaster Management

For the monitoring & management of natural or man made disasters sequential information on the changes of nature and the environment is essential. Now a days space technology integrated with GIS has emerged as a most sophisticated information related technology & useful tool in the monitoring and management of environment and natural disaster and hence helps in taking proper measures for pre & post disaster management.

Severity of an event either natural or man-made that causes unbearable harm to the people and goes beyond their capacity to remedy the loss may be termed a disaster. Disasters are of a wide variety depending on the location of a country on the globe. Cyclones, floods, droughts, earth quakes, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, landslides, erosions etc are among the important natural disasters while there are human induced epidemics like environmental degradation, diseases, war etc.

During the past four decades, natural hazards such as dust storms, sever storms and tropical cyclones, droughts, floods, earthquakes, forest fires, and volcanic eruptions, oil spills have caused major loss of human lives and livelihoods, the destruction of economic and social infrastructure, as well as environmental damages. Economic losses have increased almost ten times. During this period. Losses from natural disasters will continue to increase if we do not shift towards proactive solutions. Disaster reduction is both an issue for consideration in sustainable development agenda and a cross cutting issue relating to social, economic, environmental and humanitarian sectors.

Early warning systems must be more than a technological instrument to detect, monitor and submit warning/alert. It should also include risk assessment and combine efforts by all sectors to plan ahead and build people’s capacity to respond rapidly at the local level and more specifically, to identify increasing vulnerabilities in their communities. It need to become part of a management information system for decision-masking in the context of national institutional frameworks for disaster management as part of national and local strategies and programs for disaster risk reduction.

Remote sensing owes much to the satellite technology due to its synoptic, repetitive and multi-spectral nature in observing the surface of the earth be it in connection with the resources or the disasters occurring any where on it. With the advent of satellites cloud movement and formation of cyclones can be monitored, floods can be mapped, agricultural crops can be estimated alongside assessment of damages. The resource survey satellites carry on board sensors that are capable of providing information on every natural feature that prevails on the surface of the earth. The Geographical Information System (GIS) and Earth Observation System (EOS) are another versatile tools added to the new technology which make the data acquired either through remote sensing satellites, aerial photographs or through physical surveys carried out for a purpose to be more useful to the decision makers and the planners. These technological provisions have made planning and development activities more handy towards achieving sustainable development and successful disaster management.

The present world is now a world of information superhighway. High-tech communication system brings everyone very close to each other. It revolutionizes the field of data & information transfer. Disaster management becomes a global issue and of great concern to every nation. So it is now time to launch campaign for greater and consolidated cooperation and collaboration among the countries in this earth.