Relay Hunger Strike

I had decided early on that I would not post anything concerned with the University. But I have brooding on this issue for a long time. So here it goes:

The students are on strike because the administration rusticated 11 students.

It all started simply enough. The construction workers were paid much below their minimum wage. The University is responsible to see that the construction workers are paid their dues and that they have proper accommodation. However, no one ever follows the law. The University will pass the buck to the contractor and the contractor will point out that it is the University's responsibility.

In February tension ran high. The staff was also on strike as they had some demands. The workers from the electricity (or was it engineering?) department had been on strike for quite a long time. The students joined in.

And things got out of hand. The students gheraoed the registrar's car and refused to let him come out. For seven hours they held him prisoner.

Retribution was swift. The students apologized but it was too late. Late because the students had restored to closing all the gates of the University for several hours at least three times in the past year. There were other instances too. Taken all together, the administration proceeded with its inquiry into the matter.

The students predictably are demanding that there should be no punishment for their acts and that the administration is against their demands for the construction workers. There might or might not be truth in that matter. But what the students forget is that gheraoing a person and keeping him/her confined in a car is human rights violation. What if the person had suffered a panic attack? Or was diabetic? Who would have taken the responsibility?

Which really brings me to biggest grouse I have. Everyone demands their rights. But no one ever talks about their duties or responsibilities. Don't all these go hand in hand?

Paronychia

Nail infection around the base of the nail fold. That is what happened to me on Sunday. It started suddenly around Sunday afternoon. I ignored it for few hours believing that by ignoring it will go off. But the pain persisted and by the evening pus had begun to form. This morning the pain was intolerable so I went to the Health Center on the campus. The doctor wrote the prescription. Antibiotics and painkiller for two days. And:
"The pus will dry off. If it does not you will have to get it drained. I will refer you to Safdarjung hospital or AIIMS OPD."
"Should I wait for two days?"
"The pus will dry off. If it does not you will have to get it drained."
"When should I go to the hospital?"
"The pus will dry off. If it does not you will have to get it drained."
I gave up. The health center will not sell medicines to the faculty. So I waited for the chemist to open the shop.
The antibiotic and the painkiller had no effect. By afternoon it was a throbbing pulsating pain as the pus accumulated and pushed against the nail fold. The pain was so unbearable that I thought I would simply faint.
So I went to my doctor who is an ENT specialist and who has a clinic in Munirka. He incised and took out the pus.
Why does the Health Center have to refer even a simple matter like this to SJ or AIIMS? Surely we can provide a better health service to the community living on campus?

Rivers on the way

The Delhi-Madras trip that Amma insisted on making every year while I was growing up was made bearable by the train journey. There were the Chambal ravines to be crossed, then the Vindhyas, the tunnels, at the Nagpur station would by my athai and athaimber with lunch, and then down into the south. But the most thrilling part was crossing the rivers. Chambal, Betwa, Narmada, Godavari, and Krishna.

Even today when I take the train, I wait for the rivers to appear. But the rivers are no longer the same! In fact after my recent trips I have decided not to look at the rivers in the city.

Yamuna, at Delhi, is just a sewage canal.

I waited eagerly for Teesta near Siliguri. But both the Teesta and Mahananda were a big disappointment. I had to wait till we entered the mountains to see the beauty of Teesta. And then followed it all the way to Sikkim, pausing on the way to see the merger of Rangeet with Teesta. The photos are yet to be scanned.

From Kalimpong, I came down to Chennai for a two week holiday. The parents, Ganesa Mama, Meena Mami, and I went to Munnar for three days. The photos can be accessed here.
On the way back we stopped at Madurai because I do not remember being there. Vaigai was a huge let down.There was no water and there were the usual slums lining the river bank. It reminded me of Krishna just outside Vijaywada.

Godavari was just a dried bed. And since we crossed Chambal and Betul in the night, I could not make out how the rivers were.

But I got a reprieve. Just outside Budni flowed Narmada. Majestic.