“This isn’t good bye, it’s just see u later. God saw ur suffering n decided u should suffer no more.”

The woman with the cancer was dead. She was 45.

The news snapped the holiday cheer out of me. I realized that I, like so many, get so caught up in the torrent of dinners and parties and sales and gifts this time of year that I sometimes forget how truly ephemeral and precious life is, that life itself is the gift.

And I forget how truly blessed I have been by whatever gods there may be. It doesn’t mean that there haven’t been troubles and trials. There have. But I have had it in me to overcome. And for the mere fact of having enough and to all the people in my life who have informed my character and given me courage, I need to give a measure of thanks. So, here goes:

I’m thankful for the basic things, like food and shelter and warmth when it is cold and medicine when I am sick. I grew up staring poverty squarely in the face, but I fear that far too many have no familiarity — or even empathy — with what it means to be poor in this country, or in any country.

Poverty is a diabolical predicament that not only makes scarce one’s physical comforts, but drains away one’s spiritual strength. It damages hopes and dreams, and having deficits among those things is when the soul begins to die.

I am thankful for a loving mother who hasn’t always gotten things right, but who taught me how to grow in grace and learn from getting things wrong. She taught me what it means to live selflessly and without pride, and to find joy in giving joy.

I’m thankful for the folks at whose knees I spent my preschool days being imbued with wisdom long before I knew what wisdom was — gnarled hands moving gracefully through the air the way a fish’s fins move through water, gently touching my shoulder or grabbing my hands and steering me clear of danger.

I’m thankful for the teachers who saw me when I felt invisible, who reached through my sorrow and my sadness and, in that darkness, lit a fire in me. These are teachers who to this day encourage me like family more than faculty.

They are teachers like Mrs. Dawson, who calls me after every one of my television appearances, and says, “Hello baby, this is your grandma.” She continues with some version of: “We saw you. We were looking right at you. Everyone in town is proud of you. We love you.”

They are teachers like Mrs. Thomas — now down in health, but still up in spirit — whom I called last month. She remembered my first weeks in her fourth grade class after I’d changed schools: “You hardly let go of my skirt hem.” I didn’t recall that, and I asked her how she could. She responded without skipping a beat, “Charles, you never forget your babies.”

I’m thankful for these teachers who refuse to release me, who continue to inculcate me with love and encouragement, teachers whom I will spend the whole of my life attempting to honor.

I’m thankful for my three beautiful children who amaze me daily with their development into smart, honest, loving people, and who remain my reason for rising when I ache and pushing forward when I would otherwise stop.

I’m thankful for great friends and the love of family, the deepest bonds of earthly connection, who provide the greatest defense when the storms of life rage and the walls of the self are buffeted.

I’m thankful for the spirit and resilience and fortitude of this country’s unbreakable slaves of the not-too-distant past, whose blood courses through my veins, whose dreams I live, whose lives I honor.

I am thankful that my work is my passion, and that what I do for pay I would probably do for free.

And, I am thankful for all of you, the regular readers of my columns — and the new ones as well — who affirm me, and challenge me, and chastise me. In the end, you make my voice clearer and my resolve stronger.

Thank you all.

Source-http://www.nytimes.com

KOCHI,

On an average, a two-lane overbridge can be built for less than Rs.15 crore. But land acquisition and rehabilitation costs within the city may work out to around Rs.100 crore, which is around seven times the project’s cost.

The cost of land acquisition for a two-lane overbridge proposed at Atlantis works out to over Rs.100 crore. Similar is the case with Pachalam overbridge. Both the projects are hanging fire for over a decade, causing hardships to commuters. In the case of Thammanam-Pullepady Road, the cost of building a tarred road is just over Rs.20 crore, while expenditure for acquiring land at 18 metre width works out to over Rs.100 crore. The project cost for Goshree-Mamangalam Road is over Rs.23 crore, while widening the narrow stretch into four or two lane will cost more.

Chairman of the corporation’s town planning committee and former Mayor K.J. Sohan suggested narrowing down of four-lane bridges to two-lane wherever possible so that land acquisition is minimal. “Cost of land acquisition can further be brought down if bridges are built at 1:20 gradient – an elevation of a metre for every 20 metre distance,” he said.

The gradient as per JNNURM norms is 1:30, which would increase the bridge’s length. Though this specification ensures a less-steep bridge, the area of land to be acquired increases.

COST-EFFECTIVE

“Dilution of norms might result in denial of JNNURM funds. Even then, the financial liability on State government and the civic agency concerned would be much lesser for each project,” he said.

An Environment Ministry panel has denied permission to state governments to build new roads and widen existing ones in Wildlife Sanctuaries and other Protected Areas, where animals continue to die in road accidents.

The report of the panel, noting roads have “detrimental ecological effects on both terrestrial and aquatic natural ecosystems”, emphasised that roads and highways should bypass National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Instituted in June by the Jayanthi Natarajan-led Ministry of Environment & Forests to frame a comprehensive guideline for construction/ repair or roads passing through PAs and design the best practices for such roads for wildlife conservation, the sub-committee of the National Board of Wild Life (NBWL) has recommended guidelines like avoiding new roads in National Parks and core Tiger Habitats and maintaining and repairing existing roads without widening them.

The same rules apply to Sanctuaries and Reserves but culverts, and resurfacing of damaged road sections with stone chips, can be considered for approval, the report states.

Method of such road construction, such as blasting, borrow-pit digging and their impact on wildlife should be a criteria for consideration. The same guidelines apply to roads within 1 km of National Parks/ Core Critical Tiger Reserves/ Wildlife Sanctuary, the report says.

The Committee said the Wildlife Institute of India should formulate detailed guidelines for roads through these areas.

The Committee has sought views of the state governments.

The report suggests ban on night traffic to save animals from disturbance, regulations on timing and volume of traffic, no stoppage, adherence to speed limits and setting up speed-breakers, no honking and no littering in PAs.

Measures like retaining natural animal tracks across roads, underpasses and other structures and no road construction/ repair between 6 pm and 8 am were also recommended so that the animals are not disturbed.

Standing Committee members called for a blanket rule to have only two-lane roads in PAs and their vicinity.

Source-http://www.indianexpress.com

On completing a seven-metre wide two-lane road envisaged around the Ambedkar stadium, a new link can be provided to CP Ummer Road and the KSRTC bus depot. This will facilitate the introduction of a one-way system and state transport buses state coming from Rajaji Road can go around the stadium and enter the depot. And buses leaving the depot can use the other road near the approach road of the ROB.

Agency may revoke contract

In another development, GCDA said that the contractor, entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the old stretch of Marine Drive walkway, has failed to execute his duties.

The authority had signed a five-year contract with the private contractor.

“It has been brought to the authority’s attention that the benches remain broken and lights are not functioning properly. Such activities mount to the violation of contract and GCDA is keen on terminating it,” said the chairman. He added that the income from advertisements placed at the walkway went to the contractor.

The authority will hold further discussions with the officials and the contractor and announce a final decision .

Source-http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Roads for better life

Swati Ramanathan, chairperson, Jana Urban Space Foundation said that getting road rights was the starting point of addressing the quality of life. “Tender SURE takes a holistic approach to road design and it’s all about getting the urban road right,” she added.

Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, also president B.PAC, said Tender SURE roads will lead to better inter-agency coordination and avoiding constant rework as service providers are enrolled as stakeholders to achieve a consensus on the final design.

Roads and money

BBMP chief M Lakshminarayana said the state government has granted Rs 200 crore, of which Rs 100 crore has been released for road development. “But it costs much more. It’s expected to be more than Rs 600 crore for 45 roads. It’ll take another three years to complete all these 45 roads. BBMP has to bear the rest of the expenses. For this reason, we’re taking these roads in a phased manner,” he added.

Lakshminarayana said in the second phase, 11 roads have been identified and tenders for them have been floated. These include JC Road, KH Road, Nrupatunga Road, KG Road, Church Street, Commercial Street, Jayanagar 11{+t}{+h} Main, Basaveshwaranagar Main Road, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road etc, he said.

Source-http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com