Opinion: The problem of splendid isolation, negative activism in the state

‘Splendid isolation’ is a term used to emphasise the isolation of a person or thing. This kind of phenomenon occurs when, because of a false sense of strength, one chooses to distance oneself from the larger perspective. Or when one feels threatened in a purely imaginary sense or due to false propaganda shuts oneself like the proverbial ostrich, oblivious to reality. Splendid isolation results when one succumbs to falsehood spread by the Goebbels's kind!

Tamil Nadu finds itself in this predicament of splendid isolation after the recent Parliamentary election. Democracy throws up different challenges and how support is harnessed by various groups decides the fate of the political party at the hustings. People will ultimately triumph and it is really heartening to note how in a population of 130 crore spread across our vast country, a synergy has emerged to give a clear mandate to one leader to strengthen his hands to take India to greater heights.

Unfortunately, in Tamil Nadu, in the past few years, there has been a systematic unhealthy campaign to negate and find fault with any development centred around any form of activity. There is no space for meaningful discussion and every public figure makes irresponsible statements without even understanding the issue. Social media is liberally misused to spread falsehood and negative opinions.

In the early years of independence, India concentrated on building infrastructure, heavy industries, steel plants, multi purpose hydro electric projects to reach commanding heights of economy. Raw materials like iron and coal are important for industrial development and mining industries in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and other southern states were established to explore availability of natural resources. Oil exploration in Assam and off shore oil exploration in Bombay HIGH, atomic power plants, space research, satellite launching facility in Sriharikota are all results of untiring efforts of scientists, engineers and technocrats. It is said that Kamaraj, who personally fought for establishing Neyveli Lignite Corporation, though a few bureaucrats were sceptical about the viability of the project, even allotted state funds for this central project. Such was the commitment of the people from all walks of life. We should thank our stars that social media was not active in those days nor were there misinformed self-styled social activists of the kind we witness today. Otherwise such projects would not have seen light of day!

There was a lot of opposition for the Narmada project, but after it was completed, the project turned many parts of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan greener and also provided water for irrigation. Activists in Tamil Nadu are up against the Neutrino project, methane gas plant, Koodankulam nuclear power plant, Sterlite project in Thoothukudi, oil and gas exploration in Cauvery basin. We get almost one metre rain every year. The area of TN is 1.3 lakh sq km. We get roughly 8,000 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of rain. This works out to 46 lakh litres of water per acre. If this water is saved, we need not go with a begging bowl to others for water. However, most of it gets drained and wasted. The government gives free electricity to agriculture and every farmer fully utilises it for drawing ground water. To run a five HP motor continuously, ninety units of power is consumed everyday and this works out to 32,000 units annually which is subsidised by the government, which also gives 100% subsidy for digging ponds for rain water harvesting in villages but it remains unutilised! While farmers spend money to dig bore wells and extract every possible source of underground water, he should be advised to dig rain water wells at one third the cost to harvest rain water. People who are agitating against extraction of Methane and Hydro carbon plants in Thanjvaur delta should simultaneously launch a drive to save rain water to prevent extracting every ounce of ground water, without first charging it with the same, which is as harmful as extraction of hydro carbons. This, sadly, is not undertaken by activists and politicos because this is positive politics while they are interested only in negative politics. While positive politics is good for society, negative politics fills the coffers of the vested interests spearheading such protests.

Every element in the universe is composed of atoms but there are a number of elementary particles which are not part of an atom. Neutrino is one such indivisible tiny particle which is generated in millions by the sun and stars and passes through us everyday. It does not interact with any other element and seamlessly penetrates the earth’s surface. Study of elementary particle is a fascinating field of research. Scientists in India ideated the Neutrino project after studying the geological and seismic factors and recommended that the rocky region of Theni district in Tamil Nadu, which has a thick rock formation, was ideal for trapping neutrino for further research. This would go on to have immense application in Medicine and various other fields. The stable and dense rocks found in West Bodi hills, Theni, are suitable for making caves to house the observatory. Two caverns will be made inside this hill and a tunnel of 2 km will connect these caverns to the portal outside the hill. Outside the hill, surface facilities like housing for scientists, engineers and other workers, hostel for students, labs, offices and workshops will be constructed in the available land. This will invite international participation in research and India, particularly Tamil Nadu scientists, will get opportunity to even become Nobel laureates. We have to dream big, as Kalaam said.

Without understanding the project, activists and selfish politicians are campaigning against the project. Scientists and experts have rubbished the propaganda of the activists and have said that the project will have negligible environmental impact. Koodankulam nuclear project faced similar protests orchestrated by vested interests and the agitations stopped after Dr APJ Abdul Kalam came out in full support of the project.

Language is an emotional issue which is a fertile ground for pressure groups of various hues and fringe elements to make noise. The Kasturirangan committee draft report regarding reforms in the education system, which also contains suggestion about the three-language formula to be imparted to students has caused considerable controversy even before the report could be properly examined. Many of the premier educational institutions are in the hands of local politicians where Hindi is an optional language but the same politicians protest the imposition of Hindi. While imposition of Hindi should be opposed, at the same time opportunity for learning languages cannot be denied. There are people working ‘over time’ to generate negative propaganda.

Edmund Burke had said, “Only thing necessary for evil to exist is for good people to remain silent”. It is time for people to join hands to eschew this evil of negativism.