Bovines and Shelter

Yippe, blogging from office today (again)

I was just reading an article in today’s newspaper and I found it interesting enough to share it. Though I knew that Methane gas can trap heat to a large extent, owing to its carbon inheritance, I did not know that Methane Gas is actually a significant contributor in heating up our environment, especially when carbon dioxide takes up all the fame, energy and hype. What is more interesting is that Methane Gas is largely produced fro cattle or Bovine excreta.  Traditional Cattle food has always been grass and similar stuff….but large scale industrialization and other sophistication s have made us see the stage where Cattle are fed Corn n stuff.Research and studies have shown that this diet is actually causing a lot of Methane Gas to be released into the atmosphere and hence the ‘Global Warming’ (not entirely though). Hmmmn, interesting!!!!

Meanwhile the UPA govt has broken all records of optimism by stating that they will make India a ’slum-free’ country in 5 years time. Though Highly optimistic, I think that they are going the right way. Housing is definitely an important concern. I would like to look at this situation is a Pyramid way. The Urban population of India, as per the 2001 census, about close to 30% of the Urban population came under the ‘Urban Poor’ category, and obviously that figure must have rocketed in till date. But what seems to have NOT changed is the increase in the number of slum dwellers, especially in the big cities like that of Mumbai and Kolkata. With tier 1 cities raking up millionaires that might take up the tip of the pyramid….the Information Technology boom has actually helped the emergence of a new middle class in such cities,(like Bangalore of course) and this portion of the population forms the middle of the pyramid. But the people that for a wide base of the pyramid is the section in focus. Urban housing need not be only for the ‘not-so-poor’. Govt should take initiatives in acquiring land, and building homes for such people. Also, these projects should be taken up seriously, and must be completed within a stipulated time, with NO COMPROMISE whatsoever of quality. Only then can the Govt.  fulfill its promise. I know it is going to be a touch challenge, but, taking that first step is also not easy. Since now the ball has been set into motion, I only wish and pray that it gathers momentum and achieves that finish line.

I wonder, after all the Slums have eventually vanished, where will we get our Millionaires from? (SlumDog Millionaires…hehe )