Chemistry - our life, future

Dear friends,

Chemistry is a branch of science which deals with the composition and properties of different kinds of matter which constitute the universe. The science of Chemistry has played a very important role in the advancement of civilization, mitigating the problems of man kind and in fostering the happiness of human beings. Ayurveda, the science of Indian medicine include the use of plant and metallic preparations. Charaka, Sushruta and Nagarjuna are the Indian chemists who systematized the science immensely. Innumerable medicines both preventive and curative are the gifts of chemistry to humanity. 18th and 19th centuries witnessed rapid development of chemistry in all directions. In the field of agriculture, the chemist has developed fertilizers and insecticides for large scale cultivation of land and protection of crops from pests and diseases which made green revolution possible. Chemical researches on textile fibers have invented synthetic fibers, dyes etc.

The year 2011 is celebrated as the Inter National year of Chemistry (IYC2011) as an initiation of International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It involves Chemical societies, academicians and institutions world wide, and relies on individual initiatives to organize local and regional activities.

The year 2011 is also the 100th year of the noble prize awarded to Madame Marie Curie, and it is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of women to science. Moreover it is the 100th year of founding of the International Association of Chemical Societies, providing a chance to highlight the benefits of international science collaboration.

The International Year of Chemistry-2011 will celebrate the achievements of chemistry and its contribution to the well-being of humankind under the unifying theme 'Chemistry - our life, our future'. Its slogans are Clean Air. Safe Water, Healthy Food, Dependable Medicine, Advanced Materials, Eco-friendly Products, and Sustainable Energy. The opening ceremoney of IYC210 will be solomnised at UNESCO head quaters at Paris, France on 27-28 January 2011.

Participate in the competitions and cotribute for the awareness of achievements in chemistry. Log on http://www.chemistry2011.org/

With best wishes
ktv

Chirakkal Sree Shiva Bhagavati Temple

Dear friends,

Chirakkal Sree Shiva Bhagavati Temple, Payyadimethal near Palazhi, Kozhikode-673019 is our ancestral temple. In swarnaprasnam it is observed that this Temple is about 800 years old. The renovation and punaprathista was performed during 17-21April 2010.



The Temple Complex is comprised within 69.75 cents of land situated east bank of Mampuzha river. The main temples in the temple complex are Shiva Temple and Bhagavati Temple faced to each other which is a rare event in Kerala. The other daitees are Ganapathi, Sasthavu, Gurudevan, KaliyachanGurukkal, Karimkutty, Pookutty, Thalasillavan and Villi. Near by the Temple Complex there is a Nagathan Kotta and Naga Prathista.

പ്രദാന വഴിപാടുകള്‍
വിളകുമാല, പുഷ്പാഞ്ജലി, സ്വയംവരപുശ്പന്ജലി, രക്തപുഷ്പാഞ്ജലി, ഭാഗ്യസൂക്തപുശ്പന്ജലി, ആയുര്സൂക്തപുശ്പന്ജലി, ജലധാര, മലെര്‍നിവേധ്യം , കുവളമാല , താമരമാല , തുളസിമാല ,ഇളനീരഭിഷേകേം , ത്രുമാധുരം നെയ്വിളക്, കര്പുരരധാന, വെള്ളനിവേധ്യം ശിവങ്കല്‍, വാഹനപൂജ, ഉണ്ടാമല , ഷീരധാര , പാല്‍കൊടുക്കള്‍, ചോറുണ്, പാല്‍പായസം, വിശേഷല്‍പൂജ, അപ്പനിവേധ്യം , കെടാവിളക്, ചുറ്റുവിളക്,
വിവാഹം, മുട്ടരുക്കല്‍, മൃതുഞ്ഞയഹോമം, ദീപസ്തഭംതെളിയികള്‍ തുടങ്ങിയവയാണ് പ്രദാന വഴിപാടുകള്‍.

Voice of Evictees

Dear friends,

Today one more of our staff, Shri. P Sasi, retired from cwrdm service. Shri P Sasi joined in cwrdm-subcentre at Cheemeni in Kasergod district on 16th June 1992. In the welcome address performed by 'Tarangam' president and Head,ESD, Shri P Jayakumar has pointed out that shri Sasi is the 110th personal retiring from cwrdm service and reduced the staff strength of cwrdm to half without much recuipment. He hopped that the cwrdm authorities will take necessary steps for the recruitment of the vacant posts.

Shri P Sasi joined in cwrdm as part-time staff and worked about 7 years in that post and latter appointed as full time staff. As a result he was not benefited the actual 18 years of service he rendered in cwrdm even though he has worked as 'full time' staff in cwrdm-subcentre,Cheemani in Kasargod District because his place of work was too distant from his residence in Kozhikode. Hence he stayed 24 hours in the sub-centre itself. He got the job under evictees category from whose land the cwrdm started.

In 1960 about 156 acres of land was taken by Kerala Government for the establishment of Calicut University but at the time of Chief Minister Shri C H Mohammed Koya(October12,1979 to December, 1979) it was transfered to Thanjippalam in Malappuram District and the land was handovered to cwrdm.

As per GO MS No 47/77/ Plg dt 30-11-77 the Government have ordered that all appointments to the Research & Development Institutions established under Science & Technology Wing except appointments to technical categories of posts whose basic salary is Rs 500/-and above to be made through the nominees of Employment Exchange observing communal reservation rules. Since the evictees were agitating against the appointment of persons other than those whose land have been acquired by the Calicut University and subsequently taken over by the centre and this matter was reported to Government by the Executive Director of cwrdm and the Government ordered by GO MS 11/83/LAR dated 26-2-1983 that persons whose lands have been acquired for establishing cwrdm will be sponsored for the posts of Helper, Driver, Sweeper, Sweeper-cleaner, Watchman, Assistant grade-II, typists and Stenographers. But the authorities filled the above said posts without considering the evictees until Shri M R Venugopal, Working President of cwrdm Employees Association started Hunger Strike in March, 1988. As a result of this agitation the authorities unwillingly agreed to implement CSIR promotion rules and appointments for evictees and they tried to topple this agreement also. But at last towards the end of 1991 the authorities are forced to implement it. Late Com: C P Balan Vaidyer played a major role in implementing it. As a result of the grudges on the part of authorities, they have posted these partime staff in cwrdm-subcenters at Kasergod, Kannur, Palakkad, Manimalakunnu, Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram which was actully againt rules.

The most impotent thing in human beings is that after getting the benefits we will forget the blessings showered on us by others. As a result of these type of attitudes we are unable to utilize the full benefits we are actually expected to get.

Executive Director Dr Jayakumar presided over the send off function. Registrar Col.(retd) Yohannan and Dr Pradeepkumar, Ex cwrdm-Chemeni-subcentre Head and present MOS Head spoke vividly on their initial trrifying and then the enjoyment life at Cheemeni. Dr N K JOseph, Head, Surface water division pointed out that Shri Sasi is a hard worker and a great devotee of God. He is an active member of Manathanath Annapoorneswari Temple. Dr K R Prasennakumar, Working President of cwrdm Employees Association and Dr Dinesan, Working President of cwrdm Employees Organisation also spoke on the ocction. Shri M T Anilkumar, Tarangam Secretary expressed vote of thanks. After photocession and planting of tree, we accopanied Shri Sasi to his residence at Chemancherry. Shri Sasi's wife is a home maker and they have two married daughters and their son is working abroad. I wish him a happy and prosperus retired life.

with best wishes
ktv

Election Duty

Dear friends,

First Nayanar Ministry came to power on 25th January 1980 as a result of the election held on 21st January 1980 and it didn't complete its tenure and consequently a bi-election to Kerala Legislative Assembly took place on 9th May 1982 and Karunakaran Ministry came in to power on 21st May 1982 .

I joined in cwrdm on 1st October 1980 and my first appointment for election duty was in 1982 for the bi-election to Kerala State Legislative Assembly. I was appointed as First Reserve Polling Officer. Since Reserve Polling Officer has nothing to do till he is called for somebody's place as the original person has not attended the election duty with sufficient reasons. So, normally few Reserve Persons will get actual election duty. The Reserve Personals should sit there until all Election Duty assigned personals have left with their complete crew. I was not called for the duty till all Election Duty assigned personal left and I was freed from Reserve Duty at about 3 pm on that day.

In December 1984 Loksabha Election took place and this time I was appointed as First Polling Officer and my Presiding Officer was an School master who was not having previous experience as Presiding Officer and hence he contacted his experienced friend who was not posted for that election duty. He gave all guidances and I also gathered necessary precaution and actions we have to take in-order to act as "One day King". We have put distinguishing marks on the top right hand corner of both on the back of counter foil and also on the back of the ballot papers alloted to our polling station.Half of the ballot papers were signed by the presiding officer and kept in his safe custody. Filled all forms and covers with Polling station No, Name of Constituency etc. and pasted labels on Ballot box . Towards the end of the poll an arrangement was made so as to avoid unused but signed ballot papers by signing the Ballot Papers by the Presiding Offer in-situ. The poll ended peacefully and we have packed all the materials and arranged the forms according to FORM No 22 (receipt for return of election Records and Materials after poll). Generally people appointed for Election Duty will not go through these forms the day before polling and they will try to fill these things after the poll, at that time all will be in a hurry to reach their destination, resulting confusion and in a hurry they go to receiving center and at the receiving station they will ask one by one and we will not be able to produce things properly. If a single person has committed this mistake, all others have to suffer!!!

After this election, in almost all elections, I served as Presiding Officer and I didn"t experience any difficulty in discharging my duties as Presiding Officer. I got wholeharted support from my collegues, polling agents and political parties in the conduct of election. The only difficulty I phased is in the receiving centre. This is due to the lack of proper decision and directions from authorities. The directions given in rehearsal class will some times contradict when we go to handover the materials to the Receiving Authorities and more over we will be forced to give different materials in different counters also. This also creates utter confusion in the midst of haste crowed, who were eager to dispose the materials and leave the place. If the authorities take some more precautions and give proper written directions (some times they do) apart from HAND BOOK this confusion will be averted and the election duty will become a nice experience and employees will accept election duty wholeheartedly.

Nowadays election duty is a compulsion and most of the persons getting election duty memo tries to get a medical certificate from a doctor and approaches the authorities for getting exemption from duty. It is a very sad plight!!!

In the last Panchayat election held on 26-09-05, I was posted as Presiding Officer in polling station No 2/1 Ekarool, Unnikulam, Balussery. As per the directions prevailed at that time, apart from other things, I submitted three covers containing ballot paper accounts (one for Grama Panchayat-GP, one for Block Panchayat-BP, and one for District Panchayat-DP), One cover cotaining Paper Seal account, One cover containing the declaration of the Presiding fficer, three covers containing presiding officers Diary and one cover containing aquittance Roll of TA to polling personals. These covers need not be sealed and the officials in the collecting centre will veryfey the contents on receipt itself. Packet-I STATUTARY COVERS, Packet-II NON STATUTORY COVERS are to be sealed.PACKET-III and PACKET - IV need not be sealed

It is a strange experience that every employee should try to acquire and imbibe in their mind for the inspiration during the relaxing period of retired life. It will surely give a sense of satisfaction much above the routine duties discharged during their official tenure.

with best wishes
ktv

Unpleasant Truths

Dear friends,

Today 19th July 2010 farewell ceremony of Smt Pushpa was conducted in lieu of 30th June 2010 as she was infected with some ailments and it was not took place on that day . She actively participated in Tarangam activities and almost all functions held in cwrdm started with her prayer. She is a good singer graced with very pleasant voice. She worked almost all Divisions in CWRDM and all of them appreciated her competance in discharing the duties assigned to her. Her husband had already retired from Legal Metrology Department and they have a son and a daughter. She joined in CWRDM as Typist in 1980 and retired as Typist even though cwrdm adopted Secretariat pattern as carrier improvement rules for administrative staff in the beginning but later it was switched over to KFRI pattern and paved all types of anomalies and disparities among the equals. She was one of sch victims and Registrar in Charge and Head, Surface Water Division Dr N K Joseph pointed out this fact and said that he tried to implement at least one designation change coupled with promotion to this category, but it was in-vain. Actually Thechnical Officer and Technical Assistant Category also suffers the same injustice.

Dr. Jalaja, Scientist, ESD opened that it is better to avoid unpleasant truths from these type of sorrowful occasions as it will only increase the gravity of sadness in the sorrowful eve. What she said is true but the authorities want to show that they have tried to do something for the staff, at least during their retirement. Now a day all things are becoming a show and we are only the actors.

The farewell ceremoney was welcomed by Shri M R Venugopal, President, Tarangam and Scientist & in Charge of RSC. Dr P Jayakumar, Executive Director, presided over the function. Dr Madhavan Komath, Scientist,CWAL also spok on the occation. Tarangam General Secretary E G Soman expressed vote of thanks.

Smt. Pushpa and family and my family mentained a acordial relationship and we wish them a wealthy, healthy and prosperous life.

with best wishes to all,
ktv.

Recognition

Dear friends,

Owing to some family matters I was unable to attend the retirement function that held on January 2010 and that held on 31st March 2010. On 31st January 2010, Smt Nirmala Stepan, Technical officer, Environmental Studies Division and Shri Abdulla, Driver, Construction and Maintenance Wing, retired from cwrdm service. I have expressed my best wishes personally to them. Smt Nirmala Stephan is a law graduate apart from having Science Degree. She performed her duties silently.

On 31st March 2010 two more colleagues Shri P Krishnan and Shri KG Ittoope retired from service. Shri P Krishnan, Sr Stenographer who was PA to Registrar for long time and later shifted to Construction and Maintenance Wing and lastly to Isotope Hydrology Division. Shri K G Ittoop, Electrical Engineer who was appointed as technical Assistant and through his sustained efforts got Diploma in Electrical Engineering and latter got appointment as Electrical Engineer in Construction and Maintenance Wing of cwrdm. Both of them discharged their duties very effectively and systematically. Shri Ittoop's wife is a homemaker and they had one daughter(married) and two sons of which one is married. Ishri Ittoope helped me a lot in the electrification of my house and we wish them a very happy and prosperous retired life.

Shri Krishnan's wife is employed in KSFE and his son is a Doctor (MBBS). They are very friendly to all. They have already celebrated their silver jubilee of married life and we wish them a very healthy, wealthy and happy long life. They used to visit us frequently and it is on his and his son's affectionate words that we have approached Medical College Hospital for my wifes neck lymph cyst checking and subsequent surgery.

At this point we would also like to express our gratitude to Head and Professor of Pathology Dr Sathi, wife of Shri M R Venugopal, Head, Remote Sencing Cell, CWRDM, for madams kind help and advise given to us in the surgical process and for their sisterly approach, even in the midst of their son's Entrance Examination. We are very much glad to note that their son has got 36th place in the Medical Entrance Examination which is a record in cwrdm staff members children's are considered. We congratulate Shri Kannan and his great parents.

On 31st May 2010 three of our colleagues retired from cwrdm service. Shri Remesh kumar, Messenger and Smt Sethulakshmi, Assistant Registrar(Human Resources), both from Administration Division and Shri Surendran Nair from Isotope Hydrology Division. They have served the center 32 years, 29 years and 20 years respectively. Owing to some family matters Shri Remesh kumar left the office early and the other two participated in the farewell function organized by Tharangam. Smt Sethulakshmi was the Tharangam Arts Secretary twice and do actively participate in the activities of Tharangam. She has joined in cwrdm service after relinquishing her job in Calicut University.

Shri Remesh Kumar joined in cwrdm in its beginning. His wife is a homemaker and they have one son employed in abroad. His son and my son are intimate friends and he helped us whenever we faced difficulties. We are personaly indebted to them. His fathers younger brother, Shri Shadevan sir, was our former Administrative officer on deputation from Government Sereteriat, Thiruvananthapuram. Our best wishes are for all his family and joint family members.

As far as Shri Surendran Nair is concerned, cwrdm is the third heritage. He had more than 15 years service in Army and more than seven years service in Kerala Transport Company. He had one son and one daughter, both of them married and leading a comfortable life. I wish him a happy and prosperous retired life

The function was presided by our Executive Director and Patron of Tharangam Dr K V Jayakumar. Tharangam Vice President Smt Sukumariamma welcomed the gathering and Tarangam secretary Shri E G Soman expressed vote of thanks. Dr N K Joseph, Head, Surface Water Division and in-Charge of Registrar and vice patron of Tarangam, Dr M D Nandeswar, Head, Sub-Centers, Dr Madhavan Komath, Dr T K Jalaja spoke on the occasion. In the reply speech Smt Sethulakshmi expressed thanks for the good words showered on her and said that if these good words were given as piecemeal basis it would have imparted added vigor in performing their duties in cwrdm. Now all of a sudden a splendid feast is given and she is afraid that it will create constipation. She also pointed out that Tharangam should take necessary actions for introducing new comers in the institute.

It is true that recognition or good words will always create added vigor to work, we are all self-esteemed personalities but our ancestors taught us that we should work without expectations

In Bhagavat Geetha Chapter 2 Sloka 47 says,

Karmanya vadhikaraste ma phalesu kadachana
Ma karma-phala-heturbhur ma te sangosttvakarmani

You certainly have the right for prescribed activities but never at anytime in their results. You should never be motivated by the results of the actions, nor should there be any attachment in doing your prescribed activities.

This was plainly indicted by Shri E G Soman, Secretary, Tarangam in his vote of thanks speech.

Once again I wish them all a healthy, wealthy,prosperous and happy retired life.
ktv

Water Card

Dear friends,

Today, 18th April 2010, our Honorable Minister for water Resources of Kerala, Shri N K Premachandran, launched the Water Card to the residents of Kunnamangalam Grama Panchayat by giving a copy to Shri U C Raman, MLA. In the inaugural speech the Honorable Minister promised that the scheme will we introduced throughout Kerala by dividing into Northern, Central and Souther sectors of kerla through water authority/Ground Water Department by providing Mobile Laboratories. He also promised to provide a mobile laboratory facility to CWRDM. He stressed the need for rejuvenating the local water bodies for drinking purposes instead of solely depending on pipe water provided by utilizing distant dam water. The function was presided by CWRDM Executive Director Professor Dr K V Jayakumar and the gathering was welcomed by Dr P S Harikumar, Head, Central water Analysis Laboratory. Shri Anil Kumar, Standing committee Chairman of Kunnamangalam Grama Panchayat felicitated. The function started with the prayer of Smt. Manjula, Technical Officer, CWRDM.

The Principal Investigator of the Project is Dr Madhavan Komath, Scientist, Central Water Analysis Laboratory of CWRDM. Shri Madhavan Komath joined in Water Quality and Environment Division(later renamened as Environmental Studies Division) in 1985 as Technical Assistant and through his sustained hard work he acquired M Sc from Annamalai University through Distance Education and got his Doctorate (PhD) from Pondichery University. He is a humanitarian scientist. He expressed his views through his vote of thanks speech. He invoked the gathering to love water and if we do so the present day problem of water pollution will be over.

Water Card is a new concept introduced by Dr Madhavan Komath who was very much interested in doing scitific work relavant to common people. Once he was telling our former Executive Director Dr P Basak for introducing water testing fecility in CWRDM for common people but it was declined sice CWRDM is not a service centre. Now he has fulfilled his ambition through water card project. I congratulate him for introducing this concept to help and serve the people of Kunnamangalam Panchayat and its possible extension to other panchayats of Kerala. Dr Madhavan Komath's Water Card gives potability status of water which is entirely different from Water Card cocept of Imperial Irrigation Department of California who used water card as certificate of ownership and autherisation of agent or tenant who is autherised to receive water.

With best wishes,
ktv.