Mumbai: Rainless Monsoon Continues…!

This year the South West Monsoon seemed to be obsessively focused on covering the whole  of India as fast as possible, and in in fact, after arriving dot on time and reaching the state of Maharashtra on 11^thJune, 2020 the monsoon started its journey covering region after region and finally arriving in North India 12 days earlier—thus successfully covering the full country in record time. Now, the point is about doing what it’s supposed to do, that is to say, providing the much-needed rains for the cultivation season all around. It had rained in the first days in Maharashtra in good measure helping the farming community, but later it relaxed and lapsed into a mode of fits and starts. As we pointed out in our last piece the monsoon has been kind enough to provide just one good shower to Mumbai and adjacent areas so far . The Met department noted this and made a forecast that the relaxed monsoon would be active again from 28^th of June. However, this has not happened so far causing worries over its future generosity, because lack of rains in the financial capital and its catchment areas will eventually cause water supply shortage and may also lead to bouts of load shedding. Weather forecasts available to citizens are being constantly snubbed, even a 100% forecast of thunderstorm or rains is being defied by the Nature’s emissary.

So, the sweating spree in Mumbai and adjacent areas has no end in sight thus far. The temperatures are refusing of come below 27 degree Celsius while the maximum continues to be in the range of 32-34. Even the normal winds available this side vanish absolutely at most times, particularly during the nights. Humidity in the range of 80-90% is making the heat unbearable for millions who are not fortunate enough to have spacious flats and air-conditioners. The weather follows more or less the same pattern on a daily basis: clouds floating around aimlessly, not able to shun out the sun at most times, and the resultant gloomy atmosphere increases the intensity of the humid heat. There are build-ups though almost every day with dark promising clouds enveloping the sky and a cool wind providing the incentives; but finally rains stop short of falling down frustrating all expectant stakeholders. At times, rare though, you hear a grumbling thunder with occasional blasts with proper cloud cover; but again, the rains do not oblige. On all occasions the skies eventually clear up with almost every wind-less night having the ‘benefit’ of a starry sky.  

The case of Navjyot Singh Sidhu, a star Indian ex-cricketer, who was once described as a ‘stroke-less wonder’ due to his inability to convert strikes to fours and sixes comes to the mind: if we apply this to a ‘rain-less monsoon’! Soon afterwards strokes began to shower Sidhu: we hope this happens to our monsoon woes too. On a recent sun-set the sky assumed a reddish glow all over: it is not clear if it were a warning or a red alert to expect something in a severely COVID affected city and the state. We can only watch and wait. Of course, watching the skies has been becoming a bit tiring due to the resultant frustration and the streaming sweat. We can take solace only in the fact that in various monsoons in the past there had been dry months—sometimes June or sometimes July. So, time is still not running out…and all here are looking at an extended lockdown after the end of this month still...

India-China Faceoff: Boycott Plan Is Unrealistic!

Once upon a time there were two brothers in a village. The elder brother was of the gentle and peaceful type while the younger one was openly villainous, foul and quarrelsome. After their respective marriages, the petty quarrels became serious, and so they decided to separate—building their own houses dividing the same plot of land. On the border between them was a longish pond and the elder brother’s household did not even catch a fish coming out of that pond to their area on a rainy day as it was not their property. Occasionally on some issues the younger brother used to storm into the elder’s house—threatening him with a dagger at times. Although the boycott was total for decades the new generations of both households used to meet often defying the ban; some of them were close friends; a few of them went to different cities on jobs and there, members of both families used to enjoy togetherness freely. The point being made here is that a boycott plan does not even work at the microscopic level. Therefore, at the macro level where it involves two large countries who are neighbors too a boycott plan is totally unrealistic, harmful for both and unworkable. India and China should get this message straight and sweet.

Why exactly the rather primitive skirmishes between the Indian army and China’s Peoples Liberation Army happened at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh in the night of 15^th June 2020 happened is not known and is not revealed by either side. Both countries charged each other of violating rules and being aggressive first. The soldiers reportedly used rods, clubs and stones and fought within the Indian side of the LAC. A Colonel of the Indian army along with 19 soldiers were martyred while the Chinese never revealed the casualties on their side even as news agencies put the figure of their casualties at 43. Deaths of 20 brave-hearts created waves of shock, disbelief and anger across India—many questioning the government why the Indian army did use arms even after an officer of the rank of a Colonel got killed. Knowledgeable sources refer to a bilateral agreement signed between the two countries in 1996 which prohibited use of firearms within two kilometers of either side of the LAC. The uproar against the Chinese aggression which, in fact, started about three months back when US President Trump charged China with mishandling and spreading the new Coronavirus led naturally to waves of patriotism and jingoism and a total boycott plan of Chinese goods and products. While at the official levels some contracts with China were terminated several people’s organizations took up the movement against Chinese goods.

China has been India’s biggest trade partner after the US, and it accounts for nearly 12% of India’s total imports. China accounts for more than 70% of India’s cell phone market, and supplies various other products like toys, firecrackers, garments etc. at the cheapest possible prices which allow thousands of vendors do business with profit margins. Various multi-national corporations are working with huge Chinese investments. Some corporates point out the there is nothing wrong with Chinese investments because it helps creating employment and allowing huge benefits for consumers. Self-reliance goals for India cannot be achieved overnight, it has to be a long-term strategy.  From China’s point of view too it cannot ignore a huge and growing market like India and so cannot risk antagonizing India to a more serious extent. There are reasons why both countries dislike each other: India doesn’t like China’s growing closeness with Pakistan in the last one year while China doesn’t at all approve of India’s proximity with the US; there is also the general opinion about China’s ambition of emerging as a global superpower which is in sharper focus now due to USA’s apparent disastrous handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the equally disastrous fallout.

Both countries are suffering from extensive economic downswing because of the COVID spread; China managed to effectively control the pandemic with a total lock-down but is now fearing a second wave while India now is in the thick of the virus and in the throes of the unlocking process. Both countries desperately need to recover economically; China is much ahead of India in terms of economic growth for over a decade but cannot afford to suffer further losses; with probable negative growth rate threatening India for the next fiscal it cannot at all risk another disaster.

Therefore, a boycott plan would prove disastrous for both the countries and would heighten the tension not subsiding as yet. Prospect of a war should be the last thought on their minds. Continuous dialogue and negotiations are the natural course to take for both countries. Patriotism is good and righteous, but it should never be at the expense of the country. People of India should realize this, and the government should educate the citizens on this rather than trying to capitalize on passions of patriotism and jingoism. 

Mumbai: Yes Monsoon, No Rain!

The South West Monsoon arrived dot on time in Kerala on 1st June, 2020 and hit Maharashtra on 11th June--late by only a day. In the next two days the Monsoon covered all of Maharashtra including the COVID-tormented city of Mumbai. While there have been heavy rains in all parts of the state Mumbai and its suburbs have not felt the presence of the Monsoon yet--rains so far only scattered and inconsistent, unable to lessen the discomfort of the people as humidity was increasing all the time. Recently cyclone Nisarga headed for Mumbai side-tracked the city at the last minute and roared into interior Maharashtra just before the Alibaug town on the coast. That was perhaps a sort of a divine intervention sparing the city reeling under COVID spread from another disaster. In the last two days thunderstorms as per weather forecast for Mumbai and Thane didn't materialize at all. However, we would rather not expect the same treatment to be meted out to the city in regard to the Monsoon too. 

The summer this time was marked by relentless heat in the range of 35 to 41 in the city and suburbs including the satellite city of Thane for than two months in the period March-May. There was not even a hint of any dark clouds or high wind during this time--the unusually merciless heat consisting of both dry and humid spells. The desperately-awaited relief was provided by Nisarga; but it lasted only for two days, not coinciding with the monsoon build-up. The temperatures did come down to around 30-34, but was neutralized by rising humidity levels. In the city, particularly in Thane areas, the sky remained mostly cloudy throughout with drizzle only at times and the sun managing to peep out at other times for the last few days, and with no major downfall or thundershowers the humid heat has started getting unbearable. 

Nowadays we never know the ways of Mother Nature, be it weather or natural disasters or spread of the Coronavirus. As seen in the recent years a week's or even a month's total expected rainfall pours down in a single day, creating rain-water havoc. We hope this doesn't happen this time in Mumbai creating more problems for the financial capital of India which has so far only partially lifted lockdown curbs and also for certain districts of Maharashtra where the killer virus is still raging. Meanwhile the rains have cheered up the farmers all over the state to launch their cultivating season in high spirits which is indeed good news as a normal monsoon can do a lot of good at this time to the distressed economy. The sky continues to remain cloudy and humid and gloomy. Let the rains, in equalized daily installments, break the gloom and bring cheers to the hearts of the pensive people, mostly locked up at homes with masked and socially distanced outings, of the maximum city...

Cricket New Normal: Saliva Ban, No Huddles, Empty Stadiums!

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been having brainstorming virtual sessions with all stakeholders on resumption of cricket in the past months under the shadow of the Coronavirus pandemic. Till now the Council has not been able to take a final call on the main issue of contention: when to hold the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup. It's very ironical that in a year which can also be termed as T20 the T20 mega event just cannot get underway that was originally scheduled in October, 2020 in Australia. Now, the Indian cricket board, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has been eagerly waiting for the decision on the T20 World Cup, because since its postponment is almost final the ICC decision will give the BCCI a window during October-November to organize its favorite money-spinner, the Indian Premiere League (IPL), of course, without the noisy reveling crowds. 

All the while the ICC has been busy framing new rules for the most popular game of the world, a craze in India. Indian spin bowling great Anil Kumble who was appointed as Chairman of the ICC's Cricket Committee in 2012 had been assigned this job. Kumble has already made recommendations and the ICC approved most of these. The first of course is the obvious: ban on the use of saliva during play. We have seen over the decades how intensive had been the use of saliva of almost all the players fielding to keep the ball shining. Now, saliva is a direct trigger for COVID-19 spread and therefore its use has been banned forthwith. This is set to affect the pacers in particular very adversely, and perhaps the dry ball will be of help to the spinners. The suggestion of using external substances got rejected mainly because the international cricket bodies had been opposing this tooth and nail for decades. There is one more suggestion for allowing a new ball for every fifty overs in Test matches which is under consideration.

The ICC (International Cricket Council) rule to have neutral umpires in international series has also been waived off to prevent extensive globe-trotting that the international umpires had had to embark upon. Home umpires will now do the job. Another very important recommendation that has been accepted is of allowing COVID substitutes in Test matches that go on for five days. Any player showing any symptoms of flu, cough or fever during this period will be out of the match and a substitute player will be allowed to take his/her place in the playing eleven like under the present concussion regulation. Naturally, this rule wouldn't apply to the shorter formats of ODIs and T20Is. 

The defined cricket new normal will obviously include various other demonstrative physical attributes of the game: the huddles by rival teams that we have witnessed increasingly in competitive cricket in recent years will no longer be allowed; display of physical excitement in group like in the case of a fall of a wicket or in a hat-trick or a superlative catch or scoring a ton will be gone and all sorts of hugging, shake-hands, pavilion or dressing-room celebrations  and the like will no longer be there till Corona thinks otherwise. And, of course, there will be no spectators. Players will have to undergo all of the excitement on field in an empty stadium without supporting or singing or celebrating or flags-displaying cricket-loving crowds which would obviously be a daunting challenge to keep up the competitive spirit of the players. Unfortunately, there's no other option available at the moment and cricketers will have to adapt so that the sport resumes. 

It is a huge development that the first instance of international cricket resumption has already begun. Except for three players the West Indies team had agreed to participate in a Test Series against England in England--one of the worst-hit countries in terms of COVID deaths. The West Indies team had already arrived in England, all players tested before departure and thoroughly tested after arrival. They will live and prepare there for three weeks before the first Test of the three-match series scheduled to start from July 8, 2020. Hope the great game of cricket would pass the unprecedented COVID test successfully and with full honors.