The Phoenix. What a spectacular life-form this bird example is!. It lives for a thousand years and then the cruel act of fate burns it, its nest and every trace that it ever lived. And then from those ashes of depredation - a new life form is born to flourish for another thousand years.
Although it is a paradox that re-creation has to stand on the rubble of devastation, it is a true fact of life. Every natural calamity - be it a tsunami, volcanic eruption, cyclone or earth-quake, brings in a similar destruction around us. And upon that tragic circumstance stands a social responsibility and an opportunity of resurgence.
Linking this thought to Bhuj in Gujarat is something I often do. Ten years ago when Bhuj was razed to the ground by an abominable earth quake, we saw that thousands of people lost their life and hundreds of thousands lost livelihoods. The city crumbled under the mud and pyres burned for days. The sights were so ghastly that no one ever thought that Bhuj will ever stand up again under the sun and its people would breathe a life of reconstructed hope. But just three years of hard-work, hope, support and good governance by Gujarat Govt, Bhuj is now a modern city of convenience and comfort to its people. It is a lesson to all of us that any destruction, however tragic it may be, is a phoenix opportunity of rebirth, re-establishment and resilience.
Sikkim is now our unfortunate fate but is nothing short of a phoenix opportunity. The beauty of life in this picturesque State has been delivered an unfair fate by the beast of nature. The recent earth quake in Sikkim has reminded us of what Bhuj was a decade ago. The mounds of mud and the burning pyres of Sikkim are still telling us of the tragedy of the recent earth quake and reminding us of the unforgotten sights of Bhuj. While our hearts are yearning for resurgence of Sikkim, it is heartening to see that the Prime Minister has offered a thousand crore rupees for the purpose of reconstruction. But, in the existing state of political confusion in the country,it is quite possible that this largesse is diverted and misused. What we need now is a strong commitment, good governance, transparency of expenditure and a genuine effort like the Govt of Gujarat to rebuild the Sikkim from its phoenix fate.
Since it has been shown to be possible once, it should be possible now to turn the phoenix fate of Sikkim to phoenix opportunity of rebirth and flourish.
V K Saxena
Although it is a paradox that re-creation has to stand on the rubble of devastation, it is a true fact of life. Every natural calamity - be it a tsunami, volcanic eruption, cyclone or earth-quake, brings in a similar destruction around us. And upon that tragic circumstance stands a social responsibility and an opportunity of resurgence.
Linking this thought to Bhuj in Gujarat is something I often do. Ten years ago when Bhuj was razed to the ground by an abominable earth quake, we saw that thousands of people lost their life and hundreds of thousands lost livelihoods. The city crumbled under the mud and pyres burned for days. The sights were so ghastly that no one ever thought that Bhuj will ever stand up again under the sun and its people would breathe a life of reconstructed hope. But just three years of hard-work, hope, support and good governance by Gujarat Govt, Bhuj is now a modern city of convenience and comfort to its people. It is a lesson to all of us that any destruction, however tragic it may be, is a phoenix opportunity of rebirth, re-establishment and resilience.
Sikkim is now our unfortunate fate but is nothing short of a phoenix opportunity. The beauty of life in this picturesque State has been delivered an unfair fate by the beast of nature. The recent earth quake in Sikkim has reminded us of what Bhuj was a decade ago. The mounds of mud and the burning pyres of Sikkim are still telling us of the tragedy of the recent earth quake and reminding us of the unforgotten sights of Bhuj. While our hearts are yearning for resurgence of Sikkim, it is heartening to see that the Prime Minister has offered a thousand crore rupees for the purpose of reconstruction. But, in the existing state of political confusion in the country,it is quite possible that this largesse is diverted and misused. What we need now is a strong commitment, good governance, transparency of expenditure and a genuine effort like the Govt of Gujarat to rebuild the Sikkim from its phoenix fate.
Since it has been shown to be possible once, it should be possible now to turn the phoenix fate of Sikkim to phoenix opportunity of rebirth and flourish.
V K Saxena
President
National Council for Civil Liberties
