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| Sunday, 6 February 2005 |
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The right column Seismic holidays Life is motion, said the philosopher. Everything that exists, whether in nature, society or thought is in eternal motion. Rest is transitory, relative and even illusory while motion is absolute, the only absolute some philosophers acknowledge. Philosophers may differ as to what is primary - matter or mind. Yet most of them concede that motion is a law of nature. Right now our concern is nature. Nature has no holidays. Just as the human heart never ceases to beat as long as life exists the sun, the moon and the stars never take rest. That is why we cannot accept the conclusion of our scientific community that seismic activity takes rest on Poya days and statutory holidays. "Oh! No, What nonsense, we never said so" they would cry beginning from the Minister in Charge down to the KKS (Karyala Karya Sahayaka). Of course, they never said so in words. But their action in closing the office and not assigning anybody to monitor seismic activity on holidays, including the fatal December 26, 2004 implies and justifies such a conclusion on our part. How foolish are the attempts on the part of the Minister and the scientific wallahs to hide behind ARs (Administrative Regulations), FRs (Financial Regulations), Ordinances etc. etc. to justify their inability to roster staff to monitor seismic activity at Pallekele and other such centres on holidays and weekends. Do they take the ludicrous position that no earthquakes would occur on weekends and statutory holidays? As everyone knows they were proved wrong on that fateful December 26 when tsunami struck us. Our frank opinion is that the Pallekele centre and other such centres should have been working round the clock 365 days of the year. There has been a lapse, which has proved fatal. Their responsibility cannot be washed away by lame excuses. If the ARs, FRs, etc. stood in their way they should have changed them or got round them. The Minster is said to have challenged the journalists whether they work on holidays? Yes, Mr. Minister, we work on holidays. A journalist true to his or her profession would be alert 24 hours day in and day out. The flood of information in this modern age is so fast and vast that time cannot be measured in weeks, days or hours. It is measured in minutes, seconds and even nanoseconds. Not only journalists, many more are on duty round the clock throughout the year. Take health workers, conservancy workers, security forces and police personnel, food industry and hospitality trade employees to name a few. No Mr. Minister, time does not stand still while you sip beer or leisurely while away the time on holidays. Better read or re-read Dialectics of nature by Fredrick Engels, an old book that still retains its philosophical validity despite globalization et al. - the Sceptic |
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