Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Tuesday, 18 May 2021

Accelerating Learning / Improvising / Course-correcting

 


 

Ever since launch of CoWIN platform a few months back, this process is on :

Learning ( what went wrong ) / Improvising ( what to change – when ) / Course-correcting ( taking Remedial action )


Process as described in my following blog / e-mail, 4 months ago :

What can go wrong, will go wrong !  [ 16 Jan 2021 ]

 

Context :

Efforts on to ramp up Covid vaccine supply : PM to states  /  HT


Extract :

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday efforts were being made to ramp up the supply of Covid-19 vaccines in the country, and added that the Centre was trying to provide states with a 15-day advance schedule of the vaccination programme so they could prepare accordingly.


He reiterated that localised containment zones, aggressive testing and sharing correct and complete information with the people were crucial weapons to defeat the infectious disease.


“I want to tell you… if you think that the government policy at the district level needs innovation in the policy to strengthen it, you have the freedom to do so.


If you think the innovation that you have done is good for the whole district or the country, it should be sent to the government.


If you think there is a need to make any change in the policy, give us that feedback also without any hesitation because the war is such that we all need to think together and innovate together,” the PM said.


===================================================

 

Some 7 months ago, in my following blog / e-mail, I had suggested as follows :


Voting and Vaccination : Compare and Contrast ……………………….[ 19 Oct 2020 ]


 

Extract :



Distribution Logistics

 

Your ministry to issue DELIVERY SCHEDULES to all vaccine manufacturers, which will instruct, how many dozes ( vials ) to be delivered to each VDC ( Vaccine Delivery Centre ) – and on what date .


These schedules to be visible to all, so that there is no dispute between different States re “non-receipt / less receipt “ of dozes


Each consignment to be tracked by Aushman Bharat website and promptly displayed for all to see


Online confirmation of receipt of each consignment by all VDC – again displayed on website for all – ensuring no debating of FACTS of deliveries / stocks / consumption


Although, website shall not display the names of citizen who have been administered the vaccine ( to protect their privacy ), it will display the DAILY and CUMULATIVE numbers of vaccinations ( for all to see )


Registration :

Ø  App will require a citizen to submit following data :

Name / Aadhar Number / Mobile Number / Current Resi Address ( could be different than add in Aadhar ID ) / Ticking –selection of only one of the PRIORITY CATEGORIES from the following drop list :

“ I belong to :

Healthcare Worker / Frontline Worker / Police / Muni. Worker / Armed Force / People>50 yrs of age / People<50 yrs with comorbidity / People<50 yrs with co-morbidity / None of the above – NOTA  “

 

Ø  Persons who find it difficult to fill in this Registration Data into mobile app ( for whatever reason – including, not having a Smart phone ), may take help from the nearest,

     #   CSC ( Common Service Centre ) 

     #   Post Office 

     #   Aadhar Registration Centers

     #   Nursing Home / Hospital / Lab or even any nearby Doctor,

 -       all of who will be requested to help the hapless citizen concerned ( they may use desktop to submit registration data on central server of Ayushman Bharat website )

 

Ø  Based on the  “ Registration Data “ submitted, the Central Server ( of Aushman Bharat ) will issue a UNIQUE PRIORITY NUMBER to the person ( by SMS on mobile ) . The message will also assign a specific “  “ Vaccine Delivery Centre – VDC “ ( a nearby Hospital – Nursing Home – Lab – Doctor )

 

Ø  Server will, simultaneously send notification to that particular VDC , providing full registration details of the concerned citizen – indicating his PRIORITY

 

Ø  Based on the “ Number of Citizen “ assigned – and the PRIORITY of each such citizen, software installed will send an SMS to the citizens , assigning SPECIFIC DATE / TIME to each person for visit .

This automatic / rule-based “ SCHEDULING “ by the software, will ensure “ No crowding / maintenance of Social Distancing “

      

Ø  Concerned VDC will fill in details such as : Vaccinated on ( …..  ) /  Did not turn up

     (  This will alert health worker to visit residence of person for follow-up / reschedule visit )

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WHAT NEXT ?

Ø  Over the past few weeks, there has been lots of debate whether we could have PREDICTED the “arrival-timing” and “location” of the SECOND WAVE. Now that wave is on decline, there is a danger that we , once again, find ourselves UN-PREPARED to PREDICT the “ time of arrival “ and “ place of striking “ of the inevitable THIRD WAVE


HOW TO GO ABOUT PREDICTING ?


Ø  CoWIN platform has made a small beginning by displaying following data in :

Final Certificate for COVID-19 Vaccination 

Beneficiary Details :

#   Beneficiary Name

#   Age

#   Gendre

#   ID verified ( Aadhar No )

#  Unique Health ID [ UHID  ]…………… BLANK ( since not allotted in absence

                                                                     of HEALTH HISTORY )

#  Beneficiary Reference ID

Vaccination Details :  

#   Vaccine Name

#   Date of Dose

#   Vaccinated By ( Name of Person )

#   Vaccination at



SO , WHAT PERSONAL HELTH HISTORY DATA REMAINS TO BE COLLECTED FOR EVERY INDIAN , WHICH WILL ENABLE PREDICT THE THIRD WAVE ?


Following Data as suggested in my earlier E-Mail : Rationing of Covid Vaccine ? ……[ 06 July 2020 ] :

 

[ A ]   PERSONAL  DATA

 

         Ø  Name / Birthdate ( for Age ) / Gendre / Contact Details / Aadhar number

 

 

[ B ]   LOCATION  DATA

 

         Ø  Permanent Address / Current Address ( State – Jilla – City – locality ) / Red Zone / Containment

 

 

[ C ]   FAMILY  DATA

 

          Ø  Details of Parents / Siblings

 

 

[ D ]  HEALTH  HISTORY

 

         Ø  Details of recent illnesses - morbidity / Medicines given ( including for Covid treatment ) / Hospitals

             where treated / Names & License Number of Doctor who treated

 

 

[ E ]   ETHNIC  DATA

 

         Ø  Race / Religion  / Language ( Mother tongue )

 

 

[ F ]  EDUCATIONAL  DATA

 

        Ø  Graduate – Under Graduate – Illiterate etc

 

 

[ G ]  EMPLOYMENT  DATA

 

         Ø  Employed – Unemployed – Self employed

 

 

[ H ]  INCOME  DATA

 

        Ø  Monthly Income ( to determine whether RICH – MIDDLE CLASS – POOR )


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Dear Dr HarshVardhanji,


I hope , someday soon, you will :


Ø  Modify the CoWIN platform to collect / compile data as suggested above

Ø  Introduce some very powerful INCENTIVE to motivate citizens to come forward and voluntarily submit such DATA about themselves

Ø  Since such data compilation is far more important ( for saving millions of lives that the THIRD WAVE might claim ), I strongly URGE the Union Cabinet to MODIFY ( re : about to begin, massive exercises ) the DATA COLLECTION FORMATS of :

       #   CENSUS-21 

       #   NPR  ( National Population Register )

       #   CAA  

       #   Employment Survey  

      #   Migrant Workers Survey

      #   Domestic Servants Survey–

      #   Survey of Professionals

      #   Farmers Survey…………  etc etc


With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  19 May 2021

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Related Readings :

Govt identifying 30 cr who get vaccine on priority 

Rationing of Covid Vaccine ? ……………………………………………[ 06 July 2020 ]

“ Corona Kavach “ Insurance ……………………………………………[ 07 July 2020 ]

An Appeal to DCGI – and others ……………………………………..[ 09 July 2020 ]

Thank You All …………………………………………………………………….[ 10 July 2010 ]

Congratulations , Sid Chakravarthy …………………………………[ 24 July 2020 ]

Bill Gates has the same concerns – and similar views ……[ 25 Sept 2020 ]

Thank You, Adar Poonawala ……………………………………………..[ 26 Sept 2020 ]

National Clinical Registry on Covid …………………………………..[ 29 Sept 2020 ]

===================================================

Email sent to :

 

Ø  Shri V G Somani, Drug Controller General of India ( DCGI )

           dci@nic.in  /  se.reddy@nic.in 

 

Ø  The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization ( CDSCO )

            arunsharma@csco.nic.in  /  pbn.prasad@cdsco.nic.in  / bangaru@cdsco.nic.in

 

Ø  Smt  Shubhra Singh ,

           Chairperson , The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority of India ( NPPA )

           Chairman.nppa@nic.in

 

Ø    Dr T P Lahane, Directorate of Medical Education and Research ( DMER )

            dmerps@gmail.com  /  dmercetcell@gmail.com

 

Ø  Shri Rajendra ShinganejiFDA Minster ( Mah )

     drrajendrashingane61@gmail.com )

 

Ø  Shri Arun Unhaleji, FDA Commissioner ( Mah )

     comm.fda-mah@nic.in 

 

Shri Sid Chakravarthy 

   sid@statwig.com / sid@ideassjsu.org  /  contactus@statwig.com ]

 

Shri Adar Poonawala  

   [  ceo.office@cyruspoonawallagroup.com /  contact@seruminstitute.com ]

 

 

 

 

Friday, 7 May 2021

Supreme Court : Seriously ?

 


 

Context :

Coronavirus | Supply 700 MT oxygen to Delhi every day, we mean business: SC tells Centre  /  HINDU – 07 May

Extract :

Ø  The Supreme Court on Friday underlined the obligation of the Centre to comply with the order to supply 700 MT of oxygen to Delhi “every day”, saying “we mean business”.


Ø  “We did not mean that you supply 700 MT on one day. We meant you do it every day until we further examine the modalities. Please do not drive us to a situation where we have to be firm and take the coercive way. It is 700 MT every day, every single day,” Justice Chandrachud emphasised.


Ø  Mr. Mehta said he would convey the court’s observations to the authorities concerned during the day.

=================================================

But what is likely to happen, if the concerned Officers of the Central Government “ fail “ to implement the instructions / orders , of the Supreme Court ?

How will the SC conclude whether those officers “ failed “ due to a,

Ø   Lack of willingness / necessary efforts / foresight /  advance planning ,  OR

Ø  Lack of resources at their disposal ,  OR

Ø  Lack of authority to take necessary action , OR

Ø  Lack of clarity on WHO precisely is to take the necessary actions  ?


In such a confusing situation where clarity is totally lacking as to WHO ( which individual officer ) is responsible for the failure , will SC conclude :  THE BUCK STOPS AT THE TOP ?


And issue a “ Contempt of the Court “ notice to the Union Health Minister / Union Industries Minister / PM ?


I hope the Supreme Court is aware of the Management Mantra :

Never give a threat unless you have a resolve and the necessary power to implement it


Because, if you keep issuing EMPTY THREATS, again and again, but never act upon any, then soon, people will stop taking you seriously !

 

For example :

Ø  Legislation or No legislation ! ………………………………………[ 06 Nov 2019 ]

 

Ø  Smog : Supreme Court flays Govt inaction ; summons 4 Chief Secretaries   

Extract :

Ø  We have to make government responsible for this,” the bench said and asked, “Why can’t government machinery stop stubble burning?”

Ø  Coming down heavily on State governments, the top court said that if they don’t bother about people, they have no right to be in power.

Ø  We expect more from a democratic government of the country to deal with issue of stubble burning and curb pollution,” the bench said, adding that “it is a question of life and death of crores of people. We have to make government responsible for this

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Rest is history ! A Brief History of Judicial Activism ?

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  07  May  2021

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RELATED  READINGS :

 

Ø  Judicial Activism ? …………………………..[ 10 July 2013 ]

Ø  Second Class Citizens ? …………………..[ 07 Jan 2015 ]

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ø  Delhi in Doldrums ?........................[ 16 Nov 2015 ]

 

              Extract :

               #     Is this " concern " for only Delhi pollution , because the SC judges

                      have to travel on Delhi roads an breathe that polluted air ?

 

              #    Is that a Supreme Court of India or of Delhi ?

 

              #    In the eyes of SC , are citizens of Mumbai / Chennai / Kolkata,

                    lesser  citizens  ?

                    Will someone file a IL in Supreme Court for the poor people of " rest

                    of India "  ?

 

                -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ø  SOLOMON HAS SPOKEN ………………….[ 03 Feb 2016 ]

Ø  Not that I love Caesar less ! ……………[ 17 May 2016 ]

Ø  Who will win ?.............................. [ 27 April 2021 ]

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, 6 May 2021

Copy that Mumbai Model, ( Municipal ) Commissioners

 


 

 

Context :

Examine 'Mumbai Model', learn from it: Supreme Court to Centre on Delhi oxygen crisis  /  MINT – 05 April

Extract :

Ø  The Supreme Court on Wednesday recommended that the Centre should look to Mumbai and take note from the Bombay Municipal Corporation as the civic body had done a good job in managing oxygen supplies.


Ø  "Bombay Municipal Corporation has done some remarkable work and not disrespecting Delhi but we can maybe see what was done by BMC. Maharashtra is also an oxygen supply state," Justice Chandrachud said.


Ø  The top court also asked the Centre to maintain transparency on the ongoing oxygen supply crisis in Delhi and keep citizens informed.

Ø  The Delhi HC had on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to the government as to why contempt should not be initiated against it for failing to comply with the order on supply of oxygen to the Capital for treating Covid-19 patients.

===================================================

Mumbai: Cash-strapped BMC to shell out Rs 1.6 crore to rent e-cars for 8 years | Mumbai News 

Extract :

Ø  At a time when the BMC is dealing with an acute scarcity of funds and has needed to dip into its reserves, it plans to spend Rs 1.6 crore on renting model new electrical automobiles for its civic leaders. As an alternative of shopping for new e-cars, the BMC has determined to hire these for a interval of eight years.
By renting the autos for eight years, the BMC will find yourself paying round Rs 32 lakh per automobile—greater than double the market worth of around Rs 14 lakh for every car .

 

Ø  Civic officers mentioned the BMC will find itself paying Rs 27,000 to Rs 37,000 per thirty days per automobile.

 

Ø   The BMC is renting the automobiles from Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL)

 

Ø  Raja mentioned he wouldn’t wish to get a brand new electrical car at a time when the BMC is in a nasty monetary state. “Our automobiles are nearly 10 years outdated and sometimes break down however this proposal ought to be deferred. The BMC isn’t in a monetary place to go for fancy automobiles. The BMC has already spent some huge cash on Covid and such fancy electrical automobiles should not be purchased,” Raja mentioned.

 

Ø  RTI activist Anil Galgali too mentioned the BMC should not spend cash on electrical automobiles when it’s dealing with a crunch. “The BMC should not purchase fancy automobiles proper now at double the market worth on hire. Paying double the market worth and taking automobiles on hire doesn’t make sense. There ought to be an austerity drive by BMC leaders,” Galgali mentioned.

===================================================

MY  TAKE  :

Ø  I am presuming that BMC has taken these 5 e-Cars on WET LEASE ( including maintenance + battery re-charge cost + driver’s salary etc., to be borne by EESL )

Ø  Economy Calculations :

LEASE RENT :

#  Rs 1.6 cr ( Rs 160 lakh ) for 8 years = Rs 20 lakh / year ( for 5 cars ) =

    Rs 4 lakh / year / car

 

             OWNERSHIP COST ( if purchased outright instead of leasing ) :

            #   Purchase Price            =   Rs  14 lakh  / car



            #   Interest Cost @ 15 %  =   Rs   2.1 lakh / year

            #   Depreciation @ 10 %   =   Rs   1.4 lakh / year

            #   Maint ( spares ) @ 5 %=   Rs   0.7 lakh / year

            #   Driver’s Salary              =  Rs   3.0 lakh / year 

                                                               ( Rs 25,000/ month incl. benefits )

          ===================================================

                Sub – Total                     =  Rs   7.2 Lakh / year / car   

===================================================

Thank God, BMC decided to WET-LEASE , electric cars and not BUY petrol cars


If these were outright PURCHASED, petrol cars, then petrol itself would have cost another Rs 10 / Km ( @ Rs 100 / Litre and car-mileage at 10 km / litre )


If that PETROL car was to run 2,000 km / month, that would add up to 24,000 km / year


That would add another Rs 2.4 Lakh / year !


WET-LEASING of e-cars must not be on payment of “ lease rent “ on any TIME-PERIOD basis ( eg: a MONTH )


It must be based on ACTUAL KM RUN by each car


If , for whatever reason ( incl. driver absenteeism – spare unavailability – no nearby battery charging station etc ), the car stops , the LEASE-RENT METER also stops !


This will force the party leasing out ( in this case, EESL ), itself  to set up hundreds of Battery Charging Stations ( one every 5 Km ? ), all over the city to ensure that the e-cars never run out of juice !  

 

Dear Hon Supreme Court,


I urge you to “ RECOMMEND “ to Municipal Commissioners all over the country that , besides in case of handling COVID, in case of LEASING of e-Cars too, they follow the MUMBAI MODEL


With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@recruitGuru.com  /  07 April 2021