Cleanliness is next to Godliness

Introduction: “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”. Those who keep themselves and their surroundings clean and green live safely without the threat of infectious or contagious diseases.

Personal hygiene: Regular bathing and hand washing, brushing of teeth, combing the hair, paring the nails and wearing neat dresses are indispensable for ensuring personal hygiene.

Keeping diseases at bay: People who take street food must avoid them because, the food items are exposed to dust and disease spreading germs. Even at home we must ensure that the vessels containing food items are well-covered with plates or lids. As water-borne diseases are prevalent in cities and villages, one must drink only boiled water. Farmers use pesticides and hence we should always wash the vegetables and fruits in flowing water before using them for cooking or eating

Keeping living areas, surroundings and the environment clean: We must dispose organic waste on a daily basis. Hazardous waste must be disposed in the designated places only. Littering in public places must be avoided. One must have the civic sense and refrain from spitting, urinating and defecating in public places.

Conclusion: Hygeine is a collective responsibilty of all people. For ensuring the health and happiness of the community, everyone must get involved in maintaining cleanliness in their surroundings.

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Importance of Physical Exercises / Sports and Games:

Introduction: A sound mind in a sound body goes the old saying. It holds good in modem times. Physical exercises play a vital role in keeping the body strong.

Kinds of exercises: The simplest form of exercise is walking. Today people use two wheelers powered by petrol and biologists fear that after a hundred years babies maybe bom without legs using the theory of selection. As free bus pass is given, students have stopped cycling or walking even a kilometer a day.

Some do cycling on a regular basis and keep fit. Some go to the gym and do body building exercises. But everyone’s body’ constitution may not permit long hours of work out in a gym.

By playing traditional games like kho-kho, kabbadi, etc. also can maintain good health. In villages, climbing a huge tall oiled smooth pole is a contest during festivals. People stand in circles on whose shoulders young ones climb up to take the prize money kept on the top of the pole. Playing various games such as Tennis, cricket, basket ball, volleyball, foot ball can also give sufficient physical exercises. Students can partake in athletic events and sports to get enough exercise.

Conclusion: Students should avoid playing games in the phone and watching domestic poison (i.e.) TV serials. Playing and doing physical exercises in the open air will tone up their muscles and build their immune system against diseases.

Travel and its Benefits

Introduction: Travelling is a great teacher. Augustine says, “the world is a great book of which those who don’t travel read only a page.” Reading about Kashmir or Kodaikanal may not be as fascinating as travelling by car or train and drink and appreciate the beauty of nature.

Heresay vs first hand experience: Reading about Ooty is less interesting than visiting Ooty in person. Seeing the flower show when Ooty is in full bloom is equal to seeing it in hundred movies. Walking around Botanical gardens, gazing at the valley below from Doddabetta peak, enjoying the boat ride dipping the hands into the chill waters and looking at the Pykara hydel power project are all scenic beauties one etches in one’s memories for long.

Advantages of travelling: Life is a book full of surprises. As we travel we meet many new and interesting people. We learn about new cultures, life styles, superstitions and rituals followed in different communities across the globe.

Travelling-testing ground of skills: During travels, one may face unforeseen emergencies. One’s latent skills of problem-solving come to limelight during such emergencies. One would also be amazed to learn how total strangers bestow kindness he/she may not have expected in crises.

Conclusion: Travel broadens one’s outlook of life. It is also a means of education. It is one of the precious gifts of life. One must travel far and wide to enjoy life-transforming experiences which can never be had inside the four walss of classrooms or home.

Water Conservation

Introduction: Water is the elixir of life. Earth is the only lonely planet having life-supporting water in abundance. The earth is covered with 71% water. But potable water is only around 1%.

Need to conserve water: Due to erratic rainfall caused by deforestation, water tables are fast drying up. Global warming is adding to the problem. Even underground water is sucked up by sunlight. Tamil Nadu Government is very strict about water harvesting. Permission to build is given only after ensuring water harvesting facility is added in the blue print.

War for water: In olden days, wars were waged on rare beauties and gold. But in modem times, the countries which possess large amount of drinking water will become envious target of water hungry nations. Abdul Kalam, the rocket scientist, predicted, for a water can, people would go to the extent of murdering fellow humans. Already interstate quarrels have started over sharing of river waters. On the one hand, the surplus rain water goes to ocean and during summer, there is scarcity of water. There are no check dams on the path of rivers. There is greedy robbery of sand. River beds are becoming moist-free desert-like plains.

Water conservation: When Israel is able to do agriculture profitably with very little rains, we struggle to ensure lucrative prices for farm products. Many states in India have failed to conserve rain water where surplus rain water rushes to ocean through flood canals.

Conclusion: Unwise use of water is rampant across the country. Through leaky pipes good water goes down the drain. It is the collective responsibility of citizens and municipal authorities to conserve water and sustain life on the earth.

Child Labour

Introduction: Child labour has emerged as a major issue in India. To address this social issue, NGOs, parents, social activists and society have to join hands to attack this issue. There is a legal provision to safeguard exploited persons beyond the age of 16. But young children don’t get the advantage of legal cover.

Causes of child labour: In many developing countries, child labour is rampant. The prominent reasons are sibling care, poverty and lack of schooling opportunities. In developing countries 50% of school aged population (in the age group of 5-14) are engaged in child labour.

Distribution of child labour: In farming industry, child labour is rampant. In labour intensive cotton industries, brick laying industries and in the informal sector we find a large number of children employed. In small scale industries like weaving, match works, fire crackers, children are engaged as bond labourers to lessen the financial burden of parents.

Conclusion: It is a cruel paradox that instead of eliminating child labour, we have NCLP, non-formal schools to give education to child labourers. Main streaming is not a success due to inadequate monitoring. It is comforting to learn that international organization have taken up the cause of fighting against child labour. All must realize that healthy children are the real future of India. Child labour is retarding the progress of the children and the nation.

Mobile Phone – Advantages and Disadvantages

Introduction: Mobile phone is a palm held device which has revolutionised the world of communication. A mobile phone does not require fixed landline and makes two way communication easy and affordable. Telegram department had to be closed due to the lightning speed with which messages could be sent orally or through SMS.

Mobile functions and advantages: A mobile phone can be used for watching cricket, movie or just listen to news. Students now google for collecting information for their assignments and projects. A recent survey says 50% of youth read newspapers only through their android phones. The habit of reading books or dictionaries is falling due to quick access to information via mobile and internet services. Through Ola and Uber apps one can summon a call taxi or even order food from Uber eats or Ola food through these apps for a cheap cost. Railway and flight tickets can be booked online.

’ Memorable events can be frozen in photos or videos and saved in the phone itself. Money transfer is now possible through using PayTM, Bhim app or google money app. As many online newspapers are freely available, people save money.

Big Bazaar sells even vegetables through phone. Flipkart and Amazon apps help one to place order for any home appliances at competitive prices.

Disadvantages: Social websites such as whatsapp, twitter and facebook keep young ones continuously engaged and crazy for likes. Sometimes evil doers access valuable information and exploit women and children. Sharing vital information, photos, videos, etc. with total strangers can jeopardize one’s honour and life too. Students who get addicted to video games and watching explicit content waste their time and energy and dropout of schools.

Conclusion: Mobile phone is a technological marvel. Similar to any new technology, it has its fascinating traps. One must use mobile phones judiciously and stay out of harm and disgrace.

Consumerism – Wants and Needs

Introduction: Consumer has the right to decide what he needs and what he wants to buy. But due to the explosive non-stop advertisements in the television, theatres, print media and in hand bills, the consumer is often influenced to buy what he actually does not need.

Problem of plenty: A good trader needs to find a balance between both the need and want of the consumer. As many malls have sprung up in big cities and departmental stores in small towns, the consumer’s rights to choose what he needs are eroded. There’s a problem of plenty.

Astute traders Vs gullible customers: As seasons change, consumers want to change the design of their jewels, wardrobes, etc. Astute traders dump a lot of varieties and under the pretext of discount and offers substandard commodities are sold to the consumers.

Conclusion: The rules of business have changed widely now. Each consumer is different. Traders who are able to recognize the need of the consumer and supply custom-made or tailored commodities can only satisfy their wants and stabilize their business in the competitive market.

Value of Education

Introduction: Education helps young ones acquire essential knowledge and skills. In modem times, teacher alone is not the dispenser of knowledge. School alone is not the abode of learning. There are many avenues from where students can learn freely.

Value of education: Education teaches students to understand the fast changing world and problems of modem society and also evolve solutions in unconventional ways. Education shapes the destiny of a nation. It enables young ones to become a productive member of the civilized society and equips them with the required skill sets to seek jobs and shine in them too.

Education teaches us how to meet day to day challenges and overcome obstacles. It helps us leam how to become a wellrounded personality and perpetuate Indian culture. Education teaches young citizens non-negotiable rules in life and manners too. It lays the foundation stone for the future of children. It guides young ones to lead disciplined life and gives them with skills to earn jobs which would pay them well.

Conclusion: India has to invest more in quality education in our country because education is the prerequisite to the nation’s prosperity and modernization of the country.

Value based Education

Introduction: Education needs to ennoble human beings. It should teach sensitivity to the social issues which affect the progress of the nation. Education must sensitize students of the sweeping changes occuring around them in modem times.

Importance of value-based Education: Education without values seems rather to make man a mere clever devil. Nelson Mandela once rightly said, “Education is the most powerful weapon through which you can change the world.” The aim of education should not be confined only to impart knowledge but to inculcate values in young and impressionable minds.

Rote memory vs value based education: Currently, rote memorization is largely emphasized. Factual information needs to be mastered and not memorised and regurgitated during examinations. This system fails to give any opportunity to think outside the box. As we are moving towards becoming a knowledge economy, moral values have taken a back seat. Juvenile delinquency is threatening the value system of the country. The students may be intelligent and smart but they lack empathy. The schooling system has failed to inculcate the right values among children. It is unfortunate that neither teachers nor the students focus on values for it is not graded. Virtue should never ask for a reward because it is a reward in itself. India would regain its glory when students inculcate values like honesty, patriotism, compassion and hard work.

Conclusion: Education is a life long process. In real life, it is to be translated into qualities of truthfulness, self-confidence, compassion to all living things, and integration of mind, body and brain. In short, value based education has the capacity to transform the corrupt mind into a very innocent, healthy, natural, fresh mind embellished with agape love.