cheers

WHAT ARE THIS COMMITTEES ANYWAY ?
By Hariom Tyagi

Since I like to take a casual stroll after a tiring day in office or after meetings every other day, I do get an opportunity to interact with all the betel nut sellers, tea stall owners and other small hawkers around my office locality.
Contrary to what my colleagues at times think about my networking skills with these "neighbours" of mine, I fancy myself as a highly networked individual and all these people share with me lot of gossip which is a form of ‘Intelligence’, at least to them.
Yesterday, when I entered office, with a quirky smile at the betel nut (as a hint that am there in five minutes)seller and to the local quilt maker, everything was calm and these people were continuing with their work , but when i came out i noticed the makeshift stalls were no longer there.
No quilts, no chai, no paan…..only some people around. What Happened Boss ? “I asked a grown up boy running towards the gate of a house.”
He screamed: "Sir committee is coming." I retorted: What Committee Yaar…. ?? (I murmured, Is the most demanded Joint Parliamentary Committee here?). Finally I located the quiltmaker, Haroon Ahmad, in the corner of the dispensary on the roadside and thought at least I should keep my promise with him that we will chat for sure.
What Happened Boss??

Frowning Haroon told, “Arre Sir, Committee Waalo ne Le Rakhi Hai. Committee waale Aa gaye, Isliye Sub Bhaag gaye apna samaan utha kar. ” (The committee has made life miserable for us so we are all running away)

"Which committee?...." I asked.

Haroon surprisingly pointed his finger at me, “ Aap Committee Nahi Jaante!!! ??? ( I felt very inferior and tried to think if I really know any committee. I assured myself that he cannot talk about Joint Parliamentary Committee though its very much in news)

I told with full confidence that I know many of them; some of them formed, some of them to be formed.

This conversation ends there but this give me an idea to explore the noise around COMMITTEES in India

Joint Parliamentary Committee:

The opposition is after ruling government to form the Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the 2G scam. It has wasted most of the parliament time which has to be utilised for important discussions. Most of the COMMITTEEs submit their reports with “No Charge of Guilty” after wasting lot of time, public money and energy and they do so after FORMATION of the same. This is the only Committee which has not been formed, yet it has earned the tag of bringing the “Productivity of the Parliament House Worst in Decade”.

Committee for Adarsh Scam:

The opposition in Mahrashtra is demanding to form a Joint Legislative Committee to investigate the most shameful land scam of Adarsh Society. Before they actually investigate, the committee has to do first the teacher’s job similar like which I had faced in my school time. Where are the papers of my copy, I don’t know Ma’m. Someone tears off the papers from my notebook…Believe me I had completed my homework at time. Go and find those missing papers!!! Stupid.

Organising Committee (CWG):

Unlike to other committees, this has been in news for other reasons. In my opinion they had been most intelligent one who took CWG meaning in literal sense. COMMON "WEALTH." That Wealth was "common" to all of them. And they since they never got an opportunity in their whole life to share such a big "Common Wealth" amongst themselves, they did make most of it. Except the people, every one benefited from that Common Wealth which they earned by being or by associating with organizing Committee.

Disciplinary Committee:

The people who formed it (may be when sleeping), they do not seem to be sure whether it exists and how it operates. The BCCCI Disciplinary Committee which was investigating Modi’s case has been questioned on whether the committee was appointed or Not. And if it was not appointed so there is no question of coming under the jurisdiction of this committee for Mr. Lalit Modi. As per BCCCI, It is formed in an Annual General Meeting in September every year. And this time they did not appoint any committee and the tenure of the previous committee is already over. So they are thinking how Mr. Modi can be handled.

The Ethics Committee of MCI

As per the people, this has done some commendable job by suspending current Secy Gen and President of IMA for endorsements and issuing notices to 61 doctors of executive committee of IMA. I am searching for the exact logic for suspension for CURRENT Secy Gen and President. Why Present Office Bearer. Did they investigate that who were the office bearer during that time of endorsements? What was the First Endorsement and Who did it? Does he stand for charge of guilty (if be)?. More than these questions, I have some more logical questions too. Are these brand endorsements or Message? Are these messages good or bad for public? Did someone explore what exactly is communicated through IMA partnership? What kind of partnership Medical Bodies do globally?? Did anyone study that? What kind of efforts you (the Ethics Committee or MCI) have put to bring healthy changes in the society?? What are the ways to bring healthy changes in the society? At one stage we talk about doing maximum PPP for better health of Indian Public. This is high time for doing this or that PPP for bringing that kind of change etc..etc. lot of talks in seminars… And if some corporate tried to communicate some relevant messages through a platform which people can accept as experts, we got an Ethics Committee.

Indian Pharmacovigilance Committee:

They banned Anti-Obesity drug for the associated risk of heart diseases. EMEA banned it in January in their region and we followed the suit in November. If we are following the suit, then why named as “Vigilance Committee”.. Why not Indian PharmaFollower Committee. It seems that they are more vigilant on other countries and as & when they got any news of ban or notices in any country, they consider it as Vigilance and start looking Risk Benefit analysis. Obviously, that Risk Benefit Analysis must be capturing….. (you know what)..and then decide whether to ban or not.

Unknown Committee:

Today only, I came to know that Health Ministry has notified a committee to look at therapies related to stem cells and genes. Its seems that even one of the most popular practitioner of stem cell, who claims of treating 800 patients suffering from chronic spinal cord injuries and other ailments, was not aware of such committee. As now, she intends to apply to this committee for approval of clinical trials.

So, I know most of the committees and COMMITTEE is a Big Buzz Word…. But today I understood that this is not confined to Parliament, this COMMITTEE word is spread out in the street too where these betel nuts and tea stall owners, fight for their livelihood