Thoughts Unprovoked Unlimited

Green Saarang 2006

(This article is speculatory in nature and may be incorrect at certain points, but in all probability and to the best of my knowledge it is the truth and this statement has been added as a feeble effort to write a disclaimer)

Well its almost a week now since the end of Saarang 2006, the annual culfest of IIT Madras.
It has been a better Saarang than previous years mainly because our team won a 6k cash prize in The Rush (a treasure hunt).

But leaving the prizes we won and the rejections from hot gals apart. The biggest talking (and thinking too) point of this Saarang (for me atleast) were the complaints and counter complaints filed by an environmentalist group We Feel Responsible(henceforth known as WFR) and IIT Madras.

Well ofcourse only the people involved seem to know what exactly happened. But as rumours spread and as it seems the gist of the problem was that during Saarang 2005, WFR conducted a waste audit. Certainly a commendable job but the final report (plus documentary titled 'Hangover') that they came out with turned out to be more of a 'corporate bashing' rather than trying to motivate students. They seemed to be going all out to scare away sponsors (esp. Pepsi Co.). Now that did not go down too well with the student organisers (obviously).

To an extent both positions were right, Saarang could do without so much waste production, but also (the organisers position) the amount of waste although high in absolute terms is pretty low when counting the extremely high participation at Saarang.

But the point that WFR raised and it seemed to show their hidden agendas is the fact that they were more vocal in trying to stop the sponsorship, rather than the waste. Now being a believer in Free Market I am not sure that sponsors are 'evil' as they seemed to inherently assume. Their points : "We don't need such a high sponsorship", "Sponsors should not get so much attention during Saarang", "Loyola conducts a great cultural festival w/o spons why can't IIT Madras"

Well, if you haven't already guessed Loyola College, Chennai alumni/students were/are involved in WFR. And many of us didn't even know the college existed, let alone their having a culfest.

Well as I've tried to point out. Even before this Saarang (2006), the organisers were pretty pissed off with WFR. They denied WFR permission to carry out a waste audit this year, and decided to do an in-house audit. Actually it turned out much better than last year, because the in-house commitee was not trying to attack the sponsors but instead they had done a lot to increase student awareness and participation for a greener saarang (which WFR did not do). I hope they keep up the good job next year as well.
Now where was I. Oh yes.
WFR despite being sent a message that they will have to get prior permission before carrying out any auditing adventures, tried to conduct a waste audit. They were caught by the security, asked by the organisers to return the cassette which they where filming on, and taken to Dean's office upon their refusal to do so.
How that ended, I am not sure. But as it stands WFR activist (who shall not be named) has registered a complaint that she was held against her will at the Dean's office and IITM has filed a counter with trespassing charges.
So what's my point....
I wish I knew

posted by aniket @ 7:48 PM