BBC story about rat eating in Bihar

Yesterday, I watched a story by a BBC reporter in India, where some people went into fields to catch rats(mice) and cook them on an open fire. The reporter and the people ate the rat, an the reporter said it tasted like chicken. I think all wild meats always taste like chicken to these experts of refined carnivorous pallets.

It was the angle of the story which I felt was terrible. It was made out that these Indian people belonged to lower castes, called dalit, and were eating rat as the only protein available to them. Yes, it is true that rural India is very poor and lives on less than one dollar a day. But because most of India is Vegetarian, they can live more ecologically and economically and are able to survive. An interesting observation from the story is that most of the people in the scene, and there were many, seemed to be healthy rather than malnourished.

The scene in the slums was really appalling. It was extremeley inhuman condition and the reporter showed it. I think that it is nice that attention is being paid to slums, thanks to the recent hit movie Slum Dog Millionaire. I would like to see a war waged on the slums but let us win it. I want to see a different outcome than that of the war on poverty, which has gone on for 70 years and the consensus is that poverty won.

Slums are public property without any municipal services, such as water sewage, electricity, garbage pick up, roads, primary health care and education. The average slum dweller lives in 100 square feet per 4 four people with a leaking roof and no facilities.

A five story project can be built with 150 to 225 square feet living units for minimal money and can provide a safe environment for families and the elderly. It should be evaluated with a pilot project of 300 residences and then take care of the problem on an international scale. It is also important that the most ecological modern construction techniques be used and taught to the locals. I would even add WIFI to these places.