October 03, 2011
October 01, 2011
Vishaka agitation at Paramanpur
Industrilization and its effect on the poor people of Orissa aspecially the Sambalpur Region.1/10/2011
Industrialization has received wide acceptance as a major strategy for development all over the world. In the post-independence period, India embarked on a course of industrialization under the aegis of the public sector, which assumed “commanding heights”. The private sector also did not lag far behind under a system called ‘mixed economy’.
Orissa is predominantly an agricultural state where nearly seventy per cent of the working population depends on agriculture. The state has nearly forty per cent of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) population, which together make 9.78 million, apart from the people belonging to the Other Backward Castes (OBC).
As observed here all these protest movements are mainly directed against displacement of people and for protection of the local environment. The people complain against poor rate of compensation and gross inadequacies in matters of resettlement and rehabilitation. There are several instances in the past in which people have suffered heavily due to apathy of the state government wherever major projects were undertaken.
Our western Orissa is always the most neglected and people live in abject poverty and the rampant industrialization at different area of western Orissa is highly disgraceful and condemnable.
I had been to the Visakha Industry , which is 20 km away from sambalpur , located at Paramanpur . A long term agitation was going on over there. The district administration has given then 15 days time to solve out the issue. The villagers alleged that they were not allowed to go to their land because of a compound wall of the industrial house. "We took this decision when we did not get justice despite our repeated appeals to the district administration," an agitating villager said. They will sit in front of the collector office and fast till death. The pollution level is rampant over there. The Ceo of the company is even not visiting the proposed site and taking the help of local gundas and touts. Rather the poor villagers were put into the bars and now bailed out from the high court having false allegations against them.
The agitating families are apprehensive of the company taking over the lands given to them by the Government. Since they don’t have any land pattas (proof of possession), the tribal and Dalit families seek the demarcation of their lands. While the demarcation could not be taken up for the first time due to the unrest at VSS Medical at Burla, the second date had to be postponed due to the flood. However, a fresh date has been finalized for September 22.
Visaka Industries is setting up a 100,000-tonne capacity asbestos cement sheet plant here at an estimated cost of ` 40 crore. A majority of villagers has been opposing the project after they came to know that asbestos was carcinogenic.
The company has been accused of grabbing 130 acres of land, including 57 acres of forest and rayati land. Local MLAS and MPS are not any paying heed to the plight of the victims and necessary remedial steps are not extended to them and even the dist administration also. They are just collecting booties from the corporate housing and no reaction rather the poor people who suffer in the long run.
Dr Pramod Rath, the president of Sambalpur Bar association says if the government will not take any step after 15 days then we will take some major steps. The same has be reiterated by Mr Pramod Rath , an attorney at Sambalpur court.
I can say this is a close nexus between politicians and the corporate honchos.
Unfortunately the govt seems to be enclosed within a cocoon of insensitivity. It not only ignores the stifled voices of the suffering communities but is also adopting policies and measures to perpetuate the madness of the rapid industrialization. The government is busy signing with new MOUS with steel plants, Aluminum smelter plants, thermal power plants, and is still continuing to offer huge subsidies to investors in the form of guarantees, tax concessions and investment subsidies. Is the govt blind to the fact that these multinational companies are only interested in exploiting mineral reserves of our state especially western Orissa for maximum profits without any commitment to the poor and neglected masses of the villages and local people?
We the people of western Orissa need the support and cooperation to make these muffled voices of the suffering communities be heard. The human face to environmental issues must be projected. There is an urgent need to empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development , promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental hazards/issues and advocate partnership which will ensure that all peoples enjoy and a safer and more prosperous life.
Siddhartha Shankar mishra,
Bureau Chief,
These Days,
Orissa, Sambalpur,
Industrialization has received wide acceptance as a major strategy for development all over the world. In the post-independence period, India embarked on a course of industrialization under the aegis of the public sector, which assumed “commanding heights”. The private sector also did not lag far behind under a system called ‘mixed economy’.
Orissa is predominantly an agricultural state where nearly seventy per cent of the working population depends on agriculture. The state has nearly forty per cent of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) population, which together make 9.78 million, apart from the people belonging to the Other Backward Castes (OBC).
As observed here all these protest movements are mainly directed against displacement of people and for protection of the local environment. The people complain against poor rate of compensation and gross inadequacies in matters of resettlement and rehabilitation. There are several instances in the past in which people have suffered heavily due to apathy of the state government wherever major projects were undertaken.
Our western Orissa is always the most neglected and people live in abject poverty and the rampant industrialization at different area of western Orissa is highly disgraceful and condemnable.
I had been to the Visakha Industry , which is 20 km away from sambalpur , located at Paramanpur . A long term agitation was going on over there. The district administration has given then 15 days time to solve out the issue. The villagers alleged that they were not allowed to go to their land because of a compound wall of the industrial house. "We took this decision when we did not get justice despite our repeated appeals to the district administration," an agitating villager said. They will sit in front of the collector office and fast till death. The pollution level is rampant over there. The Ceo of the company is even not visiting the proposed site and taking the help of local gundas and touts. Rather the poor villagers were put into the bars and now bailed out from the high court having false allegations against them.
The agitating families are apprehensive of the company taking over the lands given to them by the Government. Since they don’t have any land pattas (proof of possession), the tribal and Dalit families seek the demarcation of their lands. While the demarcation could not be taken up for the first time due to the unrest at VSS Medical at Burla, the second date had to be postponed due to the flood. However, a fresh date has been finalized for September 22.
Visaka Industries is setting up a 100,000-tonne capacity asbestos cement sheet plant here at an estimated cost of ` 40 crore. A majority of villagers has been opposing the project after they came to know that asbestos was carcinogenic.
The company has been accused of grabbing 130 acres of land, including 57 acres of forest and rayati land. Local MLAS and MPS are not any paying heed to the plight of the victims and necessary remedial steps are not extended to them and even the dist administration also. They are just collecting booties from the corporate housing and no reaction rather the poor people who suffer in the long run.
Dr Pramod Rath, the president of Sambalpur Bar association says if the government will not take any step after 15 days then we will take some major steps. The same has be reiterated by Mr Pramod Rath , an attorney at Sambalpur court.
I can say this is a close nexus between politicians and the corporate honchos.
Unfortunately the govt seems to be enclosed within a cocoon of insensitivity. It not only ignores the stifled voices of the suffering communities but is also adopting policies and measures to perpetuate the madness of the rapid industrialization. The government is busy signing with new MOUS with steel plants, Aluminum smelter plants, thermal power plants, and is still continuing to offer huge subsidies to investors in the form of guarantees, tax concessions and investment subsidies. Is the govt blind to the fact that these multinational companies are only interested in exploiting mineral reserves of our state especially western Orissa for maximum profits without any commitment to the poor and neglected masses of the villages and local people?
We the people of western Orissa need the support and cooperation to make these muffled voices of the suffering communities be heard. The human face to environmental issues must be projected. There is an urgent need to empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development , promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental hazards/issues and advocate partnership which will ensure that all peoples enjoy and a safer and more prosperous life.
Siddhartha Shankar mishra,
Bureau Chief,
These Days,
Orissa, Sambalpur,
September 29, 2011
CHIDAMBARAM DRAMA SEEMS TO BE OVER 29/09/2011
Pranab Mukherjee and P Chidambaram on Thursday sought to put an end to the raging controversy over the finance ministry note on the 2G spectrum scandal with the finance minister distancing himself from the statement that sought to blame the home minister.
"Apart from the factual background the paper contains, certain inference and interpretations do not reflect my views," Mukherjee told reporters in the presence of Chidambaram after a day of hectic activities in the Congress camp to douse the fire.
Why is the Congress so aggressive in its defense of P Chidambaram?
Simple, Chidambaram is the last seawall preventing the tsunami of the 2G scam from inundating the prime minister.
Let me put forward an assertion at this point: Dr Subramanian Swamy is probably Dr Manmohan Singh's best friend in politics today. This may sound weird given the persistence with which Dr Swamy has pursued the 2G case for several years. But consider this, up until a short time ago even members of the Opposition conceded in private that the poor prime minister was untainted; today Dr Swamy is the only major political figure outside the Congress who might say so.
The UPA remains in damage control mode, trying to downplay the internal crisis sparked off by the controversial note on the 2G spectrum allocation.
Meanwhile, the BJP is scenting blood.
"The covering letter says the report has been seen by Pranab Mukherjee. The note was passed on from a lower bureaucrat to the minister. If it was been seen by the minister, it implies it has been approved by him," said Sushma Swaraj.The explanation only makes it tough for the prime minister and his office from here on.
Chidambaram must be dropped to face a thorough enquiry. Agencies like CBI, JPC, PAC and Hon'be Supreme Court should work in tandem to unravel the culprits for causing the huge loss to the Exchequer. PM, Sonia and the Congress should be thrown the dustbin forthwith for harming the Nation.
It has been now well established from their own records that chidambaran was clearly involved in infamous 2g-scam. He must be dropped or thrown away soon, else this whole upa shameless and corrupt govt.has to collapse .It has to collapse on its own wrong-doings and unethical/unlawful practices..This so-called weakest and incompetent prime minister needs to resign himself,before aam admi throw him/them.
DMK should immediately withdraw support to UPA because they dumped Raja and Kanimoji and are protecting P Chindabaram and MMS. Let there be an election--But DMK is afraid that BJP and AIDMK will come to power and punish DMK and Congress people.It is a game of chess--Congress knows this-so playing mischief BJP SHOULD SEE THAT PC AND MMS APPEAR IN COURT.
So far CBI has interrogated Sri Arun Shourie, Telecom Minister under NDA and jailed Raja and Kanimozhi of DMK, yet the Finance Minister, Chidambaram, who authorized all of Rajas shenanigans will not be questioned in 2G scam as per latest submission of CBI. CBI is rightly called Congress Bachao Investigation by Sushma ji! In the cash for votes, the main beneficiary of the votes scam that is Congress led UPA members are not even being questioned while the whistle blowers are in Tihar. Further She alleged that UPA was following a “ unique coalition dharma” where when a coalition partner is guilty he is trapped while a congress leader is guilty he is saved and moves shamelessly.
Though the party refused to comment on Pranab’s letter, Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi defended Chidambaram saying that BJP was trying to mislead the people by demanding his resignation. Dismissing BJP’s charge against Chidambaram as “absolute cacophony”, he contended that the Finance Ministry note on the 2G issue cannot have any effect. He said that CBI cannot probe Chidambaram just because BJP was demanding. However, he seconded Prime Minister’s assessment that the people’s perception about the Government had declined.
Meanwhile, a section of the party is not happy with the manner the Government is conducting its business and complained that the lack of communication between the party and the Government had made their job of defending the Government difficult.
A senior Congress leader, on the condition of anonymity, cited the mishandling of 2G controversy, Anna Hazare and Ramdev issues by the Government and said that most of the time the party is not taken into confidence about the Government decisions and the logic behind the same.
Political Thiefs are of two types.Direct / action oriented thieves in the field and the latent thieves who work from behind. For the latter, their share will reach them after the entire burglary is complete. I think the second category thieves have the support of the PM & Sonia, which only shows their true color.
But what is all this flurry about?
It is no longer about A Raja alone. It is not even truly about P Chidambaram. It is about rescuing Dr Manmohan Singh.
Tailpiece: Some -- judging by the famous note -- seem to believe that there would have been no 2G scam had the Union finance ministry done its duty, and the Opposition is using that to insist the then finance minister's role be investigated.
Siddhartha Shankar Mishra,
Bureau Chief, IN-DHINO
Orissa, Sambalpur
"Apart from the factual background the paper contains, certain inference and interpretations do not reflect my views," Mukherjee told reporters in the presence of Chidambaram after a day of hectic activities in the Congress camp to douse the fire.
Why is the Congress so aggressive in its defense of P Chidambaram?
Simple, Chidambaram is the last seawall preventing the tsunami of the 2G scam from inundating the prime minister.
Let me put forward an assertion at this point: Dr Subramanian Swamy is probably Dr Manmohan Singh's best friend in politics today. This may sound weird given the persistence with which Dr Swamy has pursued the 2G case for several years. But consider this, up until a short time ago even members of the Opposition conceded in private that the poor prime minister was untainted; today Dr Swamy is the only major political figure outside the Congress who might say so.
The UPA remains in damage control mode, trying to downplay the internal crisis sparked off by the controversial note on the 2G spectrum allocation.
Meanwhile, the BJP is scenting blood.
"The covering letter says the report has been seen by Pranab Mukherjee. The note was passed on from a lower bureaucrat to the minister. If it was been seen by the minister, it implies it has been approved by him," said Sushma Swaraj.The explanation only makes it tough for the prime minister and his office from here on.
Chidambaram must be dropped to face a thorough enquiry. Agencies like CBI, JPC, PAC and Hon'be Supreme Court should work in tandem to unravel the culprits for causing the huge loss to the Exchequer. PM, Sonia and the Congress should be thrown the dustbin forthwith for harming the Nation.
It has been now well established from their own records that chidambaran was clearly involved in infamous 2g-scam. He must be dropped or thrown away soon, else this whole upa shameless and corrupt govt.has to collapse .It has to collapse on its own wrong-doings and unethical/unlawful practices..This so-called weakest and incompetent prime minister needs to resign himself,before aam admi throw him/them.
DMK should immediately withdraw support to UPA because they dumped Raja and Kanimoji and are protecting P Chindabaram and MMS. Let there be an election--But DMK is afraid that BJP and AIDMK will come to power and punish DMK and Congress people.It is a game of chess--Congress knows this-so playing mischief BJP SHOULD SEE THAT PC AND MMS APPEAR IN COURT.
So far CBI has interrogated Sri Arun Shourie, Telecom Minister under NDA and jailed Raja and Kanimozhi of DMK, yet the Finance Minister, Chidambaram, who authorized all of Rajas shenanigans will not be questioned in 2G scam as per latest submission of CBI. CBI is rightly called Congress Bachao Investigation by Sushma ji! In the cash for votes, the main beneficiary of the votes scam that is Congress led UPA members are not even being questioned while the whistle blowers are in Tihar. Further She alleged that UPA was following a “ unique coalition dharma” where when a coalition partner is guilty he is trapped while a congress leader is guilty he is saved and moves shamelessly.
Though the party refused to comment on Pranab’s letter, Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi defended Chidambaram saying that BJP was trying to mislead the people by demanding his resignation. Dismissing BJP’s charge against Chidambaram as “absolute cacophony”, he contended that the Finance Ministry note on the 2G issue cannot have any effect. He said that CBI cannot probe Chidambaram just because BJP was demanding. However, he seconded Prime Minister’s assessment that the people’s perception about the Government had declined.
Meanwhile, a section of the party is not happy with the manner the Government is conducting its business and complained that the lack of communication between the party and the Government had made their job of defending the Government difficult.
A senior Congress leader, on the condition of anonymity, cited the mishandling of 2G controversy, Anna Hazare and Ramdev issues by the Government and said that most of the time the party is not taken into confidence about the Government decisions and the logic behind the same.
Political Thiefs are of two types.Direct / action oriented thieves in the field and the latent thieves who work from behind. For the latter, their share will reach them after the entire burglary is complete. I think the second category thieves have the support of the PM & Sonia, which only shows their true color.
But what is all this flurry about?
It is no longer about A Raja alone. It is not even truly about P Chidambaram. It is about rescuing Dr Manmohan Singh.
Tailpiece: Some -- judging by the famous note -- seem to believe that there would have been no 2G scam had the Union finance ministry done its duty, and the Opposition is using that to insist the then finance minister's role be investigated.
Siddhartha Shankar Mishra,
Bureau Chief, IN-DHINO
Orissa, Sambalpur
September 27, 2011
A big relief to the mobile users
A Big end to the sms menace
EVERYONE HAS faced the irritating SMSes that take up unnecessary space in one's phone memory, and calls that disturbs one on a peaceful Sunday afternoon. Telecommunication companies have tried to curb spam messages and service calls, and nowadays people can bar such numbers but random calls and messages always have a habit of cropping up. Thus, in an attempt to limit these messages further, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has limited the number of SMS messages to 100 per person per day, and this directive will take effect from today.
Millions of mobile phone users will be able to get rid of the menace of unsolicited text messages (SMS) in six weeks when DND (do not disturb) number 1909 becomes operational, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said on Friday.
Mobile phone users can opt for not receiving text SMS in seven categories like real estate, credit cards, consumer durables, banking and finance by registering their number in National Do-Not-Call (NDNC) registry by calling or sending SMS to toll-free number 1909, he said in the Rajya Sabha.
"This will be in place in next six weeks," he said during Question Hour, adding users can opt for not receiving messages for any of the seven categories or all of these.
Once a number is registered, the server will block any unsolicited text message if a tele-marketer ties to send it.
"If you register, you would not get those messages," he said.
Short messaging services or SMS has become a way of life with most people in India, and indeed across the world. Students stuck in a boring class, executives in meeting, and even people at home use this service all the time. This habit has been taken advantage of by various mobile network companies who make a lot of money through their SMS packages, as SMS is something that everybody uses.
Nevertheless, if the limitation of 100 SMS is applied then a lot of protests would be heard from different parts of the community. There are businesses who take the help of SMS service to promote their work and the 100 SMS per day would incur losses for them. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) are also not one with this grouse, as they say that on one hand they do want to curb the irritating communications that happen with random messages but on the same time they do not want to hamper the right to communicate of the customers. Keeping this in view they have asked the TRAI to take back the stipulation.
Due to the introduction of new schemes and offers almost every day by every other company to inveigled customers, marketing strategies and tactics become quintessential in heightening the performance of the companies. Ergo, prodigious sums of money are invested in marketing and publicity encompassing extensive amounts of attention and planning to come up with sui generis policies and strategies to give a conspicuous touch to the products. The desperation of the companies touches such a level, that they deploy anything and everything to capture the attention of the consumers.
From investing extravagant money to give advertisements and print hand bills and bill boards to disturbing the customers with annoying calls and text messages, the companies make sure to leave no stone unturned in publicizing the products. Needless to say, this is proving to be quite a menace for those at the receiving ends. Customers are flooded with calls and messages to notify about credit card deals, phone plans, real estate schemes and other offers that, more often than not, have no importance or use to them. While a few genuine notifications are always welcome to keep the customer updated, calling them for trivial issues just for the sake of marketing clearly point out the melancholic idiosyncrasies and unethical motives of the companies.
Accordingly , in order to get rid of these gadflies, I think, in the well-being of the consumers, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India needs to continuously monitor the marketing and publicity activities of the companies and takes necessary action against those complained about by the customers. The gravity of the issue should clearly be discerned and empathized; after all, it’s a matter of ethics, motives and modus operandi of the strategic-marketing industry of the country and the well-being of consumers.
Siddhartha Shankar mishra,
Sambalpur,Orissa,
PH - +919937965779
EVERYONE HAS faced the irritating SMSes that take up unnecessary space in one's phone memory, and calls that disturbs one on a peaceful Sunday afternoon. Telecommunication companies have tried to curb spam messages and service calls, and nowadays people can bar such numbers but random calls and messages always have a habit of cropping up. Thus, in an attempt to limit these messages further, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has limited the number of SMS messages to 100 per person per day, and this directive will take effect from today.
Millions of mobile phone users will be able to get rid of the menace of unsolicited text messages (SMS) in six weeks when DND (do not disturb) number 1909 becomes operational, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said on Friday.
Mobile phone users can opt for not receiving text SMS in seven categories like real estate, credit cards, consumer durables, banking and finance by registering their number in National Do-Not-Call (NDNC) registry by calling or sending SMS to toll-free number 1909, he said in the Rajya Sabha.
"This will be in place in next six weeks," he said during Question Hour, adding users can opt for not receiving messages for any of the seven categories or all of these.
Once a number is registered, the server will block any unsolicited text message if a tele-marketer ties to send it.
"If you register, you would not get those messages," he said.
Short messaging services or SMS has become a way of life with most people in India, and indeed across the world. Students stuck in a boring class, executives in meeting, and even people at home use this service all the time. This habit has been taken advantage of by various mobile network companies who make a lot of money through their SMS packages, as SMS is something that everybody uses.
Nevertheless, if the limitation of 100 SMS is applied then a lot of protests would be heard from different parts of the community. There are businesses who take the help of SMS service to promote their work and the 100 SMS per day would incur losses for them. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) are also not one with this grouse, as they say that on one hand they do want to curb the irritating communications that happen with random messages but on the same time they do not want to hamper the right to communicate of the customers. Keeping this in view they have asked the TRAI to take back the stipulation.
Due to the introduction of new schemes and offers almost every day by every other company to inveigled customers, marketing strategies and tactics become quintessential in heightening the performance of the companies. Ergo, prodigious sums of money are invested in marketing and publicity encompassing extensive amounts of attention and planning to come up with sui generis policies and strategies to give a conspicuous touch to the products. The desperation of the companies touches such a level, that they deploy anything and everything to capture the attention of the consumers.
From investing extravagant money to give advertisements and print hand bills and bill boards to disturbing the customers with annoying calls and text messages, the companies make sure to leave no stone unturned in publicizing the products. Needless to say, this is proving to be quite a menace for those at the receiving ends. Customers are flooded with calls and messages to notify about credit card deals, phone plans, real estate schemes and other offers that, more often than not, have no importance or use to them. While a few genuine notifications are always welcome to keep the customer updated, calling them for trivial issues just for the sake of marketing clearly point out the melancholic idiosyncrasies and unethical motives of the companies.
Accordingly , in order to get rid of these gadflies, I think, in the well-being of the consumers, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India needs to continuously monitor the marketing and publicity activities of the companies and takes necessary action against those complained about by the customers. The gravity of the issue should clearly be discerned and empathized; after all, it’s a matter of ethics, motives and modus operandi of the strategic-marketing industry of the country and the well-being of consumers.
Siddhartha Shankar mishra,
Sambalpur,Orissa,
PH - +919937965779
September 25, 2011
Chindabaram in a faasco, especially Congress.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee met in New York on Sunday evening for the first time
after the 2G note controversy erupted.
Pranab refused to speak on the issue, saying the matter is sub judice and he would first speak to "valued colleague" P Chidambaram and other leaders.
The CBI’s duty is to enquire and investigate whenever the evidence of latest comes out. Already A.Raja, the first accused has already told the court that the Home Minister Chidambaram and PM Manmohan Sigh know much and they should be quest.
In a new twist in the 2G controversy, sources have told CNN-IBN that Home Minister P Chidambaram had offered to resign when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called him. Sources say this prompted the prime minister to wholeheartedly back his home minister.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he has full faith in Chidambaram during both his stints as finance and now home minister. He also made it clear that there was no rift between his senior most ministers and that the government was in no mood to give in to pressure from the Opposition.
The prime minister has chosen to downplay his meeting with Mukherjee in New York, saying there was nothing unusual in it.
Congress sources maintain that top leaders, including the prime minister, are likely to meet party president Sonia Gandhi, once the PM returns. Gandhi has directed her party members to maintain a united front in the face of opposition charges that there was a rift within the two top Congress ministers.
So, it is no surprise that All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijay Singh, considered a Chidambaram-baiter, has come out in full support of the home minister, alleging he was being targeted by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and saffron parties. The government and the Congress have been in a firefighting mode to save the multi-pronged attack on the UPA from both BJP and Left parties.
The president of AICC Sonia Gandhi also asked the entire Congress cadre behind the Chidambaram. What is this discrimination?
Can one feel the CBI is an independent body when we see the statements favor or in support of Chidambaram.
The same Congress party is silent on Chidambaram’s role in 2G Spectrum. They don’t show interest to open the mouth on Mukesh Ambani’s role in KG Basin’s report of CAG.
If we see all of this the CBI is definitely vindictive on some persons who are not interested by AICC President Sonia Gandhi or party elders.
One thing is evident that the PM Manmohan Singh has been made by the people from his own league to make way for the next prime ministerial candidate, Rahul Gandhi.
Raja informed the PM that both issuance of 121 new licenses and 35 dual technology licences, "were discussed with external affairs minister at length."
The late PM PV Narasimha Rao was always correct that if anything of like this happens, his comment was ‘law will take it’s own course’.
It is better to recollect the facts of Chidambaram in LIC and Andhra Bank episodes few years before.
Trouble began when an RTI note revealed that Pranab Mukherjee's ministry had written to the Prime Minister's Office saying that Chidambaram could have prevented the 2G scam.With a 1.76 lakh Rupees scam for which DMK Minister A. Raja is in jail, it was obvious from day one and more so after the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Siungh admitted that he knew about the scam but had to keep quiet due to Coalition Dharma. What he meant was that the Congress also shared in the profits due to the scam and Raja was not the only beneficiary. The Congress since Indira Gandhi's days as Prime Minister, has been seeped in corruption. Remember, she was the one who, as Prime Minister made the statement "Corruption is a global phenomenon". After this, anyone being accused of corruption, gave the same excuse, justifying their being corrupt. All this money is in Swiss Banks. It is brought out during elections for expenditure in excess of what the Election Commission permits and to bribe the voters. Also remember the Rs. 65 lakhs withdrawn around election time, from State Bank of India, 4 decades ago, which got exposed in the Press. .All the three witnesses, the Cashier at SBI Branch from where the money was withdrawn, the person who withdrew the money on Smt. Gandhi's behalf and the driver of the car who took this person to the SBI Branch...all three died in mysterious circumstances. Why do you think the Congress is not serious about getting back the black money stashed abroad while other Governments in the world are putting pressure on Swiss Banks to expose the names of those holding accounts in the Swiss Banks? Money paid by Bofors, HDW, HInduja, UNION CARBIDE etc. etc. etc., to the Congress is all stashed in Swiss Banks. Wonder if Sonia Gandhi's secret visit out of the country, on grounds of treatment, saying it is a private matter, was really to reconcile accounts in the Swiss Banks and ensure they did not come out in the open. Rajiv Gandhi's name already appears in the list along with Sharad Pawar and several others. !!!
With Additional Inputs from PTI
after the 2G note controversy erupted.
Pranab refused to speak on the issue, saying the matter is sub judice and he would first speak to "valued colleague" P Chidambaram and other leaders.
The CBI’s duty is to enquire and investigate whenever the evidence of latest comes out. Already A.Raja, the first accused has already told the court that the Home Minister Chidambaram and PM Manmohan Sigh know much and they should be quest.
In a new twist in the 2G controversy, sources have told CNN-IBN that Home Minister P Chidambaram had offered to resign when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called him. Sources say this prompted the prime minister to wholeheartedly back his home minister.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he has full faith in Chidambaram during both his stints as finance and now home minister. He also made it clear that there was no rift between his senior most ministers and that the government was in no mood to give in to pressure from the Opposition.
The prime minister has chosen to downplay his meeting with Mukherjee in New York, saying there was nothing unusual in it.
Congress sources maintain that top leaders, including the prime minister, are likely to meet party president Sonia Gandhi, once the PM returns. Gandhi has directed her party members to maintain a united front in the face of opposition charges that there was a rift within the two top Congress ministers.
So, it is no surprise that All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijay Singh, considered a Chidambaram-baiter, has come out in full support of the home minister, alleging he was being targeted by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and saffron parties. The government and the Congress have been in a firefighting mode to save the multi-pronged attack on the UPA from both BJP and Left parties.
The president of AICC Sonia Gandhi also asked the entire Congress cadre behind the Chidambaram. What is this discrimination?
Can one feel the CBI is an independent body when we see the statements favor or in support of Chidambaram.
The same Congress party is silent on Chidambaram’s role in 2G Spectrum. They don’t show interest to open the mouth on Mukesh Ambani’s role in KG Basin’s report of CAG.
If we see all of this the CBI is definitely vindictive on some persons who are not interested by AICC President Sonia Gandhi or party elders.
One thing is evident that the PM Manmohan Singh has been made by the people from his own league to make way for the next prime ministerial candidate, Rahul Gandhi.
Raja informed the PM that both issuance of 121 new licenses and 35 dual technology licences, "were discussed with external affairs minister at length."
The late PM PV Narasimha Rao was always correct that if anything of like this happens, his comment was ‘law will take it’s own course’.
It is better to recollect the facts of Chidambaram in LIC and Andhra Bank episodes few years before.
Trouble began when an RTI note revealed that Pranab Mukherjee's ministry had written to the Prime Minister's Office saying that Chidambaram could have prevented the 2G scam.With a 1.76 lakh Rupees scam for which DMK Minister A. Raja is in jail, it was obvious from day one and more so after the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Siungh admitted that he knew about the scam but had to keep quiet due to Coalition Dharma. What he meant was that the Congress also shared in the profits due to the scam and Raja was not the only beneficiary. The Congress since Indira Gandhi's days as Prime Minister, has been seeped in corruption. Remember, she was the one who, as Prime Minister made the statement "Corruption is a global phenomenon". After this, anyone being accused of corruption, gave the same excuse, justifying their being corrupt. All this money is in Swiss Banks. It is brought out during elections for expenditure in excess of what the Election Commission permits and to bribe the voters. Also remember the Rs. 65 lakhs withdrawn around election time, from State Bank of India, 4 decades ago, which got exposed in the Press. .All the three witnesses, the Cashier at SBI Branch from where the money was withdrawn, the person who withdrew the money on Smt. Gandhi's behalf and the driver of the car who took this person to the SBI Branch...all three died in mysterious circumstances. Why do you think the Congress is not serious about getting back the black money stashed abroad while other Governments in the world are putting pressure on Swiss Banks to expose the names of those holding accounts in the Swiss Banks? Money paid by Bofors, HDW, HInduja, UNION CARBIDE etc. etc. etc., to the Congress is all stashed in Swiss Banks. Wonder if Sonia Gandhi's secret visit out of the country, on grounds of treatment, saying it is a private matter, was really to reconcile accounts in the Swiss Banks and ensure they did not come out in the open. Rajiv Gandhi's name already appears in the list along with Sharad Pawar and several others. !!!
With Additional Inputs from PTI
Amm Admi affected by the price hike
IF YOU have, or are planning to, fill a full tank of petrol in your vehicle today, then you will have to pay Rs 3.14 per litre extra. Various state-owned oil firms, after a meeting in Mumbai, had demanded a hike in the price of petrol, to cover for past and current losses, as the price of international crude oil continues to increase. One of the main reasons for asking for a hike was the appreciation pf the ruppe against the dollar.
It is the common man, who is going to be badly hit, by the latest installment of the hike in petrol price levied by the government. It is not a big surprise that car owners are turning towards CNG, which is comparatively cheaper. The queues outside the CNG gas stations is testimonial to this trend. As usual, the opposition party had protested against the hike.
With the hike in the price of petrol, it will now be available in Delhi at a cost of Rs 66.84 per litre against the old price of 63.70, which was already pinching all clases of society. As far as prices are concerned, after the hike, Delhi will still be the cheapest city compared to other major cities as far as petrol price is concerned - because adjusted with new price, petrol will now be available in Kolkata at (Rs 71.15, new price), Mumbai (Rs71.76), Chennai (Rs 70.64) and it is expensive at Bangalore (Rs 74.50).
Petrol price hikes take place regularly, and disappoint the ‘aam aadmi’. It was in the month of May, that the last hike in petrol prices took place the last time. It was increased by Rs 5 in May.
It is the common man, who is going to be badly hit, by the latest installment of the hike in petrol price levied by the government. It is not a big surprise that car owners are turning towards CNG, which is comparatively cheaper. The queues outside the CNG gas stations is testimonial to this trend. As usual, the opposition party had protested against the hike.
With the hike in the price of petrol, it will now be available in Delhi at a cost of Rs 66.84 per litre against the old price of 63.70, which was already pinching all clases of society. As far as prices are concerned, after the hike, Delhi will still be the cheapest city compared to other major cities as far as petrol price is concerned - because adjusted with new price, petrol will now be available in Kolkata at (Rs 71.15, new price), Mumbai (Rs71.76), Chennai (Rs 70.64) and it is expensive at Bangalore (Rs 74.50).
Petrol price hikes take place regularly, and disappoint the ‘aam aadmi’. It was in the month of May, that the last hike in petrol prices took place the last time. It was increased by Rs 5 in May.
A huge scam is in the making in the Indian power sector
THIS IS what the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has found in a study conducted by them. Chandra Bhushan, CSE’s deputy director general, claimed that unprecedented scale of clearances have been given by the Ministry of Environment (MoE) to industrial projects in the last five years. He adds that 267 thermal power plants, 200 coal-based thermal power plants, 181 coal mines, have been accorded clearance. This enormous splurge has led to a doubling of capacity in almost all sectors. However, almost all of this capacity remains unutilized.
The 11th Five Year Plan projects a revised target of 50,000 MW of additional thermal power capacity whereas the 12th plan asks for 100,000 MW. In the past five years, till August 2011, MoE has granted environmental clearance to an astounding 210,000 MW of thermal power capacity. In simple words this means that clearances for 60,000 MW more than what has been proposed till 2017 have already been given.
Coal India Limited (CIL) produces over 90 per cent of India’s coal with a control over 200,000 hectare acre of mine lease, including 55,000 hectare acre of forest area. The estimated coal reserves with CIL are 64 billion tones, and the company produces 500 million tons per annum.
CSE study claims that coal mining clearances just another way to facilitate access to captive coal mining by private companies. Today, many private companies have got coal mines, but have not started production. While the coal ministry has warned some companies to immediately develop their mines or face de-allocation, the minister of coal is on record demanding that environmental clearances be removed so that coal production is not jeopardised.
Chandra Bhushan wonders why the ministry is giving so many clearances. Why projects that are already are cleared not being implemented first before more clearances can be given? Is this some kind of a new scam to take over the land and water of the people?”
Many projects have been granted clearances in already critically polluted areas such as Singrauli, Korba, Raigadh and Hazaribagh. Says Bhushan: “Currently, all projects are cleared individually, without once assessing the cumulative impact on the region or district. It is clear that once operational, these projects will make life hell for the people and the environment.”
In the case of coal-based thermal power projects, of the top 10 districts where environmental clearance has been granted to these projects, six were declared as already critically polluted.
The 11th Five Year Plan projects a revised target of 50,000 MW of additional thermal power capacity whereas the 12th plan asks for 100,000 MW. In the past five years, till August 2011, MoE has granted environmental clearance to an astounding 210,000 MW of thermal power capacity. In simple words this means that clearances for 60,000 MW more than what has been proposed till 2017 have already been given.
Coal India Limited (CIL) produces over 90 per cent of India’s coal with a control over 200,000 hectare acre of mine lease, including 55,000 hectare acre of forest area. The estimated coal reserves with CIL are 64 billion tones, and the company produces 500 million tons per annum.
CSE study claims that coal mining clearances just another way to facilitate access to captive coal mining by private companies. Today, many private companies have got coal mines, but have not started production. While the coal ministry has warned some companies to immediately develop their mines or face de-allocation, the minister of coal is on record demanding that environmental clearances be removed so that coal production is not jeopardised.
Chandra Bhushan wonders why the ministry is giving so many clearances. Why projects that are already are cleared not being implemented first before more clearances can be given? Is this some kind of a new scam to take over the land and water of the people?”
Many projects have been granted clearances in already critically polluted areas such as Singrauli, Korba, Raigadh and Hazaribagh. Says Bhushan: “Currently, all projects are cleared individually, without once assessing the cumulative impact on the region or district. It is clear that once operational, these projects will make life hell for the people and the environment.”
In the case of coal-based thermal power projects, of the top 10 districts where environmental clearance has been granted to these projects, six were declared as already critically polluted.
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