Supreme Court heard the Blue Lady (SS Norway) matter on 26 July. The court took notice of illegal sale of ship’s oil. It asked the Gujarat Pollution Control Board to submit its affidavit within one week.
In the last order, the petitioner’s lawyer had pointed out that the oil lying on the ship is safer than its presence on the shore since taking it out would create complications due to prevalent illegal trade of waste oil etc. But the lawyer appearing on behalf of Priya Blue Industries Ltd who is seeking to dismantle the ship had argued that due to monsoons there is a danger of contamination of sea due to oil spillage. Therefore, it was necessary to shift the oil from the ship.
Considering latter’s submission, the bench of Dr. Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice S.H. Kapadia ordered, “Without claiming any equities, the Ship Breaking Unit shall be permitted to remove oil from the ship under the supervision and guidance of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board and the Gujarat Maritime Board. It shall be ensured by these two authorities that the activity does not result in any environmental pollution because of spilling of oil. The authorities concerned shall record the details about the weight of oil to be removed from the ship.”
Unfortunately, what was apprehended came true since the oil, which was removed from the ship, has been sold in the market without the court’s permission. It is now for the GPCB and Gujarat Maritime Board to explain as to why oil and toxic waste oil were disposed of in tearing hurry.
Including waste oil, “The import of 29 items has already been prohibited under Schedule – 8 of the Hazardous Waste Rules as amended in May, 2003”, as per specific Supreme Court order. The order noted, “Basel Convention has banned 76 items.” Basel Convention is an UN treaty on movement of hazardous wastes. It further clarified that “It is implicit that if more items are banned, the corresponding Notification shall be issued by the Central Government under Section 11 of the Customs Act.” The HW Rules allow import of certain items subject to fulfillment of conditions. The court did observe that “it appears that unscrupulous traders in the garb of importing used oil or furnace oil, in fact, import waste oil which is a banned item.”
There has been no compliance of these directions in the case of Blue Lady and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has not even been intimated about the same. Supreme Court in the matter of Ship Breaking dealing with “Decontamination of ships before they are exported to India for breaking”, has specifically directed that “Before a ship arrives at port, it should have proper consent from the authority concerned or the State Maritime Board, stating that it does not contain any hazardous waste or radioactive substances. AERB should be consulted in the matter in appropriate cases.” The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and notifications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act and the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986. A letter has been sent to the Chairman, AERB seeking his intervention to ascertain the hazards and the ensure compliance with Atomic Radiation Protection Rules, 2004 and the court order.
Meanwhile reports of new evidence of huge radioactive material named Americium 241 has come to light. On exposure this radioactive material is known to concentrate in the bone, liver and muscle and can expose surrounding tissues to radiation, thereby increasing the risk of cancer even as Environment Secretary headed Committee of Technical Experts (CTE) has opined that “the presence of radioactive materials in a passenger ship like “Blue Lady is quite unlikely.” In a letter to CTE, ship’s former Project Manager Tom Haugan has said that there is Americium 241 at 5500 detection points on Blue Lady.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Blue Lady’s illegal toxic oil sale under scanner
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Mudikonda Firing
Justice B. Subhashan Reddy, Chairperson, Andhra Pradesh Human Rights Commission (APHRC) has called for a report on the circumstances that led to the police firing in Mudikonda of Khammam district on 28 July, taking note of the death of eight persons and injuries to eight more. Modigonda is 15 km from Khammam town. The two-month long struggle for the land distribution.
The state Congress government has been using excessive force in the face of public protests. Fifty rounds of firing by the police using self-loading rifles (SLR) and other powerful weapons in Khammam district is similar to what happened in Hyderabad on May 18 after the blast in Makkah Masjid.
N Chandrababu Naidu, chief, Telgu Desam Party on 29 July demanded the resignation of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy owning moral responsibility for the police firing in Khammam district.
Khammam district Collector is supposed to send a report by August 1, 2007. Khammam is represented by Renuka Chowdhury in the Parliament. Instead of visiting the victims and their families, Chowdhury is awaiting reports of the incident.
Telugu TV channels aired pictures of unprovoked firing by policemen several rounds from automatic weapons on the protestors seeking land rights. Most of the victims were shot on abdomen, chest and head. The bodies were lying in pools of blood while the injured were writhing in pain. Wailing men and women had gathered around them.
The television footage showed how police fired at the people running away or carrying the injured persons were fired on the chest and the head.
The television cameras caught the police opening fire at the relay hunger strike camp of the CPM where three to four hundred people were sitting.
When the communist parties staged demonstrations across the state. The issue had dominated the 10-day assembly session.
In Hyderabad, CPI state secretary K. Narayana, CPI-M secretary B.V. Raghavulu and eight other leaders, who were on an indefinite hunger strike for seven days, were shifted to a hospital by police since their condition was deteriorating.
The government has transferred the Khammam district superintendent of police R K Meena and suspended additional SP Ramesh Babu. The judicial probe has been ordered into the incident.
K Chandrasekhar Rao, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi president spoke to the bereaved families and expressed solidarity with the Left parties in their land struggle.
The talks between the government and representatives of Left parties failed to break the impasse over land distribution issue.
The protestors have been insisting on setting up an autonomous commission to monitor implementation of land distribution to the poor.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Blue Lady, a national security threat?
"Blue Lady has more extensive problems"
Comment: As it should be well known, the logistic and historical problems of the Blue Lady (SS Norway) are derived from a single source:
In 2003 the SS Norway was attacked by Al Qaeda in the port of Miami with widespread prior knowledge and explicit media coverage of the 2-week prior advisory in tape from Al Qaeda.
"to Raise/Singe the floor right out from under their feet, the political and corporate interests of the United States and Norway."
Links to mass media archives are available at:
http://remedials.org/sunk/
There is a reason the ship's papers are not in order, and the Americans are a primary reason.
-Wilfred
WilfredGuerin@gmail.com
aim/msn/yp/gt/etc "WilfredGuerin"
http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/151684/1/
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Evidence of Radioactive Material on Blue Lady
Evidence of Radioactive Material on Blue Lady
New evidence submitted by the former project manager of SS Norway reveals that the toxic ship-for-scrap renamed Blue Lady and currently anchored 4000 feet off Alang coast has radioactive material on board in at least 5500 fire detection points. Americium 241 – a radioactive substance – concentrates in the bone, liver and muscle and can expose surrounding tissues to radiation, thereby increasing the risk of cancer. Ironically, this finding was made months after the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Technical Experts (CTE) opined “the presence of radioactive materials in a passenger ship like “Blue Lady” is quite unlikely.”
“The new evidence exposes the shoddy state of science in this country. A body of experts appointed by the apex Court of the country confidently, and without evidence, rules on a subject that has far-ranging implications on worker health and environment.”
Supreme Court in the matter of Ship Breaking dealing with “Decontamination of ships before they are exported to India for breaking”, has specifically directed that “Before a ship arrives at port, it should have proper consent from the authority concerned or the State Maritime Board, stating that it does not contain any hazardous waste or radioactive substances. AERB should be consulted in the matter in appropriate cases.” There has been no compliance of these directions in the case of Blue Lady. No one has been punished for this lapse till date.
“The ship admittedly contains more than 1200 tons of asbestos, significant quantities of carcinogenic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other heavy-metal-laden substances. Export of such ships to non-OECD countries violates the Basel Convention. However, India has refused to challenge such imports despite the abysmal environment and safety record at its ship-breaking yard in Alang.”
The Final Report of CTE submitted to the apex court notes, “the average annual incidence of fatal accidents in ship breaking industry is 2.0 per 1000 workers while the All India incidence of fatal accidents during the same period in mining industry, which is considered to be the most accident prone industries, is 0.34per 1000 workers.”
The Final Report also notes of asbestos victims in the ship-breaking industry and cites the “Medical Examination of the Asbestos Handlers” by a team of National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) that concludes, “ The X ray examination by NIOH showed linear shadows on chest X rays of 15 (16 %) of 94 workers occupationally exposed to asbestos. These are consistent with asbestosis…” but has failed to recommend any compensation as is required as per court’s directions.
“In such a context the imminent contamination from Americium-241 can occur to people/workers who work at or near a contaminated side through ingestion of food and water, or by inhalation is alarming.” When inhaled, some Americium-241 remains in the lungs, depending upon the particle size and the chemical form of the Americium compound. The chemical forms that dissolve easily may pass into the bloodstream from the lungs. The chemical forms that dissolve less easily tend to remain in the lungs, or are coughed up through the lung's natural defense system, and swallowed. From the stomach, swallowed Americium may dissolve and pass into the bloodstream.
That Americium-241 poses a significant risk if ingested (swallowed) or inhaled. It can stay in the body for decades and continue to expose the surrounding tissues to both alpha and gamma radiation, increasing the risk of developing cancer. Americium-241 also poses a cancer risk to all organs of the body from direct external exposure to its gamma radiation. Neither the Dismantling Plan submitted by the buyers of the ship nor any of the Reports/Affidavits by the Technical Committee or Environment Ministry envisage safe removal/destruction of such radioactive substances contained in the Blue Lady.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Blue Lady Saga
Blue Lady Saga
Current Situation: The Supreme Court is due to hear the Blue Lady/Hazardous Wastes matter on 26 July, 2007.
The court observed on 17th August 2006 that the only permission granted on humanitarian grounds by it on 5th June 2006 was for anchoring at a safe place in the territorial waters of India off Alang. It made it clear that no permission whatsoever has been granted for breaking of the ship. The court further made it clear that any precipitate action to break the ship without the court's express permission will be dealt with severely. In its June 2006 order, the court took note of anchorage, beaching and dismantling as separate measures and mentioned them distinctly. Permitting anchorage, the order said, "This shall, however, not confer any equity on the owners of the ship, which is sought to be put on anchorage, beaching and dismantling."
The question which remains unanswered is whether or not Blue Lady has violated court's 14th October, 2003 order which made pre-cleaning in the country of export mandatory.
A Brief Chronology of what happened to Blue Lady since it was refused entry by Bangladesh: -
5 May, 2006: Blue Lady left Malaysia to go to Dubai for repairs
11 May, 2006: Indian media reported that Blue Lady left the port of Malaysia for Dubai for repairs and later it started sailing towards the Indian port at Alang, Gujarat after it was refused entry in Bangladesh. Sanjay Parikh and Rohit Alex, Supreme Court lawyers brought this to the notice of the Supreme Court. The court asked someone to move the application.
12 May, 2006: An application in the apex court asking the court to ensure that the ship complied with court orders was filed. The court issued notices to the concerned authorities including Technical Committee.
14 May, 2006: Gujarat Pollution Control Board bars the entry of Blue Lady in Indian waters
17 May, 2006:Technical Experts Committee on Ship breaking (appointed by the Supreme Court in February 2006 while hearing Le Clemenceau case) hears the submission of the ship purchaser, Haryana Ship Demolitions Pvt Ltd
17 May, 2006: Kalraj Mishra, MP asked the government to send back the ship named Blue Lady since its 50 times more toxic than other ships.
20 May 2006: Technical Experts Committee on Ship breaking prepares its Interim Report
27 May, 2006: Technical Experts Committee on Ship breaking invites NGOs to make submission
31 May, 2006: Interim Report submitted to the Supreme Court and next date if hearing asked
5 June, 2006: Court allows Haryana Ship Demolitions Pvt Ltd to anchor Blue Lady on humanitarian grounds, legal arguments would be heard in July 2006
5 June, 2006: The Applicant in the Blue Lady case filed additional affidavits citing the case of illegal traffic of the ship and the obligation of the Malaysian Government to recall the ship
13 June, 2006: Instead of anchoring in Indian waters, the ship left for Dubai, UAE
26 June, 2006: Technical Committee holds its meeting to take stock of the ship-breaking situation and Blue Lady
26 June, 2006: Indian Platform on Ship-breaking formally launched at a meeting in Chennai
27 June, 2006: Technical Committee informs the media that it would submit the final report on 30th July to the Supreme Court
30 June, 2006: Blue Lady anchored 35 nautical miles away from Alang. Heavy rains prevent Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to begin inspection on Blue Lady. Platform informed the media as to how the new evidence shows that Blue Lady indulged in deceit at the German port in May 2005 with regard to its intent of dismantling and how Star Cruise, the owner of the ship is indicted of Environmental Crime by US Justice Department.
5 July, 2006: Indian Platform sent a Letter to German Embassy in New Delhi informing them of the acts of ommission and commission contrary to Basel Convention at the German port by Star Cruise
6 July, 2006: Platform informs the media of the manner in which the ship-purchasers have misled the committee and the court
10 July, 2006: Although Gujarat Pollution Control Board is yet to inspect Norwegian cruise liner 'Blue Lady' for possible toxic content, a Press Release issued by PTI is being printed time and again wherein it said that "The ship, currently anchored at Pipavav port in State, will be moved to the Alang ship-breaking yard after the GPCB inspection. The Supreme Court last month ruled that the ship could be scrapped at Alang provided it was declared safe by experts."
12 July, 2006: Neumeyer, German Member of Parliament confirms that S S Norway (Blue Lady) that all evidence shown showed that the ship would be reconstructed and reused as a hotel or training ship. He also confirmed that German Government has been asked by the European Commission to inform them whether the ship has violated Basel Convention and European Waste Shipment Regulation.
29 July, 2006: Technical Committee decides to allow beaching of the ship contrary to the court order
31st July, 2006: The term of Technical Committee expired. It has applied in the court for further extension.
1st August, 2006: Beaching was recommended by the Technical Committee.
6th August, 2006: Business Standard reported that Haryana Ship Demolitions Ltd has sold the ship to Priya Blue Shipping Limited in 16 M US dollars.
15th August, 2006: Blue Lady beached in Alang some 1-5 km away from the shore in the early morning. One of the crew members of the 'Blue Lady', a cruise liner that beached on Tuesday at Alang ship breaking yard of Bhavnagar, was arrested for fraud.
17th August, 2006: A new application filed in the case seeking action against the violation of court orders by the Technical Committee by allowing beaching of Blue Lady. The court said, no breaking permission has been granted and those found guilty of violating court orders will be dealt with severely. The court observed that the only permission granted by it on 5th June 2006 was for anchoring at a safe place in the territorial waters of India off Alang. It made it clear that no permission whatsoever has been granted for breaking of the ship. The court further made it clear that any precipitate action to break the ship without the court's express permission will be dealt with severely. In its June 2006 order, the court took note of anchorage, beaching and dismantling as separate measures and mentioned them distinctly. Permitting anchorage, the order said,
"This shall, however, not confer any equity on the owners of the ship, which is sought to be put on anchorage, beaching and dismantling." This exposes the impropriety committed by the Technical Committee on Ship-breaking whose term expired on 31st July, 2006 but is still held its meeting on 18th and 19th August, 2006 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
24 August, 2006: European Commission Directorate General, Environment writes to Indian Basel Focal Point, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests informing India that the Commission is investigating the circumstances in which the ship Blue Lady left Europe in May 2005 and it sought to know whether Basel Convention Guidelines have been complied with.
25th August, 2006: Basudev Acharya, a Member of Parliament raises the petition on Blue Lady in the Parliament seeking investigate the role of authorities
30th –31st August 2006: Technical Committee's Final Report submitted to the Supreme Court. The Committee has submitted two sets of reports. One, concerning Blue Lady and the other about Ship-breaking in general. The Committee final report confirms fears expressed by the applicant in his 12th May, 2006 application to the effect that workers are severely exposed to lethal substances such as asbestos and PCBs. Asbestos is banned in over 40 countries because of it cancer causing nature. And PCB another carcinogen is listed for phase out as per Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) of which India is a party. It also suggests that some 2 accidents per 1000 workers is taking place, which is the worst in comparison to any industry.
Press Release
Indian Platform on Shipbreaking
B-1/66, Ist floor Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi-110067
Press Release
Evidence of Radioactive Material on Blue Lady
25 July, 2007
New Delhi: New evidence submitted by the former project manager of SS Norway reveals that the toxic ship-for-scrap renamed Blue Lady and currently anchored 4000 feet off Alang coast has radioactive material on board in at least 5500 fire detection points. Americium 241 – a radioactive substance – concentrates in the bone, liver and muscle and can expose surrounding tissues to radiation, thereby increasing the risk of cancer. Ironically, this finding was made months after the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Technical Experts (CTE) opined “the presence of radioactive materials in a passenger ship like “Blue Lady” is quite unlikely.”
“The new evidence exposes the shoddy state of science in this country. A body of experts appointed by the apex Court of the country confidently, and without evidence, rules on a subject that has far-ranging implications on worker health and environment.”
Supreme Court in the matter of Ship Breaking dealing with “Decontamination of ships before they are exported to India for breaking”, has specifically directed that “Before a ship arrives at port, it should have proper consent from the authority concerned or the State Maritime Board, stating that it does not contain any hazardous waste or radioactive substances. AERB should be consulted in the matter in appropriate cases.” There has been no compliance of these directions in the case of Blue Lady. No one has been punished for this lapse till date.
“The ship admittedly contains more than 1200 tons of asbestos, significant quantities of carcinogenic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other heavy-metal-laden substances. Export of such ships to non-OECD countries violates the Basel Convention. However, India has refused to challenge such imports despite the abysmal environment and safety record at its ship-breaking yard in Alang.”
The Final Report of CTE submitted to the apex court notes, “the average annual incidence of fatal accidents in ship breaking industry is 2.0 per 1000 workers while the All India incidence of fatal accidents during the same period in mining industry, which is considered to be the most accident prone industries, is 0.34per 1000 workers.”
The Final Report also notes of asbestos victims in the ship-breaking industry and cites the “Medical Examination of the Asbestos Handlers” by a team of National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) that concludes, “ The X ray examination by NIOH showed linear shadows on chest X rays of 15 (16 %) of 94 workers occupationally exposed to asbestos. These are consistent with asbestosis…” but has failed to recommend any compensation as is required as per court’s directions.
“In such a context the imminent contamination from Americium-241 can occur to people/workers who work at or near a contaminated side through ingestion of food and water, or by inhalation is alarming.” When inhaled, some Americium-241 remains in the lungs, depending upon the particle size and the chemical form of the Americium compound. The chemical forms that dissolve easily may pass into the bloodstream from the lungs. The chemical forms that dissolve less easily tend to remain in the lungs, or are coughed up through the lung's natural defense system, and swallowed. From the stomach, swallowed Americium may dissolve and pass into the bloodstream.
That Americium-241 poses a significant risk if ingested (swallowed) or inhaled. It can stay in the body for decades and continue to expose the surrounding tissues to both alpha and gamma radiation, increasing the risk of developing cancer. Americium-241 also poses a cancer risk to all organs of the body from direct external exposure to its gamma radiation. Neither the Dismantling Plan submitted by the buyers of the ship nor any of the Reports/Affidavits by the Technical Committee or Environment Ministry envisage safe removal/destruction of such radioactive substances contained in the Blue Lady.
For details: H Mahadevan (AITUC), 9818120885, P K Ganguly (CITU), 9968214082, Gopal Krishna (Platform on Shipbreaking), 9818089660
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Why does Indian intelligence fail?
Why does Indian intelligence fail?
Why do we fail?
We fail because the central Intelligence Bureau, the government's cutting edge internal security tool, is ill-prepared to combat aggressive operations of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence agency, Bangladesh's Directorate General of Forces Intelligence and Islamist tanzeems.
The Bureau has well-trained, motivated and dedicated operators to gather intelligence and operate along areas of national fault lines. The IB operates through its Central Operations Units and Subsidiary Units in states. From the Northeast to Gujarat, Kashmir to Kanyakumari, it has a vast geographical area and extremely complex problems to grapple with. And with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan factors thrown in, the Bureau finds it nose drowned under the flood of events that threaten the nation. The IB is simply not equipped to handle the enormous canvas, which is getting murkier by the day.
Among other things, it suffers from:
- Lack of trained manpower at the operative level;
- Inadequacy of modern training to combat acts of terrorism and insurgency;
- Lack of electronic and technical intelligence equipments for combating the vast and expanding fields of information and communication technology;
- Near inability to generate Human Assets in target areas where the indigenous and foreign jihadists establish nests, modules, cells and chains of secondary support system. The IB has not yet opted for certain 'unorthodox' tradecraft that can enable it to penetrate the target areas. It relies more on limited electronic and technical intelligence to cover trans-border movements, induction of arms, explosives and trained jihadists from Pakistan and Bangladesh;
- The IB has very little support from sister agencies like the R&AW about location, preparation and planning of the jihadist tanzeems in Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries-the UK, USA, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal and certain European destinations.
- Support system from other friendly countries are not threat and issue specific. India can urge the friendly nations to reorient their tools to cover the jihadist thrust in the subcontinent, as it has emerged as the neuronal epicentre of East-Far East-West journey of jihadist impulses.
- The information and operations sharing mechanism between the Centre and the states is in rudimentary stage. It should be augmented under the auspices of the National Security Council. The Electronic, Technical and Image Intelligence data collation and monitoring system at the central and state levels require integration under the auspices of the NSC. The same facility should be able to integrate with the existing agencies that are engaged in handling suspected line, air and electronic cipher traffic and the www menace.
- The Intelligence Bureau require immediate geographic, operational and resources expansion. The Union government, as indicated by the prime minister, should pay immediate attention to these burning needs. This exercise should be completed within next five years after speedy determination of National Intelligence Estimate (revised periodically). Otherwise, the IB will continue to lag behind the cancer of jihadist thrust. The authorities should not forget that besides carrying out serial bombings the jihadists under the protective umbrella of the ISI, Bangladesh's DGFI and the Al Qaeda Inc are capable of importing and indigenously manufacturing of weapons of mass destruction. The CIA does not rule out the possibility of Al Qaeda Inc developing crude and dirty nuclear bombs.
- People have the right to know the threat quantum they face from inimical forces and should also be assured that the government, besides scanning the sensex graph and the GNP/GDP arithmetic is duty bound to protect lives and properties of the citizen. People are threatened by a new kind of war, which is known to the people of the Northeast, Punjab and Kashmir. But for the heartland and peninsular India, it is a new experience. They have to live with it and compel their politicians to look beyond the ballot boxes and 'secular fences.' The state and central governments must prove that they are capable of governing. They should be able to protect or prepare to perish.
- The Intelligence Bureau is not equipped to monitor the web sites of the Islamist jihadist groups. They do not have superfast computers, nationwide networking and surveillance capability on the servers of the ISP providers. Only prolonged studies and research can decipher the coding pattern and transmission trademark of each terror group. These require regular logging and liasing with western agencies who have made forward strides, especially after the 9/11 Al Qaeda attack. Other nodal points in the government should embark upon the task of monitoring the virtual www world and share their inputs online with the central and state intelligence agencies.
- The IB is also required to develop a focussed, dedicated and self-contained research and operations group to work at ground and desk levels to assess, anticipate, follow and pre-empt conspiracies and execution plans of the ISI, DGFI, Islamist tanzeems across the subcontinent.
The IB should be empowered to act and neutralise such enemies of the country, wherever possible, in concerted operations with the State agencies. The question of empowering the IB with limited 'retaliatory forward operations' capability should be seriously examined with a view to paying back the responsible tanzeems in their own coin.
We fail because the IB is not allowed by the government to expose its wares to the larger audience of any parliamentary watchdog body. The country is not entitled to know why they fail and why they cannot be made failproof. The agency is out of bounds for the RTI Act of 2005. It should at least be made accountable to Parliament, so that people can know how their money is being spent and how the political masters manipulate the agencies.
The people have a right to know. Failures cannot be covered up behind the veil of departmental security rules.
We fail because our coastal policing and intelligence gathering mechanism is appallingly poor. Besides the Coast Guard, which normally patrol the deeper shallow waters and the Border Security Force, which covers certain eastern riverine borders with Bangladesh, the state governments do not take coastal policing seriously. The existing police forces are not adequate, trained and equipped to police the vast western coastal area from Kot Lakhpat to Wapi in Gujarat and Daman near Maharashtra to Bhatkal in Karnataka and beyond in Kerala.
Besides over a dozen major ports, the western coast has nearly 150 minor ports, over 200 landing sites and over 500 shallow landing creeks. The police and Customs presence in the major ports aside, there is skeletal or no Customs or police presence in minor ports and nothing at all in the landing sites and shallow creeks. The police departments have a few slow moving dhows and negligible fast boats without GPS technology. Pakistan and other jihadist forces can land any amount of arms and explosives through the vast unmanned western coastal area. India has no blueprint to tackle this menace.
A nation under attack still thinks 'people's resilience' is the only weapon to fight the jihadist forces. When shall we wake up to the needs for a special coastal policing and intelligence system?
We fail because our disaster management mechanism is appallingly neglected. There exists a high sounding body in Delhi, fat at the top minus vital limbs. The state governments are not concerned about managing disasters beyond paying ex-gratia grants to the dead and injured. The Central Disaster Management outfit should be integrated with the state outfits and a unified command structure is required to be in position with adequate resources. Response time should be minimised to 10 minutes at proximate locations and not more than 20 minutes at difficult locations.
We fail because Pakistan, Bangladesh and other Islamist forces are rapidly salvaging the 'communal debris' left by the scars of Partition. Politicians are aiding these forces by mimicking the British 'divide and rule' policy. They are fuelling the ruffled sentiments that arise out of poverty, lack of education and opportunities. Our system has failed to address these crying needs.
The political class has failed to bridge the gaps left by Partition. They have widened the gaps through vote catching slogans and are doing precious little for them. The poor among the Muslims are as poor as the poor in any other community. They live, because they happen to be born. Nothing beyond!
We fail because we suspect each other. We fail because even the Hindus are fragmented. We fail because we do not behave as a united people. Our unity, our ability to rebuff dubious politicians and our resolve to rise above the ghost of history can act as sure deterrence against the war imposed on us.
This is not a war by Muslims against Hindus. It is a war against India by the foreign-based jihadist forces headed by Pakistan, Bangladesh and International Islamist Inc. Every Indian is required to unitedly fight these enemies.
The foreign forces should not succeed in subverting our own people by taking advantage of lapses committed by the political caricatures. We must remember that Indian Muslims did not fight in Afghan jihad and Pakistan's Kashmir jihad. They are one of us and we shall triumph together.
M K Dhar is the author of Open Secrets and Fulcrum of Evil-ISI-CIA-Al Qaeda Nexus and other books. Available at maloy_d@hotmail.com
Source: http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/aug/17guest1.htm
Friday, July 20, 2007
Dutt Power
Note: Chaitanya Kalbag joined Hindustan Times as Editor-in-Chief from September 1, 2006. Earlier he was Managing Editor, Reuters Asia. Few weeks back at a panel discussion Kalbag said, "I have never felt that there has been any erosion in his editorial independence". He was responding to a question from a student of journalism at India International Centre. The student further asked him "what is the meaning of editorial independence when reporters are working like contract workers", both Kalbag and Vinod Mehta, his co-panelist were speechless.
Shobhana Bhartia is the daughter of the industrialist K K Birla and grand-daughter of G D Birla. The KK Birla family owned 75.36 per cent stake in HT Media. She is married to Shyam Sunder Bhartia, Chairman, Pharma firm Jubilant Organosys Ltd. Shobhana is the Vice-Chairperson and Editorial Director of the Hindustan Times group.
In February 2006, Shobhana was nominated to Rajya Sabha on a recommendation by by Sonia Gandhi. The nomination, reserved for eminent people from the fields of literature, science,art and social service, was challenged in the Supreme Court on the grounds that she was a "media baron" and not a journalist, and that she was politically affiliated with the Congress Party. The court dismissed the appeal saying that the scope of "social service" was broad enough to include her.
Not surprisingly, the editorial policy of Hindustan Times is biased towards Sonia Gandhi therefore, when Congress government came to power in 2004, she was made Padma Shree award nominees in 2005.
Dutt power
the hoot
Dutt Power
Note: Chaitanya Kalbag joined Hindustan Times as Editor-in-Chief from September 1, 2006. Earlier he was Managing Editor, Reuters Asia. Few weeks back at a panel discussion Kalbag said, "I have never felt that there has been any erosion in his editorial independence". He was responding to a question from a student of journalism at India International Centre. The student further asked him "what is the meaning of editorial independence when reporters are working like contract workers", both Kalbag and Vinod Mehta, his co-panelist were speechless.
Shobhana Bhartia is the daughter of the industrialist K K Birla and grand-daughter of G D Birla. The KK Birla family owned 75.36 per cent stake in HT Media. She is married to Shyam Sunder Bhartia, Chairman, Pharma firm Jubilant Organosys Ltd. Shobhana is the Vice-Chairperson and Editorial Director of the Hindustan Times group.
In February 2006, Shobhana was nominated to Rajya Sabha on a recommendation by by Sonia Gandhi. The nomination, reserved for eminent people from the fields of literature, science,art and social service, was challenged in the Supreme Court on the grounds that she was a "media baron" and not a journalist, and that she was politically affiliated with the Congress Party. The court dismissed the appeal saying that the scope of "social service" was broad enough to include her.
Not surprisingly, the editorial policy of Hindustan Times is biased towards Sonia Gandhi therefore, when Congress government came to power in 2004, she was made Padma Shree award nominees in 2005.
Dutt power
the hoot
Monday, July 16, 2007
Open Secrets of RAW-I
There are media reports that a new book titled "India's External Internal Intelligence: Secrets of Research and Analysis Wing" (RAW) written by former RAW officer Major General (retd) V K Singh is likely to be banned. The use of the Official Secrets Act might facilitate the same.
Ashok Chaturvedi, RAW Chief is reported to have voiced his concerns about the book to MK Narayanan, National Security Advisor.
It is being said that the book deals with the leadership crisis in the RAW, lack of accountability, and political mishandling of RAW's functions.
RAW was founded on 21st September 1968 by Rameshwar Nath Kao who was made a Secretary (Research) in the Cabinet Secretariat. R.N.Kao retired from active government service in 1977.
Prior to independence Kao had joined the Imperial Police - which was to the ICS what the IPS is to the IAS today - at the start of the Second World War. He became part of the British Intelligence Bureau.
After independence Kao was entrusted with the task of looking after the security ring of the Nehru. Kao was deputed to the Intelligence Bureau (I.B.), on the eve of Independence when it was being reorganised under B.N. Mullick.
He became a senior advisor to Indira Gandhi in 1980 when she became the Prime Minister of the Country for the second time. When Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister of the country in 1984, R.N.Kao was appointed his security advisor. He breathed his last on 20 January 2002 at the age of 84 years.
Continued....
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Rapists Galore
Statistics reveal that on an average one woman is raped every hour in India. The Week (15 April 2007) noted that the conviction for rape crime in India is 4 to 12 per cent. As if this was not enough instances of gang rape is on the rise all over the country across all strata of urban and rural society.
The most recent gang rapes being that of a MBA girl, a senior executive by three Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials- Sarat Chander, Praveen Bhargava and Ramesh Thakur-the three accused in the case and the village women in Dhanipurwa village under the Sirsiya police station area in Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh (UP) by the supporters of Dadan Mishra, UP Minister of State for Medical Education. In the former the FIR (610/07) dated June 9, 2007 under Sections 376, 354, 506, 384 (34) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Malviya Nagar police station on June 9 this year under the directions of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kamini Lau. The details about the police action in the latter has also underway. But the police action in the both the cases leaves a lot to be desired since no arrests have been made so far.
On June 1, 2007, The Gurdian carried a report 'The rapists' enemy' that is relevant to India as well. The story was about an ex crime prosecutor of New York who won 80% of the cases.
This ex crime prosecutor-Alice Vachss-was once described by a judge as "a woman who drinks blood for breakfast". She visited UK where an estimated 47,000 rapes occur each year and convictions rate is mere 5.6%.
She successfully helped prosecute a former director of a boys' club for sexually abusing boys in his care, she found out that he had done a deal with a supreme court judge.
Alice Vachss has coined the term "collaborators" to describe those who "provide a support system to rapists". "My first lesson about sex crimes prosecution is that perpetrators are not the only enemy."
"At least in my experience, there is no such thing as a sex crimes prosecution that is not 'against all the odds'.
She noted that majority of sex crimes are committed by men but does not let women off the hook as she has prosecuted a number of cases of child abuse where the women were complicit - by doing nothing about the abuse, or even, in some cases, holding the child down to be raped.
According to her women are not always victims of men's dominance. "There [is] a segment of the battered women's advocates community who argue that if the mother was being abused as well, that she could not be held accountable for failing to protect the child. I think that is a profound insult to the tremendously courageous battered women who do find a way to put their children's safety first."
In 2005, a survey for Amnesty International found that 5% of women (compared with 3% of men) believed that a woman was "totally responsible" for being raped if she was drunk.
"What I want is for people to feel horror about what rape really is" and "to feel indignation that we tolerate it," says Alice Vachss.
In India only one in 69 rape cases in India are reported. Indeed it’s not about sex but sick violence. According to the UN Population Fund, more than two-thirds of married women in India aged between 15 and 49 have been beaten, raped or forced to provide sex.
But instead of dealing with it as a case of crude violence akin to murder, rape is defined in India under Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code as 'sexual intercourse with a woman' and the absence of consent. Even the Supreme Court in its order in the Sakshi v. Union of India, 2004 case followed this narrow definition and chose not to interpret it in the light of somewhat expanded definition envisaged in the apex court order in the Madan Gopal Kakkad v. Naval Dubey case.
Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code, says, "Sexual intercourse by a man with his own wife, not being under 15 years of age is not rape." But recently, the abolition of Marital rape (Rituparno Ghosh's Antarmahal highligted the same) that was earlier excluded from the definition of rape under the Penal Code is a a step forward, at least legally.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Rupert and The Review
The Hoot carried this interesting piece
Rupert and The Review
As part of its campaign against Rupert Murdoch's acquisition of Dow Jones, The Columbia Journalism Review has produced a Rupert Reader
A RUPERT READER
Rupert Murdoch may or may not purchase Dow Jones and thus run The Wall Street Journal. We think it's a bad idea, and invite you to check our reasoning:First, in the editorial from our new July issue, we tell a tale about a frog and a scorpion:http://www.cjr.org/editorial/its_his_nature.php
Second, our Dean Starkman rounds up the business-press coverage of Murdoch (notably in the Journal itself) and contends that a News Corp.-owned Journal cannot cover certain problems of modern capitalism because News Corp. exemplifies those very problems.Second, our Dean Starkman rounds up the business-press coverage of Murdoch (notably in the Journal itself) and contends that a News Corp.-owned Journal cannot cover certain problems of modern capitalism because News Corp. exemplifies those very problems.http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/why_news_corp_cant_cover_the_u.php
And finally,
Bruce Page, author of The Murdoch Archipelago, a UK-published history of News Corp., takes us through the company's history in an 8000-word Web exclusive. We see the company kowtowing to state power on four continents. http://www.cjr.org/profile/bending_to_power.php
SEZ, ILR & Corporate Funding of Parties
Moderator's Note: Isn't there a relation between corporate funding to Indian National Congress, Bhartiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the approval of Special Economic Zones (SEZ)?
It apears that under the influence of some vested interestes Ministers like Manmohan Singh, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Buddhadev Bhattacharya and Narendra Modi wish to get on the luxury bus of some sort even as farmers and soldiers continue to commit suicide at an unprecedented rate?
The manifestoes of Indian National Congress, Bhartiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Common Minimum Program of UPA call for provision of state funding of the elections.
All SEZ approvals and MOUs on Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) before the provision for state funding of elections are suspect. Aren't they?
Moderator
Mukesh Ambani's SEZ, 27 others get government approval
New Delhi, July 12 : The Board of Approvals (BoA) today cleared 28proposals of Special Economic Zones (SEZ), including Mukesh Ambani'sNavi Mumbai project.
The board gave formal approval to 21 SEZs proposals and seven'in-principle' cases.
On July 6, the Parliamentary Committee on the SEZ had said that nofurther SEZs should be notified unless the existing law is amended toincorporate the changes related to the land acquisitions.
The maximum area for the multi-product SEZ should not be more than2,000 hectares, if the land acquired is cultivable, the Murli ManoharJoshi headed-committee said in its 83rd report.
An empowered Group of Ministers (GoM), however, has fixed the landceiling limit at 5,000 hectares.
'All land for SEZs should be taken on lease by developers. Thereshould not be transfer of ownership,' the report said.
--- ANI
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
States Oppose Interlinking od Rivers
Moderator's Note: It is noteworthy that Kerela State Assembly and West Bengal Government has opposed Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) from the very outset.
The Orissa government has objected to the construction of the Polavaram project(part of the ILR project). The Orissa Chief Minister in his letter to theCentral Water Commission says, its clearance was "fraudulent".
The Orissa ChiefMinister wrote to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister opposing Andhra’s unilateraldecision. Andhra seems to be reaping the benefits of a friendly government atthe centre.The National Water Development Agency on the 174 KM Polavarm link, is availableat the following linkhttp://nwda.gov.in/index3.asp?sublink2id=12
Chapter 14 of the report deals with the ecological impact of the project thatentails Polavaram -linking Godavari and Krishna.
Moderator
Tamil Nadu, Kerala disagree on river linking
Pamba-Achencoil-Vaippar link proposal may be “permanently deleted”
NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu and Kerala on 4th July disagreed on thePamba-Achenkoil-Vaippar river link between the States at the annual generalmeeting of the National Water Development Agency here chaired by Union WaterResources Minister Saifuddin Soz.
While Mr. Soz assured the members that the river-linking programme was “on,” butcould be implemented only with consensus among the States concerned, KeralaWater Resources Minister N. K. Premachandran said the Pamba-Achencoil-Vaipparlink proposal may be “permanently deleted” from the peninsular developmentcomponent.Tamil Nadu Vice-Chairman of the Cauvery Technical Cell D. Hari Ram, however,urged the Centre to take up the link as a “priority”.He sought to know if the Centre had had any talks with Kerala on speeding up thematter.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had, in a letter to Prime MinisterManmohan Singh on June 30, requested him to convene a meeting of Chief Ministersof States involved in implementation of interlinking of the peninsular rivers.He had urged the Prime Minister to declare the river-linking project a “nationalproject.”
The Tamil Nadu government had also written to the Chief Ministers of peninsularStates, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,Kerala, Maharashtra and Puducherry, for a meeting on interlinking of rivers inthe peninsular region, which could be hosted by Tamil Nadu.Responding to Tamil Nadu at the meeting, Mr. Premachandran said water was aState subject and the State legislature, “expressing the unanimous will of thepeople”, had passed a resolution on September 6, 2003, against the link. “TheKerala Government has already communicated our strong reservations on the linkto the NWDA in September, 2003 itself.”
Reviewing the progress of the NWDA, Mr. Soz said the Detailed Project Report ofthe Ken-Betwa link between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh was expected to becompleted in 2008.
Draft MoUs sent
Draft MoUs had been sent to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on theParbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link; to Gujarat and Maharashtra for theNarmada-Par-Tapi link; and to Gujarat and Maharashtra for the Damanganga-Pinjallink.According to the Minister, a meeting of the Consensus Group for discussing thetechnical details of the Godavari (Polavaram)-Krishna (Vijaywada) link had beenheld between Orissa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.The views of the Andhra Pradesh Government were awaited.
The HinduModerator's Note: It is noteworthy that Kerela State Assembly and West Bengal Government has opposed Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) from the very outset.
The Orissa government has objected to the construction of the Polavaram project(part of the ILR project). The Orissa Chief Minister in his letter to theCentral Water Commission says, its clearance was "fraudulent".
The Orissa ChiefMinister wrote to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister opposing Andhra’s unilateraldecision. Andhra seems to be reaping the benefits of a friendly government atthe centre.The National Water Development Agency on the 174 KM Polavarm link, is availableat the following linkhttp://nwda.gov.in/index3.asp?sublink2id=12
Chapter 14 of the report deals with the ecological impact of the project thatentails Polavaram -linking Godavari and Krishna.
Moderator
Tamil Nadu, Kerala disagree on river linking
Pamba-Achencoil-Vaippar link proposal may be “permanently deleted”
NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu and Kerala on 4th July disagreed on thePamba-Achenkoil-Vaippar river link between the States at the annual generalmeeting of the National Water Development Agency here chaired by Union WaterResources Minister Saifuddin Soz.
While Mr. Soz assured the members that the river-linking programme was “on,” butcould be implemented only with consensus among the States concerned, KeralaWater Resources Minister N. K. Premachandran said the Pamba-Achencoil-Vaipparlink proposal may be “permanently deleted” from the peninsular developmentcomponent.Tamil Nadu Vice-Chairman of the Cauvery Technical Cell D. Hari Ram, however,urged the Centre to take up the link as a “priority”.He sought to know if the Centre had had any talks with Kerala on speeding up thematter.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had, in a letter to Prime MinisterManmohan Singh on June 30, requested him to convene a meeting of Chief Ministersof States involved in implementation of interlinking of the peninsular rivers.He had urged the Prime Minister to declare the river-linking project a “nationalproject.”
The Tamil Nadu government had also written to the Chief Ministers of peninsularStates, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,Kerala, Maharashtra and Puducherry, for a meeting on interlinking of rivers inthe peninsular region, which could be hosted by Tamil Nadu.Responding to Tamil Nadu at the meeting, Mr. Premachandran said water was aState subject and the State legislature, “expressing the unanimous will of thepeople”, had passed a resolution on September 6, 2003, against the link. “TheKerala Government has already communicated our strong reservations on the linkto the NWDA in September, 2003 itself.”
Reviewing the progress of the NWDA, Mr. Soz said the Detailed Project Report ofthe Ken-Betwa link between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh was expected to becompleted in 2008.
Draft MoUs sent
Draft MoUs had been sent to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on theParbati-Kalisindh-Chambal link; to Gujarat and Maharashtra for theNarmada-Par-Tapi link; and to Gujarat and Maharashtra for the Damanganga-Pinjallink.According to the Minister, a meeting of the Consensus Group for discussing thetechnical details of the Godavari (Polavaram)-Krishna (Vijaywada) link had beenheld between Orissa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.The views of the Andhra Pradesh Government were awaited.
The Hindu
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Gangrape & Murder of Tapasi Malik
Gangrape & Murder of Tapasi Malik
Moderator's Note: Why did TATAs got Tapasi Malik gang raped and murdered? CNN-IBN reported on Jun 28, 2007 that a CPM leader in Singur, West Bengal, has allegedly confessed to the murder of Tapasi Malik, a 19-year-old girl who was found burnt to death.
Earlier The Statesman reported on 24 June, 2007 that the CBI has arrested Debu Malik, who was detained in connection with the murder of Tapasi Malik in Singur about six months back. Debu was produced in a Delhi court. The CBI had taken Debu to Delhi for a polygraph test, commonly known as the lie detector test, on 21 June, 2007. Debu Malik, a CPI-M Hooghly district committee member, was arrested following the polygraph test. Debu had claimed during questioning that Tapasi was not murdered, but had committed suicide.
Farmers, spearheading the movement to reoccupy their plots acquired for Tata Motor’s small car project at Singur, have decided to launch another agitation, demanding “capital punishment” for Malik.
In an editorial 'Managing monsters-More home truths for the CPI-M' in The Statesman on 30 June, 2007
The most charitable explanation for the long-delayed arrest...still suggests the culprit is no more than a common criminal...It is to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s 'credit' that he had conceded the demand for a CBI inquiry which has now resulted in a serious embarrassment for his party in the same manner in which he has ordered prompt action against goons who roughed up television reporters in Kolkata....If there is no interference from invisible forces, Tapasi Malik’s family may yet get justice...it passes understanding why the police need to check with higher authorities (read ministers) on how to deal with criminals who take shelter under the red flag. It is equally reprehensible that while the chief minister and, surprisingly, the Left Front chairman produce the safe argument that “the law will take its course’’, party apparatchiks are already suggesting that the man nabbed by the CBI is the “victim of a conspiracy’’....the smaller partners have been effectively silenced after stern warnings from Biman Bose to put Left unity above their conscience...But will justice be done?
Moderator
CPI-M has unleashed 'state terror' in Bengal: Mamata
IANS[ SUNDAY, JULY 01, 2007]
SINGUR: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya government in West Bengal has unleashed "state terror" to suppress people's resistance against forcible land acquisition for industry.
As a daylong shutdown called by the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) to protest the arrest of its leader by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Tapasi Malik rape and murder case ended, the Trinamool leader took over a rally in the area as she flayed the government.
She also presented the victim's mother before the people to narrate how the 18-year-old girl's rape and killing was blamed on her father by the communists.
"CPI-M has unleashed state terror. The chief minister has many faces. He says different things at different times during a day. He has unleashed the cops on people and rewarding the policemen who help him in repressing movements," Banerjee said, accusing Bhattacharya of double standards.
"They (communists) have raped and killed a young girl like Tapasi. They have not spared even infants in unleashing violence or slapping police cases," Banerjee fumed.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/CPI-M_has_unleashed_state_terror_in_Bengal_Mamata/articleshow/2164300.cms
No roll back on industry plans: West Bengal CM
2007-07-01 : Moneycontrol.com
He is the man in the hottest seat right now. The West Bengal Chief Minister?s job is one of the most important in the country. This job will decide the future of industrialisation in India, the right balance between industry and agriculture. CNN-IBN National Affairs Editor Diptosh Majumdar speaks to the man who is at the centre of turbulence in West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
Diptosh Majumdar: Nandigram, Singur, then a reported incident close to Burnpur where IISCO is carrying out an expansion program. Is there a very dangerous trend in all this?
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee: This is a trend that has recently developed in the state but I think it is not the whole picture. Nandigram, Singur and the IISCO project do not fall under the same category because they are separate issues. At the same time, I would like to inform you that there are many proposals with the government, which we are discussing with the concerned parties or companies. At this moment, we are implementing some projects like three big steel projects. One in Pashcim (West) Midnapore, another in Burdwan and another in Purulia district. We are now going to set up SEZ for Videocon.
Diptosh Majumdar: But the obvious question arising is why is it being experienced only in West Bengal? There is agitation in other parts of the country but not in the same manner as West Bengal.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee: It is unfortunate so far as Bengal is concerned. If you look at other states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, the ruling parties and opposition parties have different ideology but when the question of an important project comes up, there is complete consensus.
Diptosh Majumdar: Is it also that you have too many rehabilitation and compensation packages?
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee: It is but natural, we cannot just dictate to the companies.
Diptosh Majumdar: But do you see a ray of hope with the new proposals that are coming with better compensation packages?
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee: Yes. From the experience, we are changing our policies. The problem I was mentioning was that when we have industrialisation, we have to touch a portion of agricultural land. We are trying our best to avoid fertile land. But when we go for acquisition of land, we have to have a rehabilitation package for the land losers. In some cases, Jindal has come up with a very good proposal. They will give jobs to all land losers and their families. But the number is only 790 so it is easier for them and particularly for a steel company. But in case of Singur, there are 12,000 families. How can they give jobs to 12,000 families?
Diptosh Majumdar: There is a larger question which is the issue of education. You have said yourself that an agriculturist?s son doesn't want to be an agriculturist anymore. But in the past 30 years, have you given him that platform, education that he needs to think of alternative employment?
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee: In Nandigram, the specific problem was that we wanted to set up a specific chemical hub. It was an important project and it was decided by the Government of India. Eight states took part in the competition. We made our presentation in Delhi before the Chemicals and Fertilizer Ministry. Four states were shortlisted with West Bengal topping the list. They said four chemical hubs were going to be set up in the country and the first would be in West Bengal. What we thought was that Haldia was a fisherman?s village 30 years ago. Now it is flourishing with investments coming in almost every month. But unfortunately, there is the Haldi river flowing there and on the other side is Nandigram, a poor village with poor agriculture. So we thought we will construct a bridge with the chemical hub and Nandigram will be another Haldia. Before we could lead the masses on how it was going to change their lives, the Opposition successfully mislead them.